Football has become America’s pastime in recent decades and it’s not showing any signs of losing that title. Even with ongoing controversies over head injuries and a lack of diversity at the head coaching level and above, the NFL still dominates the professional sports conversation even during the offseason.
Among the millions of people who root for NFL teams are plenty of celebrities. Every team in the league has at least one super-famous fan whom you’ll see regularly rocking jerseys and logos in their free time. Here is every franchise’s most visible celebrity fan.
Arizona Cardinals — Blake Shelton
Country music star Blake Shelton may be from Oklahoma but since his state doesn’t have an NFL team, he’s a diehard Arizona Cardinals fan. He says he’s been a fan of the franchise since the mid-1990s and can often be seen wearing team gear. In a video he made for the team’s website in 2015, Shelton said he has become friends with Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald. That season, Shelton was spotted on the sideline at a game with girlfriend Gwen Stefani.
Atlanta Falcons — Samuel L. Jackson
The Atlanta Falcons count a few notable celebs among their fanbase, including rapper Big Boi, comedian Jeff Foxworthy and former President Jimmy Carter. But how can you top the highest-grossing actor in Hollywood history? Samuel L. Jackson is not only a massive Falcons fan, he even used to work at the team’s games. When Jackson was at college in Atlanta, he sold concessions at Falcons games. Can you imagine buying a hot dog from a young Nick Fury?
Baltimore Ravens — Michael Phelps
Arguably the most famous Olympian in American history is also a huge fan of his hometown team, the Baltimore Ravens. The swimmer, whose nickname is the “Baltimore Bullet,” has been a regular on the sidelines at games for years and has led the team out onto the field several times, including in 2012, where the below photo was taken. Phelps counts Ravens legend Ray Lewis among his friends and even discussed his retirement from competitive swimming with him when making the decision to walk away.
Buffalo Bills — Chris Berman
ESPN icon Chris Berman is arguably one of the most famous figures in football broadcasting history and he has never been shy about his love for the Buffalo Bills. The Connecticut native was a vocal supporter of the franchise during his beloved ESPN shows and has said that’s because he felt the Bills were always overlooked by the rest of the national media. The Bills also count CNN stalwart Wolf Blitzer as a big supporter.
Carolina Panthers — Stephen Curry
When Stephen Curry isn’t busy pouring points on hapless NBA defenses, he’s often rooting on the Carolina Panthers. The basketball star grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, and has been one of that city’s most visible football fans for years. Curry’s fandom apparently goes so far that he has aspirations of owning the team one day. In 2018, the NBA told him he wasn’t allowed to join a group of potential buyers for the Panthers because of a potential conflict of interest. Maybe one day!
Chicago Bears — Barack Obama
Former President Barack Obama was born in Hawaii but spent his pre-Washington career in Chicago and calls the Bears his football team. When the Denver Broncos visited the White House after winning the Super Bowl in 2016, Obama gave that team’s defense credit but couldn’t help comparing them unfavorably to the 1985 Bears. In 2011, Obama invited that legendary, Super Bowl-winning Bears team to the White House for the belated celebration that they never got to enjoy.
Cincinnati Bengals — George Clooney
If there’s a team that can’t be called trendy to root for, it’s the Cincinnati Bengals. That long-suffering franchise does have plenty of die-hard supporters, though, and among them is George Clooney. The actor, who grew up near Cincinnati, has made his fandom known over the years, including by being seen wearing a Bengals shirt when he’s out and about. In 2013, he took a moment on the red carpet at the Oscars to declare his fandom to Ed Reed of the rival Baltimore Ravens.
Cleveland Browns — Condoleezza Rice
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is a huge football fan and her team is the Cleveland Browns, despite the fact that she’s from Alabama. Rice has credited watching Browns games while growing up with her father as the reason she still loves the team, despite its many seasons of misery during her lifetime. In 2012, she appeared in a promotional campaign for a line of NFL jerseys for women while proudly wearing Browns colors. In 2018, it was reported that the franchise respected her football knowledge so much that they considered interviewing her for a vacant head coaching position.
Dallas Cowboys — LeBron James
Despite being one of the most visible faces in Cleveland sports history, Ohio native LeBron James roots for the Dallas Cowboys. The NBA legend has been a Cowboys fan all his life, probably due to the fact that when he was growing up in the early 1990s, the team was the NFL’s biggest dynasty. He can regularly be seen at Cowboys games, rocking their gear and tweeting about the franchise.
Denver Broncos — Lindsey Vonn
Lindsey Vonn was born in Minnesota but she’s been rooting for the Denver Broncos for most of her life. When the Olympic skier was 12 years old, her family moved to Colorado and she’s been a Broncos fan ever since. Vonn has been spotted at several games over the years but has said her schedule, which is full of international travel, has made it tough to see the team in person as often as she’d like. You can see her below on the field before one of the team’s games in 2014. The Broncos can also call actors Don Cheadle and Kate Hudson fans.
Detroit Lions — Eminem
When you think of Detroit, Eminem has to be one of the first people that comes to mind. Given that he’s been repping the city for decades, it makes sense that the rap legend is a big Detroit Lions fan. In 2018, the team chose Eminem to be its honorary captain before a game, even having him perform the pre-game coin toss. Other famous Lions fans who’ve suffered through decades of bad seasons include Kid Rock, Bob Seger and Tim Allen.
Green Bay Packers — Lil Wayne
Speaking of rap icons, Lil Wayne is a huge fan of a surprising NFL team, given his roots in New Orleans. The rapper is a vocal supporter of the Green Bay Packers and has been since he was a teenager. The way Lil Wayne became a fan of a beloved team has sentimental roots to his childhood. In 2015, he explained that he grew up using Packers towels and cups every day after his father saw the team win the Super Bowl in 1997, giving him a long link to the team’s iconography.
Houston Texans — Simone Biles
There’s only one super-fan on this list who can say they got to work as a cheerleader for their favorite NFL team. In 2017, Simone Biles served as an honorary member of the Houston Texans cheerleading squad, even rocking the whole uniform and the red pom-poms on the sideline during a game. The Olympic gymnast was raised in Houston and has been a Texans fan for her entire life, which has been just slightly longer than the team has existed. Biles was born in 1997 and the team was founded in 1999.
Indianapolis Colts — Rob Lowe
Actor Rob Lowe wasn’t just repping Indiana while working for the Pawnee government in “Parks and Recreation,” apparently. The Virginia native is a big fan of the Indianapolis Colts and has been seen wearing the team’s gear many times in the past. During the franchise’s run to a Super Bowl in 2007, Lowe could be spotted at every game, according to Fox Sports. He even tried to break some team news in 2012, when he erroneously tweeted that the team’s longtime quarterback, Peyton Manning, was retiring.
Jacksonville Jaguars — Derek Trucks
It’s tough to find many A-list celebs who are hardcore fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars, but musician Derek Trucks reps them every Sunday. The Grammy-winning guitar player for bands like The Derek Trucks Band and Tedeschi Trucks Band was born in Jacksonville and has stayed true to his hometown team. In a video he did for the Jaguars website, he said he’s been a fan since the franchise was founded in 1995 and called the team’s owner, Shahid Khan, “the best owner in the league.”
Kansas City Chiefs — Paul Rudd
When you’re looking for celebrity fans of Kansas City sports, whether it be the Chiefs or the MLB’s Royals, Paul Rudd is right at the top of the list. The “Ant-Man” star grew up in the Kansas City area and went to school at the University of Kansas, giving him deep roots to the Midwest, and he’s a regular fixture at Arrowhead Stadium. When the Chiefs won the Super Bowl in 2020, Rudd was even invited onto the field, where you can see him below, and got to hold the Vince Lombardi Trophy as it was being passed around!
Las Vegas Raiders — Ice Cube
You know you’re a big fan of your team when you take the time to make a documentary about them. That’s exactly what Ice Cube did when he directed “Straight Outta L.A.” for ESPN’s “30 for 30” series, which looked at the team’s years in Los Angeles. The rapper and filmmaker stuck with the team after its move back to Oakland in 1995 and he has said he will stick with them now that the franchise has moved to Las Vegas. “I gotta go where my team go,” he told the Las Vegas Sun after the move was announced.
Los Angeles Chargers — Mario Lopez
Another team that moved recently but kept a famous fan was the Los Angeles Chargers. Actor Mario Lopez is from San Diego — where the team called home from 1961 to 2017 — and he’s been repping the Bolts for years. In a video posted to the team’s website, he said his fandom goes back to the “Air Coryell” years in the late 1970s. After the franchise changed its home to Los Angeles, Lopez kept rooting them on and has been spotted at games in their new city.
Los Angeles Rams — Ty Burrell
Yet another team that split its fan base when it moved to a new city in recent seasons was the Los Angeles Rams. But “Modern Family” star Ty Burrell takes his fandom of the franchise back to its first days in Los Angeles, where the team played from 1946 to 1994, before it moved to St. Louis. He has said he was a Rams fan before he was even born because his dad loved the team, despite the fact that the actor grew up in Oregon. Since the team’s relocation back to Los Angeles in 2016, Burrell has been a regular fixture at games.
Miami Dolphins — Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp traces his childhood roots to South Florida, where he was partly raised, and that’s where he picked up his NFL fandom. When Depp was growing up in that area in the 1970s, the Miami Dolphins were the most dominant team in football so it makes sense that they would have made a great impact on him. In the much more meager seasons that have followed, Depp has been spotted at Dolphins games and proudly rocking team gear.
Minnesota Vikings — Chris Jericho
Pro wrestling star and podcaster Chris Jericho grew up in Canada but his football fandom is based firmly south of the border. He’s a big fan of the Minnesota Vikings and, like his persona in the ring, he isn’t afraid to speak bluntly about the team. In 2019, he ripped the franchise’s massive contract for quarterback Kirk Cousins during an interview, saying he was “not happy” about it. Jericho has been spotted at Vikings games in recent years, including in 2019, but he may be wise to avoid Cousins unless he wants an awkward conversation.
New England Patriots — Mark Wahlberg
Pretty much everyone on Earth knows that Mark Wahlberg reps Boston 24/7. The actor has been a fixture at Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots games for the past couple decades but he seems to have a special affinity for that latter team. From chatting with Tom Brady on the field after the Super Bowl in 2015 to popping up in owner Robert Kraft’s box at home games, Wahlberg is a huge Pats supporter. However, he did have to do some explaining when he left early during the 2017 Super Bowl, missing out on the team’s unprecedented comeback victory.
New Orleans Saints — Brad Pitt
Being based in New Orleans, the Saints have their fair share of famous fans but none of them can compete with Brad Pitt for star power. The Oscar-winning actor has been spotted at Saints games numerous times over the years, including during the event pictured here, a 2010 playoff game with his son, Maddox. He’s also talked about the team in interviews and narrated a special that aired on NFL Network about the franchise. All that was enough for Bleacher Report to declare him a legitimate Saints fan and not merely a bandwagon jumper.
New York Giants — LL Cool J
The Hollywood sisters of Kate and Rooney Mara are in the family that owns the New York Giants, so they are obviously fans but they have an obligation, so we are going with someone else. Rapper LL Cool J is a proud New York native and has called the G-Men his team for years. He has said he came to really love the franchise in the 1980s, when they had linebacker Lawrence Taylor. “He really solidified me being a New York Giants fan,” the rapper said of the legendary player in a 2015 video for the NFL.
New York Jets — Adam Sandler
New York football fans typically either root for the Giants or Jets and Big Apple native Adam Sandler is firmly in Gang Green. The Hollywood powerhouse has been known to reference the long-suffering franchise in his movies, including in 2012’s “That’s My Boy,” which featured a cameo by then-Jets coach Rex Ryan. He’s a regular fixture at Jets games and has said in interviews that, like many fans, he blames himself if he’s watching and the team loses (or wins).
Philadelphia Eagles — Bradley Cooper
Remember in “Silver Linings Playbook” when Bradley Cooper played a guy who was a massive Eagles fan? That role wasn’t much of a stretch for the actor and filmmaker. Born in Philadelphia, Cooper has been repping the team for his whole life. When the team won the Super Bowl in 2018, Cooper was on hand and his many animated reactions during the game made him one of the best parts of the entire event. Another celebrity Eagles fan is Tina Fey, who notably showed her love of the team during a memorable “Saturday Night Live” sketch.
Pittsburgh Steelers — Jeff Goldblum
Being one of the most celebrated franchises in NFL history, the Steelers have plenty of notable fans but it’s tough to top Jeff Goldblum. Born and raised in the Pittsburgh area, Goldblum has said that his family had Steelers season tickets when he was growing up so he never missed a home game with his father. In 2016, he got to meet former Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, which you can see below, and said the moment almost made him cry.
San Francisco 49ers — Jeremy Renner
Like some other celebrity fans on this list, actor Jeremy Renner has mixed his love of football with his work on occasion. In 2015, he lent his voice to an NFL Network documentary about his beloved San Francisco 49ers. He’s a native of Northern California and has been rooting for the 49ers for his whole life. He’s been caught on camera breaking down their games before and was on hand at the 2020 Super Bowl, where he, unfortunately, had to watch them lose.
Seattle Seahawks — Chris Pratt
Speaking of actors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Star Lord himself is a huge fan of the Seattle Seahawks. Chris Pratt grew up in Lake Stevens, Washington and that’s likely where his fandom of the team was born. In 2016, he summed up his love of the franchise succinctly, saying, “They’re solid Americans who lead by example … And because they’re a dominant football force that puts team first.” In 2018, the team gave Pratt the honor of raising its iconic “12” flag before a game, in celebration of the Seahawks fans, which are known as the 12th man.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Hulk Hogan
Did you know ESPN basketball icon Dick Vitale is a huge Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan? He is, but we have to bodyslam Dickey V in favor of Hulk Hogan in the bout for the franchise’s biggest celebrity fan. The wrestling legend has lived in Florida for decades and has been especially visible in the Tampa area. You can often catch him tweeting about Bucs football and he even visited the team at training camp in 2018 and left a few players starstruck.
Tennessee Titans — Faith Hill & Tim McGraw
Is it shocking that Nashville’s most famous couple would be the biggest fans of the city’s NFL team? Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have each been vocal supporters of the franchise for years. In 2009, Titans legend Chris Johnson revealed that he once had lunch with Hill and that she asked him some great questions and he gave her a signed jersey. Meanwhile, in 2019, McGraw was one of the figures who helped bring the NFL Draft to Nashville, along with Titans coach Mike Vrabel.
Washington Redskins — Kevin Durant
NBA star Kevin Durant was born in our nation’s capital and has made no secret about the fact that he loves the Washington Redskins as a result. He’s been spotted numerous times at games, including in 2015, where he was photographed below wearing team colors from head to toe. In 2015, he even showed off a custom Redskins-themed version of his Nike KD8 shoes, easily making other fans jealous. Then, in 2018, Durant trolled his then-teammate Steph Curry when his Redskins beat Curry’s Panthers.
