How Many States Have NFL Teams? (2025 Update)

By Sarah Miller · February 9, 2030

There are 22 states in the United States that currently have at least one NFL football team, including Washington D.C., which hosts the Washington Commanders.

States with NFL Teams: A Complete Overview

The National Football League (NFL) consists of 32 teams distributed across the U.S., with most concentrated in populous regions. While not every state has a franchise, 22 states plus Washington D.C. are home to at least one NFL team. This distribution reflects demographic, economic, and infrastructure factors influencing team locations.

Why Only 22 States Have NFL Teams

The NFL’s footprint is limited by market size, stadium availability, and fan base sustainability. Below are key reasons why only a subset of states host teams:

Population density: Larger cities can support high operating costs and fill stadiums weekly.
Corporate sponsorship: Major markets offer robust advertising and partnership opportunities.
Stadium infrastructure: Building or maintaining an NFL-grade stadium requires significant investment.
Franchise exclusivity: The league limits teams per region to protect revenue streams.

NFL Team Distribution by State

The following table lists all 32 NFL teams, their home states, cities, and stadiums as of the 2025 season.

Team Name	State	City	Stadium	Conference	Division
Arizona Cardinals	Arizona	Glendale	State Farm Stadium	NFC	West
Atlanta Falcons	Georgia	Atlanta	Mercedes-Benz Stadium	NFC	South
Baltimore Ravens	Maryland	Baltimore	M&T Bank Stadium	AFC	North
Buffalo Bills	New York	Orchard Park	Highmark Stadium	AFC	East
Carolina Panthers	North Carolina	Charlotte	Bank of America Stadium	NFC	South
Chicago Bears	Illinois	Chicago	Soldier Field	NFC	North
Cincinnati Bengals	Ohio	Cincinnati	Paycor Stadium	AFC	North
Cleveland Browns	Ohio	Cleveland	FirstEnergy Stadium	AFC	North
Dallas Cowboys	Texas	Arlington	AT&T Stadium	NFC	East
Denver Broncos	Colorado	Denver	Empower Field at Mile High	AFC	West
Detroit Lions	Michigan	Detroit	Ford Field	NFC	North
Green Bay Packers	Wisconsin	Green Bay	Lambeau Field	NFC	North
Houston Texans	Texas	Houston	NRG Stadium	AFC	South
Indianapolis Colts	Indiana	Indianapolis	Lucas Oil Stadium	AFC	South
Jacksonville Jaguars	Florida	Jacksonville	TIAA Bank Field	AFC	South
Kansas City Chiefs	Missouri	Kansas City	Arrowhead Stadium	AFC	West
Las Vegas Raiders	Nevada	Paradise	Allegiant Stadium	AFC	West
Los Angeles Chargers	California	Inglewood	SoFi Stadium	AFC	West
Los Angeles Rams	California	Inglewood	SoFi Stadium	NFC	West
Miami Dolphins	Florida	Ft. Lauderdale	Hard Rock Stadium	AFC	East
Minnesota Vikings	Minnesota	Minneapolis	U.S. Bank Stadium	NFC	North
New England Patriots	Massachusetts	Foxborough	Gillette Stadium	AFC	East
New Orleans Saints	Louisiana	New Orleans	Caesars Superdome	NFC	South
New York Giants	New Jersey	East Rutherford	MetLife Stadium	NFC	East
New York Jets	New Jersey	East Rutherford	MetLife Stadium	AFC	East
Philadelphia Eagles	Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	Lincoln Financial Field	NFC	East
Pittsburgh Steelers	Pennsylvania	Pittsburgh	Acrisure Stadium	AFC	North
San Francisco 49ers	California	Santa Clara	Levi's Stadium	NFC	West
Seattle Seahawks	Washington	Seattle	Lumen Field	NFC	West
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Florida	Tampa	Raymond James Stadium	NFC	South
Tennessee Titans	Tennessee	Nashville	Nissan Stadium	AFC	South
Washington Commanders	Washington D.C.	Landover (MD)	FedExField	NFC	East

Table data source:1, 2

The data shows that California, Florida, New York/New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas each host multiple teams. Texas and Florida lead with three franchises each when considering metropolitan overlap. Notably, Green Bay, Wisconsin is the smallest city with an NFL team, highlighting historical exceptions in league expansion.

States With Multiple NFL Teams

Several states are home to more than one NFL franchise due to large populations and major metropolitan areas.

States Hosting Two or More Teams

California: Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers
Florida: Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars
New York/New Jersey: New York Giants, New York Jets (both play in NJ)
Ohio: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns
Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles
Texas: Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals* (Note: Though named Arizona, the Cardinals are located near Phoenix)

*Correction: Texas hosts two teams—Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans. Arizona hosts the Cardinals.

Why Some Large States Lack NFL Teams

Despite large populations, some states do not have NFL franchises. Key examples include Oregon, Nevada (now has Raiders), and Arizona (has Cardinals). Factors include:

Lack of billionaire ownership groups willing to relocate or fund expansion
No suitable stadium infrastructure without public funding debates
Proximity to existing teams reducing market viability

Frequently Asked Questions About NFL Teams by State

Which states have more than one NFL team?

As of 2025, six states have multiple NFL teams: California (3), Florida (3), Texas (2), Ohio (2), Pennsylvania (2), and New Jersey (hosts two teams—Giants and Jets—though both represent the New York market).

Does Washington D.C. count as a state with an NFL team?

While not a state, Washington D.C. is home to the Washington Commanders, who play just outside the district in Landover, Maryland. However, the team represents the D.C. area and is counted among NFL locations.

Which is the smallest city with an NFL team?

Green Bay, Wisconsin, with a population of around 100,000, is the smallest city to host an NFL team—the Green Bay Packers. Their community ownership model makes them unique in professional sports.

Are there any states with NFL teams in all four major sports?

Yes, several states have teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL: California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas all feature at least one team in each league.

Will the NFL expand to new states soon?

Current NFL leadership has not announced plans for expansion beyond 32 teams. Potential future markets include Los Angeles (already served), San Antonio, Las Vegas (now has Raiders), and international games, but no new states are expected to gain teams before 2030.