Moreso than other leagues, NFL fans of every team have a most hated rival(s)...teams their fans will never root for. For me it's the Niners and Seahawks, for many Bengals fans it's the Steelers, for the Redskins it's the Cowboys and so on.

 

So here is the question: If your favorite college player is drafted by the team you hate the most, do you start rooting for them?

 

Example: @TheDeuce loves Lamar Jackson (and rightfully so) but what if the Patriots, Cowboys, Bengals, Browns, Ravens or some other team hated by Steelers fans were to draft him?

 

I loved Randall Cobb and when he became a Packer I became a fan. However, I didn't hate them to begin with so that's not a good comparison.

No...players come and go with free agency. No need to do something drastic like supporting my enemy for one player.:no:

Not drafted because I don't really follow college football that close, but acquired, yes. I don't really hate any team (I guess the Colts and Broncos would be the closest), but if Tom Brady ever ended up in one of those spots, I'd become a Colts or Broncos fan until he was no longer there.

NO, I have never had favorite college players. I have liked a lot of them. But it wouldnt matter, I still root for my fav pro team and hate everyone else.

Heck yes! I would support the Steelers or Patriots in a second if they drafted Lamar Jackson as quarterback. (I’m a Bengals fan).

No way.

While I can't say that I have a favorite college player, I do have a favorite college team. And it's been absolutely crushing to see several former OSU players get taken by Pittsburgh (Vrabel, Holmes, Heyward, Shazier, etc.)in the past 20 years or so. But will never for the Steelers based upon that. Ever.

No way. Like CSF said I would never root for the Steelers no matter how many Buckeyes they have. Doesn’t mean I root against the former Buckeyes as individuals now I just root against their team success. I am loyal to my teams not the players.

I don't really hate any NFL team (NHL? That's another story.).

 

I normally hate everything Miami, but how can you root against a bunch of innocent little dolphins?

 

As long as they are not playing the Bucs, I root for any team that has a Bull or a Wildcat on the roster, even Atlanta.

Absolutely not!

Moreso than other leagues, NFL fans of every team have a most hated rival(s)...teams their fans will never root for. For me it's the Niners and Seahawks, for many Bengals fans it's the Steelers, for the Redskins it's the Cowboys and so on.

 

So here is the question: If your favorite college player is drafted by the team you hate the most, do you start rooting for them?

 

Example: @TheDeuce loves Lamar Jackson (and rightfully so) but what if the Patriots, Cowboys, Bengals, Browns, Ravens or some other team hated by Steelers fans were to draft him?

 

I loved Randall Cobb and when he became a Packer I became a fan. However, I didn't hate them to begin with so that's not a good comparison.

This is a great question.

 

In my experiences it depends upon the connection to the player and the deepness of a connection to the NFL team. QBs often have a deeper connection with fan bases, so their allegiances most certainly will go with that player. Take Carson Wentz for example. He is beloved as a NDSU graduate in the state of North Dakota and northwest Minnesota... both areas that root for the Vikings, traditionally. He goes to Philly, the fans went with him. When Philly played Minnesota last (2016-2017) season, they rooted for the Eagles. Wentz gets hurt, they rooted for the Vikings in this year's playoffs. The Wentz connection in Bison land is so deep, North Dakota was the only state (outisde of the New England area) rooting for the Patriots in the Superbowl, per a USA Today poll, because of fear it would threaten Wentz's reign as the Eagles' QB. Fans are fickle. Pro sports teams are like stocks.

If my one of my sons were drafted by the Steelers I would not support them. My dislike is that strong. Any other team else I would be ok, even though Ravens and Browns would be difficult.

I will go one step closer than that. If the Steelers offered me a job that paid 5M a year, I would turn it down. Guarantee it. Now I wouldn't tell the lovely lady because she would get very angry.

Players jump teams so often hard to have a favorite player anymore.

This appears to be a moot point with many of you, in that you have never had a college player that you really felt invested in as a huge fan.