It’s officially fall, which means it is officially football season. The National Football League (NFL) is back in action, and has been off to an exciting start. The NFL reaches millions of people yearly, and contains some of the best fanbases in sports.
The NFL consists of 32 teams competing in a 17-game, 18 week long season, starting in September and ending in January. In January, playoffs begin and culminate in February. From there, the goal is to win the Super Bowl, an extremely difficult task that only one team can complete each year.
At Woodland, the NFL is very popular among students. The variety of favorite teams is what makes the competition so exciting, and gets everyone invested in the season.
“My favorite team is the New York Giants,” said football fan, Nick Lachapelle. “I honestly think that they have a realistic shot of making it out of their division this year.”
The New York Giants are a common favorite team in Connecticut, as they are one of the more local teams. Other commonly supported teams are the New York Jets and New England Patriots.
“I like the Patriots,” said football fan, Luke Verrelli. “I think our quarterback Mac Jones will make the second-year leap.”
The variety of favorite teams is what makes the NFL as special as it is. Most of the time, fans find themselves routing for teams that are not local.
“The Chicago Bears are my favorite team,” said football fan, John Sizer. “They haven’t been great recently, but I am hopeful after a solid start this season.”
As enjoyable as it sounds to cheer for a favorite team it is also very common that they do not perform as well as fans hope. Fans often hope that their teams can win the Super Bowl, however many are often very realistic about their team’s chances of winning.
“It is still early in the season, but the Bills and Chiefs have impressed me as Super Bowl candidates this year,” said football fan, Jenna Chicano. “I am a Panthers fan, but I sadly don’t see them winning it all.”
No matter who your favorite team is, the NFL can be enjoyable and entertaining to all. Due to the long awaited return, many students are more excited than ever to watch their favorite teams and players play. It is safe to say that the Woodland community is ready for the long NFL season that is to come.
