The National Football League commands the largest broadcast viewership in all of sports. The phrase “any given Sunday” speaks to the parity in the league.
On the gridiron, the underdogs always have a chance.
Unlike baseball’s small market squads, an NFL team’s competitiveness has little to do with the size of its market.
While hotbeds like New York and LA command a ton of media attention, any NFL team can make a run at the Lombardi Trophy in any given season.
There are a few reasons for this:
- Quarterback is by far the most important position. If a team chooses the right signal-caller, the rest falls into place.
- The worst teams from the previous year get the earliest draft choices, giving them a better chance to kickstart a rebuild.
- With over 850 college football programs in the country, teams have plenty of options to find talent at every division level.
Here are the smallest market teams in the NFL – broken down by market size, franchise value, payroll, stadium capacity, and more.
- 1.) Green Bay Packers
- 2.) Buffalo Bills
- 3.) New Orleans Saints
- 4.) Jacksonville Jaguars
- 5.) Las Vegas Raiders
1.) Green Bay Packers

Market Size: 476,00 people
Stadium Capacity: 81,441
2024 Payroll Rank: 18th of 32
Franchise Value: $5.6 billion (13th of 32)
The Green Bay Packers are the smallest market NFL team with a market size of 471,000 people. In fact, Green Bay is the smallest major league professional sports market in North America.
And while their media market includes the greater Green Bay area, the city alone only contains 107,015 people. That means Lambeau Field can hold 76% of Green Bay’s entire population!
But despite their minuscule market, the Packers boast the Cheeseheads – one of the most devoted fanbases in all of sports. And with four Super Bowl Championships – the trophy is named after the Packers’ legendary coach – this franchise is small but mighty.
2.) Buffalo Bills

Market Size: 641,000 people
Stadium Capacity: 71,608
2024 Payroll Rank: 5th of 32
Franchise Value: $4.2 billion (30th of 32)
Regardless of their size, Bills Mafia comes out in full force every time their team is in town.
Buffalo has made it to the Super Bowl four times, but they have yet to capture that elusive Lombardi Trophy.
But with a young MVP-level quarterback at the helm, the fanbase is hopeful their time will come sooner than later.
Heading into the playoffs, NFL pundits seem to think Patrick Mahomes is the biggest obstacle to a Buffalo Super Bowl run.
3.) New Orleans Saints

Market Size: 672,000 people
Stadium Capacity: 74,295
2024 Payroll Rank: 7th of 32
Franchise Value: $4.4 billion (28th of 32)
Despite playing in the third smallest NFL market, the Saints enjoyed many fruitful years with Drew Brees and Sean Payton running the show.
But as the franchise enters a new era, change is in the air.
Can New Orleans make a run at a second Super Bowl ring? Or will they remain in limbo, searching for a new face to lead them back to the promised land?
Regardless, “Who Dat Nation” will be there to support their squad.
RELATED: How a Budweiser Truck Driver Became an NFL All-Pro for His Hometown Saints
4.) Jacksonville Jaguars

Market Size: 799,000 people
Stadium Capacity: 67,164
2024 Payroll Rank: 16th of 32
Franchise Value: $4.6 billion (26th of 32)
The Jaguars came in hot upon their arrival to the NFL in 1995 – making the playoffs in four of their first five years of existence. Since then, they’ve struggled to find an identity.
Most recently, their 2017 lockdown defense led them all the way to the AFC Championship.
Despite their struggles in recent years, there have been a few glimmers of hope. One of which is first-round receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
“He’s just been such a bright spot,” Doug Pederson said.
“He’s been a workhorse offensively. There’s a lot of people we depend on and count on, but for a young player, he’s someone that you can dial the ball up and chances are he’s going to find a completion.”
With a new offensive star in the fold, the passionate Jacksonville fanbase is hoping for a ring.
5.) Las Vegas Raiders

Market Size: 889,000 people
Stadium Capacity: 71,835
2024 Payroll Rank: 32 of 32 (lowest in the NFL)
Franchise Value: $6.2 billion (6th of 32)
The Raiders’ last Super Bowl victory came in 1983 when the team was based in Los Angeles.
They’ve since gone through two more cities – Oakland and now Las Vegas – without the same level of success.
Raider Nation is hungry for a ring, but their wishes haven’t materialized on the field.
Now with seven-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady joining as a minority owner, the fan base has a reason for hope.
RELATED: D3 Football Players Who Made It to The NFL
More small-market NFL teams:
- Cincinnati Bengals (6th smallest market, lowest franchise value)
- Kansas City Chiefs (7th smallest market)
- Baltimore Ravens (8th smallest market)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9th smallest market)
- Tennessee Titans (10th smallest market)
- Indianapolis Colts (11th smallest market)
- Carolina Panthers (12th smallest market)
Editor’s Note: All data is accurate as of December 17th, 2024.
More from this series:
- Smallest Market Teams in the NBA Today
- Smallest Market NHL Teams Right Now
- Ranking the Smallest Market MLB Teams
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