Connect with us

NFL

A Rundown of the Most Passionate NFL Superfans

Published

on

The spirit of the game lives in the hearts of fans everywhere who support their teams so passionately. ~David Baker, President and CEO of Pro Football Hall of Fame

Do you ever wonder what would happen to NFL teams and players without their fans? Well, that’s an undesirable place for sure.

It’s good to know that starting 2019, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is opening up its halls to accommodate the NFL’s super fans. 

In January 2019, the organization inducted three fan honourees into the Ford Hall of Fans. Over 170,000 ballots are cast through online polling that began months before the announcement of finalists. 

These are Don Wachter, a Chicago Bears fan; Rick Holman, a Pittsburgh Steelers fan; and Roger Avila, a Miami Dolphins fan.

Here’s a list of the most passionate NFL fans.

Don “Bearman” Wachter

nfl superfans bearman
Image credit

Wachter is a 56-year-old Plainfield, Illinois resident. He was a season-ticket holder for 33 years and counting. 

Also known as the Bearman, other than painting his face, Wachter also wears a bear head hat to games—where he got his moniker from. 

Between 1998 and 2004, he was the Bears most reliable ally in firing up the home crowd. Wachter would run onto the Soldier Field 

Roger “Dolfan Maniac” Avila

nfl superfans dolfan maniac
Image credit

Avila, who is also 56 years old, is from Miami. He was a season-ticket holder for 24 years now.

Avila was called the Dolfan Maniac and considered one of the faces of the team. He appears on TV broadcasts on his usual attire—his No. 40 white Miami jersey. 

Rick Holman

nfl superfans rick holman
Image credit

Holman is the youngest of the three, at only 39 years old. He was a season-ticket holder for 18 years. From Beaver, Pennsylvania, Holman is a history teacher.

Holman never missed a match played in Heinz Field, whether a preseason, regular or playoff game. Holman also travels to Dallas, Tampa, and Detroit to watch the championship games of the Steelers.

Other NFL superfans

Wachter, Avila, and Holman are on a different league now that their names are up in the wall.

And while fans are not created equal, many others are worthy of the same recognition.

100% Cheese Free

Syd Davy’s alter ego, 100% Cheese Free first appeared in Halloween 1993. Other fans motivated him to continue dressing up because they loved how it looks. He is regarded as the face of the Minnesota Vikings.

Hunka Burning Fan

John Lang, 56, is a Buffalo Bills fan who dons Elvis Presley garb. It started with a bet that he couldn’t appear on TV, only he did. He received an airtime thanks to his old guitar, white jumpsuit and painted sideburns. Now known as the rock n roll fan, Lang is now a staple at every Bills game.

Sound and Fury

Leroy Mitchell has been wearing a giant whistle headdress since 1996. A fan of the New Orleans Saints, his whistle can hit up to 120 decibels.

Queen Falcon

Carolyn “BirdLady” Freeman started following Atlanta Falcons in 1998—after 12 years of confinement in bed. She was a deputy sheriff and was severely injured while on duty. She was in every Falcons game, even flying to Houston to watch the Super Bowl LI. Freeman also painted her home black, white, grey, and red or the Falcon colours.

Featured Image Source

Subscribe to know more about your favourite NFL teams and their fandoms!

Continue Reading
Advertisement
1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Pingback: NFL Playoffs 2020: San Francisco 49ers vs Kansas City Chiefs - Halfagoal

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Football

Upcoming sports tournaments in September 2023

Published

on

Upcoming sports tournaments

With the approach of September, brace yourself for an upsurge in excitement as a captivating lineup of sporting occasions is on the verge of captivating sports enthusiasts worldwide. The upcoming sports tournaments in September are poised to deliver a whirlwind of athletic skill and adrenaline-charged instances, spanning intense basketball clashes to pulse-pounding soccer duels. Enthusiasts and bettors are eagerly awaiting the most favorable wagers for these imminent sports tournaments, while teams and athletes gear up to contend on the grandest stage. In the upcoming weeks, we will dissect the significant matches, delving deeper into the events set to command global attention.

This article was prepared with the help of our partners from Free Betting Reviews!

September upcoming sports tournaments 2023

US Open Tennis Championship

As the calendar flips to September, the US Open Tennis Championship continues its momentum. The onset of September signals the commencement of the third round of the illustrious US Open tennis tournament. Set against the backdrop of Flushing Meadows in New York, this Grand Slam affair holds an esteemed position in the tennis calendar. Being the final Grand Slam event of the year, the competition is expected to intensify as eminent players such as Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, and various others engage in a fierce battle for supremacy on the unforgiving hard courts.

NFL Season Kickoff

September heralds the much-awaited return of the NFL, a momentous occasion for American football aficionados. With the preseason wrapping up in August, the NFL season’s kickoff in September ushers in a flurry of excitement and a plethora of betting prospects. Featuring a jam-packed schedule of games every week, bettors have an array of choices at their disposal when strategizing their wagers. It’s a time when teams embark on their journey toward the Super Bowl, and this monumental pursuit begins right from the inaugural game week.

UEFA Champions League starts

Soccer devotees will find themselves glued to their screens as the group stages of the UEFA Champions League kick off during the third week of September. This premier club competition showcases the crème de la crème of European teams vying for continental dominance. Boasting a mix of star-studded lineups and unexpected contenders, the Champions League is renowned for its unpredictability, often giving rise to enticing betting prospects. Brace yourself for witnessing Europe’s finest teams battling it out on the grandest stage, all in pursuit of one of the most coveted titles across the globe.

FIBA Basketball World Cup

The commencement of the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup takes center stage. This event stands as one of the most renowned and eagerly anticipated spectacles in the global sports arena. The tournament ignites a captivating showcase of skill, tactics, and passion that goes beyond geographical boundaries, uniting basketball enthusiasts worldwide as nations from every corner of the globe converge on the court.

F1 Italian Grand Prix

With the arrival of September each year, the F1 Italian Grand Prix takes the spotlight, drawing the gaze of the motorsports community toward the iconic Monza Circuit situated in Italy. This event serves as the second F1 race following a brief summer hiatus. The question on everyone’s mind: Will Verstappen maintain his dominance in the world of F1 this year?

September ushers in an exhilarating arena encompassing a spectrum of upcoming sports tournaments including tennis, American football, soccer, basketball, and Formula 1. The US Open tennis tournament stirs fervor as it enters its dynamic third round, simultaneously marking the commencement of a fresh NFL season. Meanwhile, the UEFA Champions League illuminates the soccer world with its captivating group stage clashes, while the FIBA Basketball World Cup provides its own dose of exhilaration. Not to be outdone, the F1 Italian Grand Prix captivates the hearts of motorsports enthusiasts. To explore more news tied to these upcoming sports tournaments, ensure to stay connected with Half A Goal!

Continue Reading

NFL

Deshaun Watson’s “Rigged” Contract: The NFL Teams Issues

Published

on

About Deshaun Watson

Watson, Derrick Deshaun, is a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He was born to Deann Watson and Don Richardson on September 14, 1995, in Gainesville, Georgia. He led his Clemson Tigers football team to a national title in 2016. Watson was a first-round pick for the Houston Texans in the 2017 NFL draft.

A promising rookie season was cut short by an injury, but Watson went on to lead the Texans to division victories in 2018 and 2019, and he led the league in passing yards in 2020. Not only that but in his three years as Houston’s starter, he was selected to the Pro Bowl every year. His career pass rate is second-best all-time, but his completion rate is the best ever (minimum 1,500 attempts).

More than two dozen female massage therapists have accused Watson of sexual harassment and sexual assault beginning in 2021. Even though Watson has paid almost $20 million to settle sexual misconduct charges, he insists he did nothing wrong.

After a dispute with the Houston Texans’ head office and many sexual-misconduct lawsuits sidelined Watson for the entire 2021 season, the Cleveland Browns acquired him in a trade. Watson signed a five-year, $230 million contract in March 2022, one of the most expensive contracts in NFL history.

Dissatisfied with the team’s new front office and coaching staff, Watson requested a trade from the Texans after the 2020 season. However, the Texans refused to negotiate with other teams about trade offers, leading to a standoff between Watson and the team until sexual-harassment allegations surfaced.

Watson was named to the Texans’ 53-man roster to begin the season with free-agent signing Tyrod Taylor and rookie Davis Mills, despite the off-field problems and his standing with the team. Texans GM Nick Caserio has said he will take things “one day at a time” with Deshaun Watson.

The “Rigged” Contract

With Deshaun Watson’s 2022 season in limbo as the NFL appeals his six-game ban, the league’s other 31 teams are allegedly dissatisfied with the Cleveland Browns over the “rigged” contract that will suffer minimal financial repercussions from the league’s disciplinary action.

In March, Watson signed a record-breaking five-year, $230 million contract. The contract provided him with $8.9 million in signing incentives but a basic salary of less than $1 million for the 2022 season, presumably in expectation of a ban. This amount will increase to $46 million for the subsequent season. Without a successful appeal, Watson stands to lose approximately $345,000 of his compensation, or approximately $57,500 per game.

According to one report, though, the overall sentiment within the league is one of disappointment. Peter King of NBC Sports reported this week that an influential NFL official stated that the Browns’ manipulation of Watson’s contract such that he would forfeit only a portion of his 2022 salary did not sit well with the league or its other 31 owners.

The NFL star Deshaun Watson is facing more than 20 civil lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct and assault by numerous women. As a result of the sexual harassment complaint, Watson has been suspended for six games without pay.

However, he will not be fined for violating the league’s guidelines on personal conduct, which infuriated many people. He was also permitted to participate in the Cleveland Browns’ preseason activities, including their preseason games.

So far, Deshaun Watson has agreed to settle all pending sexual harassment lawsuits save one. Watson apologized to all women affected by this event in a recent interview.

Watson is currently engaged in active negotiations with the NFL in an effort to achieve a settlement regarding the penalty against him. As things currently stand, it appears highly probable that a definitive settlement will be reached very soon.

The NFL Teams Issue

The six-game ban given to Deshaun Watson was first met with outrage from NFL teams, who felt that the punishment was insufficient and should have been more severe. They were also upset with the fine for the six-game suspension, which was $344,655, which is a very little number when compared to his annual pay with the Browns.

There is no penalty applied to Watson’s signing bonus; rather, it is solely applied to his first year’s base salary, which is little more than one million dollars. This particular contractual arrangement was developed specifically to sidestep a more significant penalty.

The National Football League has made it public knowledge that it will file a formal appeal against Watson’s ban and ask for a significantly more severe penalty. It is being stated that the league is looking for a substantially larger fine in addition to an indefinite suspension that will continue for at least one year.

It is not at all unusual for National Football League teams to organize player contracts in a particular manner in order to minimize their financial obligations under the salary cap. Although his base pay is set at $1.12 million and he has an $11.9 million cap hit, Tom Brady is scheduled to make $30 million during his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022.

Continue Reading

NFL

Best Brother Duos In NFL

Published

on

Family relations in professional sports are unique, but not unusual. The road to coming to be a professional athlete is a lengthy and arduous one. Becoming a top athlete takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice from everyone involved. However, only 2% of all student-athletes become professional athletes. So when a part of the family earns that title, it feels like all the hard work has paid off. But there have been a few rare instances where multiple families have gone on to great success.

If you take a glimpse at the NFL, there are many examples of siblings playing at the same time. But when one thinks of one of the greatest sibling duos of all time, he can’t help but think of Peyton and Eli Manning. Both brothers were drafted first overall in their respective drafts and are two-time Super Bowl champions each. Both brothers will one day be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Despite a lot of pressure to have the Manning surname, they somehow pushed the size of the name even further.

Table Of Contents

Some of the brother duos who have been most active in the NFL include:

  • The Bosa Brothers – Joey and Nick Bosa

These two, Joey—who plays for the Los Angeles Chargers—and Nick—who plays for the San Francisco 49ers—were game changers as soon as they entered the league. Both are in the top 10 in the league when it comes to edge rushers. Impressive given the quality of quarterbacks in each division. These guys are amazing at what they do

  • The Watt Brothers – J.J. And T.J. Watt

Watt’s oldest brother ( J.J., who plays for the Arizona Cardinals) has been a great player for a long time. We’re used to him ruining games from the edge, and while injuries have hindered him a bit in recent years, he’s making up for it with his experience, effective everywhere you place him, but not every play. The youngest Watt (T.J., who plays for the Pittsburg Steelers) relentlessly pursues quarterbacks, maxing out his chances and finishing with a league-best 6.1% Pass-Rush snap in 2021, according to Next Gen Stats.

  • The Kelce Brothers – Jason and Travis Kelce

Getting into the NFL is hard enough, let alone playing at the highest level at each position for 10 years. That’s virtually what both Jason (who plays for Philadelphia Eagles) and Travis (who plays for Kansas City Chiefs) have accomplished. Among both of them, they’ve had Pro Bowl nominations and seven First-Team All-Pro selections. These were extraordinary achievements and still add to her legacy.

The Kelces bring a great element to football with their competitive yet fun-loving personality. Jason is the quintessential NFL center of his. He keeps his head down and leads the game at a high level. He is a very athletic anchor who uses his excellent footwork to his advantage and is rarely bullied by defenders. As for Travis, it goes without saying that he is one of the best, if not the best, tight ends in the game right now. What stands out the most is that despite his 6-foot-5-inch, 250-pound build, he still performs the stretches. He can lift people with his power, but he has the stagger to move sideways and can see the field better than anyone else.

Top Brother Duos 

Here are the top five best brother duos in NFL:

  • The Manning Brothers 

Peyton Manning, who plays for the Broncos, and Eli Manning, who plays for the Giants. Both of Archie’s boys were the No. 1 picks in his NFL Draft, and combined they have three Super Bowls (Eli: 2, Peyton: 1) and four League MVPs (all by Peyton).

  • The Harbaugh Brothers

 Jim Harbaugh, who coaches for the 49ers, and John Harbaugh, who coaches for the Ravens. Jack’s sons train with each other in Super Bowl XLVII and have an impressive regular season record of 90-43 combined.

  • The Ryan Brothers

Rex Ryan, who coaches for the Jets, and Rob Ryan, who is with the Saints. Buddy’s raucous twin follows in the footsteps of their old man as they are one of the best defenders in the game today.

  • The Pouncey Brothers

Maurkis, who plays for the Steelers, leads the AFC in the middle of the Pro Bowl voting. Mike, who plays for the Dolphins, is doing well as a rookie.

  • The McCourty Brothers

Jason McCourty, who plays for the Titans, and Devin McCourty, who plays for the Patriots. The McCourty brothers, another twin pair, are Hawking’s defenders in the game today. Devin McCourty of the Patriots made it to the Pro Bowl as a rookie, and Jason of the Titans quietly performed well in pick value in his sixth round.

Continue Reading

Trending