Much to the chagrin of Will Smith ’s character in that one movie , the NFL is still go strong . And because there are mountain of position actually providing meticulous crack-up of real stuff that is likely to take home in actual games , we are n’t going to do that . What we are doing is ranking the actual cities associated with every NFL team ( i.e. , New York does n’t get penalized for technically take on in Jersey ) , based on everything that is n’t football : the food , thenatural beauty , the people , our subjective biases against the state of Florida , etc .
If you have complaints , you’re able to call Matt ’s theatre phone demarcation anytime after 2 am Central . But for now , just revel in our irreproachable yet extremely subjective NFL urban center ranking :
30. Green Bay, WI
Green Bay PackersThis really is n’t fair . Green Bay would n’t even do all that well on a ranking of city IN WISCONSIN . Pitting it against the Carry Amelia Moore Nation ’s great metropolises is like oppose counterbalance defenses against Aaron Rodgers . So yeah , it ’s a good thing the team is generally successful , because the town has all the personality of an AutoZone parking lot .
29. Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville JaguarsIn your spunk of hearts , you have to know that when your motto is " Where Florida start " and your house physician , call off " Jaxsons , " deal a name pop with the boy children of span who own UFC gymnasium , you ’re not go to end up high on this list .
And as much as we value a city known for its contributions to the humankind of logistics and " golf - refer tourism , " this is the least aphrodisiac Florida goal in the NFL . And though King St in Riverside is doing its best coxa - new - food - town impression , the most likable look of a night out in the nation of Jaxsons is still the possibility of picture Fred Taylor at the Shim Sham Room . They do takebackhanded complimentswell , though .
28. Charlotte, NC
Carolina PanthersImagine you ’re in a characterless airport , your trajectory is delay , and you ’re stuck next to this cumbersome and insufferable guy in a polo shirt who wo n’t stop talk to you about his late promotional material at Wells Fargo . Now imagine living that experience perpetually . Such is Charlotte . But there ’s Leslie Townes Hope ! While most North Carolina residents will tell you to trip a fleck outside Charlottefind the best barbecue , just about any Carolina barbecue beats most of what ’s elsewhere , andCharlotte has flock .
27. Buffalo, NY
Buffalo BillsBuffalo is like if a mid - tier Canadian city crept across the border and hope no one would notice it just hang out up there in the far scope of New York , sipping a Labatt highboy and trying to keep blow off its faded Thurman Thomas jersey via an also - faded Bills starter jacket , the orange hue of wing sauce still staining its cheeks from a late trip to Anchor Bar as it ponders engaging in a barmy round ofparking - bunch sex . You know , metaphorically speaking .
26. Tampa Bay, FL
Tampa Bay BuccaneersThere are nice thing to be had here – beautiful beaches in close law of proximity , the splendors of Cigar City Brewing , a few secure restaurants ( Edison : Food+Drink ; Rooster & the Till ; a place called Big Ray ’s with unbalanced - good fish sandwiches ) ; it ’s just too bad well-nigh everyone I ’ve come across from Tampa ( and I have cousins here , so I ’ve met a clustering ) is basically Kevin from the Netflix showBloodline , but even more fidgety .
25. Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati BengalsAll the forced niceness of agood Midwestern upbringingcombined with just a hint ( or more than a hint , depending on who you ’re dealing with ) of Kentucky cracker that made its way across the river . On the one script , Cincinnati has more go for it than you might think if you ’re the kind of someone who just lumps that whole part of the land together : beautiful roll pitcher’s mound , Graeter ’s ice cream , aperpetually underrated beer scene . On the other hand , any place where the local culinary art of notation is marrow - like incubus guck with notes of cinnamon can only mount so high .
24. Phoenix, AZ
Arizona CardinalsImagine the movieCocoon , but a city . Actually less a urban center and more like several arm connected by golf course and upscale outside malls . But still suppose the movieCocoonbecause it ’s a jolly unspoiled movie .
You ’re bloody lucky Chris Bianco decided to make pizza pie here .
23. Baltimore, MD
Baltimore RavensAs Omar enjoin – just kidding , Omar is dead . Sorry , I should ’ve said spoiler alert . But you get laid what is n’t dead ? The food / potable scene and the energy in Washington , DC ’s ice chest , poorer , more Old Bay - incrust cousin .
Also , I once sleep ( slept?)-walked out of my hotel way in Baltimore at 3 am in just my drawers and ended up down at the front desk very confused , and no one in Baltimore seemed that fazed by it . RIP Omar .
22. Kansas City, MO
Kansas City ChiefsOK , permit ’s just get this outta the way of life , KC – set up shop class primarily in Missouri when your name ’s Kansas was a existent dick move . But hey , it hap , get ’s move past it , and instead move directly into a slab of incredible ribs . Or combust ends . Or both ! But just focusing solely on BBQ is selling the city a bit curt – stroll around Westport andyou’ll incur Beard Award winners and goal - desirable cocktail join . However , you ’ll also find large stretches of the city that ’ll make you say , " hold off … are we in the Kansas part ? No ? Are you SURE ? " So yeah , like the wellness of Jamaal Charles ' knees , it ’s a bit up and down .
21. Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis ColtsA certain Chicagoan co - source of this article has a track record of poking fun at Indy from meter to time . He may or may not have once referred to it as " like a big suburb that ’s really trying . " However , he ’s also spend enough sentence there to know that the the great unwashed are generally friendly as hell and great to drink with if you do n’t mind them awkwardly injecting extolment for Peyton Manning into conversation where it is n’t even close to relevant . But for real , you know Indy ’s on the rise when it ’s gettingbackhanded gratis coverage from New York media– that ’s suppose to be Chicago ’s gig ! America ’s keeping an middle on you , Indy , and only averting it whenever Andrew Luck study his helmet off .
20. Cleveland, OH
Cleveland BrownsIt did it ! It finally make headway something ! But LeBron ’s heroic verse aside , Cleveland ’s reputation for flaming river , excruciating loss , andself - deprecating tourism videoshas long betrayed a city that ’s better than its public perception . Its web of chef - driven restaurant extends far beyond the ones Michael Symon runs when he ’s not busy entertaining America ’s housewives with Mario Batali . Its beer scene has become so much more than Great Lakes ( but also Great Lakes ! ) . Its people are still recovering from what Earnest Byner and Jose Mesa and Art Modell did to them on some level , but are now more pollyannaish than ever . It ’s still Cleveland , but it ’s better than you probably cogitate .
19. Detroit, MI
Detroit LionsIt’d be well-to-do to contrive a few well-worn jokes about urban decline and putridness at Detroit and call it a day , but that ’d be doing a ill turn to a great American metropolis and promising revitalization level . Besides , Detroit hascharacter , dammit . Many of the people who would whap it have never experienced the wonders of one of America’smost underrated pizza styles , taken in the tranquil beauty of Belle Isle , or emerged as an tall fighter at a whack fight host by Mekhi Phifer . Indeed , Detroit is an underdog all of America can get behind . If only the same could be sound out for the Lions .
18. Atlanta, GA
Atlanta FalconsAtlanta ’s a complicated urban center that far too many experience only in the word form of airport stop and far too few experience in the form of a in demand Holeman and Finch burger , a pilgrim’s journey to Clermont Lounge , and an inexplicable dealings jam that makes you question whether there ’s good in the universe . If you have n’t made the trip , at least line into this season ofAtlanta .
17. Miami, FL
Miami DolphinsThat one bozo in your neophyte dorm that bust excessive hair’s-breadth product , owns multitudinous clitoris - down shirts in primary colors purchased online from European haberdasher , and is weirdly good at Jet Skiing , but a city .
16. Houston, TX
Houston TexansIf you ’re going to eat meat , be it steak or ribs or burgers or kolaches filled with sausage , there is nary a better metropolis in this land to get down in . If you ’re going to sit in dealings in the worst humidity I ’ve ever go through outside of a rainforest ( I went to a rainforest once , NBD ) in a city that would give LA a run for its money in sprawl , Houston is also very good at that . Free DeAndre Hopkins !
15. Dallas, TX
Dallas CowboysEveryone always hold fun of Dallas for being the mercenary Texas city , the place where northern and Midwestern expats fall to do a few year of study before returning to their home basis in Chicago and Arlington , VA . Or they talk about the large hair’s-breadth and the bogus breast of the Texas natives . Or , if they ’re my ma , they talk about that showDallasand who shot J.R. ( plunderer alerting : it was his sister - in - natural law Kristin , but J.R. did n’t press charges because she said she was fraught with his child ! ) . Either way , Dallas is a utterly respectable middle - of - the - road city , which is basically what the Cowboys are destined to be next time of year once the greenhorn magic has bust off Dak Prescott .
14. Oakland, CA
Oakland RaidersBecause this is not about Oakland Raider fans , we do n’t have to mention theMad Maxdystopian experience that is seek to go to the bathroom , or take the air to your tush , or just survive as an opposing sports fan in the Coliseum . Oakland itself is a metropolis that ’s always had a slap-up music and food culture , but it ’s now mother tons of hype , principally because all the people priced out of SF are reacting to the city as if they ’ve just discovered something that was n’t known to people over the Bay Bridge for eternity eld . Bonus : looks like that move to Vegas is n’t as much of a lock as everyone thought !
13. Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia EaglesAs a nation , we have a leaning to reduce Philadelphia to this imitation composed solely ofcheesesteak- andYuengling - scented WIP telephoner engaging in some casual afternoon drive - meter racialism before channelize out to prepare for their nightly bar fights . This reprehensively omit the fact that Philly has a restaurant scene few cities can touch , an abundance of delicious and affordably priced pretzels , and a cluster of tops - friendly people who will gayly take your picture next to the ROCKY statue even though you ’re acting like a damn holidaymaker . Only thing is , well , those aforementioned peoplestill be , too .
12. Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles RamsGood God , why does LA suddenly have two football game teams ? We ca n’t say anything nice here out of regard for San Diego .
11. Minneapolis, MN
Minnesota VikingsAny city simultaneously responsible for gift the world Prince and theJucy Lucyis clearly doing some things right . If you ’ve never know the perfection that is a summer in Minneapolis … well , you ’re basically out of time because autumn is come and the Vikings are about to deflower everything . all-fired you Teddy Bridgewater and your frail knees ! Where were we ? Right , so anyway , before long enough Minneapolis unavoidably finds itself plugging its cars in so their shelling do n’t freeze down while exchanging terse pleasantries over rib - sticking service of live dish , but bloody , when this city ’s salutary , it’sreallygood . Hopefully one sidereal day that applies to the football squad .
10. Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh gets a risky rap , perhaps because the only thing that masses outside of Pittsburgh know of PGH is the Yinzer expat population wearing their Bubby Brister Jersey to sport cake , and the gymnasium , and motor hotel appearances . But the city itself is quite tempting – with the gravid swath of unexpected park , museums that look adorable from the outside , and afood / drink scenethat has late extend to attack - emoji status . Just avoid the sportsman bars around 1 pm on Sundays , and you ’ll have a gravid time , even if you do n’t stuff fries into pierogies .
9. Washington, DC
OK ! Now the good stuff . Even the most hardened cynic ca n’t serve but feel at least a stab of civil pride move about his or her day amidst so many iconic American sites as the sun ( hopefully ) reflect down on the Potomac . But the real exciting hooey in DC is what ’s happening apart from the whole " being the nation ’s capital letter " matter . Excitement over its long - ascendent restaurant scenehas reached a fever pitch . Legitimatelycool neighborhoodsare desirable of more than backhanded " it ’s like Brooklyn " comparisons . House of Cardsis renewed for another time of year ! If you could tolerate the cat who importune on networking even though it ’s 2 am and you ’re trying to breathe in your half smoke at Ben ’s Chili Bowl in peace , it can be a lovely shoes .
8. Boston, MA
New England PatriotsHave you ever walked through the Public Garden onto the cobblestone street of Beacon Hill on a curt fall day , and found a cannoli from Mike ’s that you did n’t even realize you ’d buy hours before , and intend that you were in the gravid city in the mankind ; the Hub , if you will , of the universe ?
And then did you get hit in the head by a Sam Adams nursing bottle thrown by a 320 lb liquored - up buster wearing a Marchand New Jersey over a Welker jersey over a Foulke jersey over a Scalabrine jersey , who ’d just take so fired up rattling off Deflategate conspiracy theory that he miss the last Red Line train to the Quincy Adams station , and think that you might not wish if this metropolis burned to the solid ground ? Then congratulations , you rightfully understand the ups and downs of the Boston experience .
7. San Francisco, CA
San Francisco 49ersThough you could only permanently reside in the City by the Bay now if you ’ve recently betray a farm - to - monotone app to Facebook or have quondam Belarusian money you recently smuggle out of Minsk , the City of Cramped Calves is still undeniably beautiful and marvelous , even if the people hit you with their Teslas as they form up programs to steal your dinner party mental reservation are not .
6. New York, NY
New York Jets and New York GiantsNew York is the city eq of one of those claw - Harold Hart Crane automobile mitt game – it has all these plushy and fancy - looking thing that await like they ’re available to everyone , and so you spend your money to go there and then you hail to find out that ALL OF THE NICE clobber IS ESSENTIALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET UNLESS YOU ARE ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY OWNS A CLAW - CRANE MACHINE BUSINESS . But you descend so damn close to winning those prizes and they seem so attainable that you just keep pump money into it . This ordinarily goes on for mass ’s entire 20s and early 30s , until they give up playing the auto and move to Jersey to eat Lycopersicon esculentum pie in peace treaty .
But in all seriousness , there ’s a feeling that go along with being in New York that just is n’t replicable anywhere else . It ’s almost like a country unto itself , which makes compare it to other place passing difficult . Kind of like safely handle firework . Sorry , JPP .
5. Chicago, IL
Chicago BearsDriving ( or biking or walk , if you ’re not in anItalian beefcoma ) down Lakeshore Dr , with the majestic skyline on one side and Lake Michigan draw out all the room to the horizon on the other , is one of the finest damn sights you ’ll experience anywhere . Culinarily , Chicago measures itself against the world ’s restaurant capitals , which makes it all the more laughable when someone from New York turns outanother condescending"guess what , Chicago actually has good places to eat that are n’t steakhouses ! " clause . Also , literally every single famous funny person you have a go at it pass away to Chicago to learn how to be funnier .
Look ! Got through that whole damn thing without observe cryptic dish once . Whoops . Shit . Well , you live it was coming . Kind of like a Jay Cutler interception at a vital moment in the fourth quarter .
4. Denver, CO
Denver BroncosAh , Denver ! Breathe in that fresh deal line with just a clue of marijuana and green chile . Drink in the hoppy splendor of a craft beer vista that was bustling back when everyone still called them " microbrewery . " Tolerate the alarmingly in - physique bro who stuck around after four years at Boulder to solve as a part - fourth dimension ski teacher and wo n’t stop talking to you about fourteeners . Denver often gets defend for all the fantastical stuff to do right outside the metropolis , what with the skiing and the hike and the Red Rocks , but that does a disservice to all the good times to be had in Denver proper . The fact that said fourth dimension can be had with herbal sweetening with nary a legal concern is just a bonus .
3. Seattle, WA
Seattle SeahawksIf Seattle just had , like , six more weeks of nice weather , it would be the most desirable metropolis to live in in quite possibly the human beings . But alas , Seattle does not have those extra week , and so you ’re leave with a choice : do I make my home in a metropolis that is buy the farm to give me the best seafood , andteriyaki , and cool ferrying ride to island , or do I never go to Seattle outside of the summer because too much time in a uncheerful perpetual light drizzle will give me seasonal affectional disorder and squeeze me to begin mind to Stone Temple Pilots albums backwards looking for hint to the meaning of life ?
Well , evaluate by the real estate Price and business heap into the hometown of Meredith Grey ( RIP ? ) , I ’d say more people than not are opting for the STP route .
2. Nashville, TN
Tennessee TitansGuys ! Did you hear?!Hot chickenis SO hot flop now . savoury fowl apart , it genuinely does feel like Nashville ’s been having something of a present moment the last couplet of long time ( OK fine , a bit more than a " minute " ) , thanks to everyone ’s third - preferred Quaker throwing her bachelorette company there ( did n’t the attire be ENOUGH , Becca ? ) and also Aziz Ansari . But it ’s also because Nashville ’s a damn fine place to be , what with the medicine and the fantastic barbecue ( no , it ’s not just Memphis ) and the just - correct amount of country . It ’s simultaneously small town and flourish metropolis in the best possible manner . It ’s blend to be crush when Marcus Mariota does n’t live up to the hype , but not THAT vanquish because everyone cares way more about college , anyway .
1. New Orleans, LA
New Orleans SaintsMost city are lucky to have one or twoiconic dishesthey can point to and say " we created this and it ’s amazing and you MUST try it when you ’re here . " New Orleans has too many to count . On the one paw , it feels stock to extol the round-the-clock political party vibe here , on the other hand , any city that so thoroughly champion legally imbibing out-of-doors without restrictions and barrack the notion of " last call " deserves as much extolment as potential . Without minimize the seriousness of the mayhem Mother Nature has wreaked on it , New Orleans is so much bigger than the obstacles that’ve fallen in its way . Quite simply , if you have n’t been there , you have n’t had a concluded American experience , and few urban center can say that . If people from New Orleans say that to you , it ’ll be hard to understand , but at least their tone will be real friendly - comparable .
bless up herefor our daily Thrillist email , and get your fix of the best in food for thought / drink / fun .
Harry How/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images
Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock
Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock
littleny / Shutterstock.com
Gerry Boughan / Shutterstock.com
Jorge Salcedo/Shutterstock
kan_khampanya/Shutterstock
