Just about every NFL team claims to have the best fans in the league, but only one can stake the claim objectively. Nielsen released its annual sports media report and found that Green Bay Packers fans in Green Bay are the most loyal hometown fans in the country, tuning into the Packers at an 88 percent clip on game days. Behind them were the New Orleans Saints at 81 percent, the Pittsburgh Steelers at 78 percent, the Baltimore Ravens at 70 percent and the Kansas City Chiefs at 69 percent.
NFL news roundup: Packers the NFL’s top fanbase, Lions release Burleson and Delmas
Nielsen ratings say that Green Bay has the most loyal fans in the NFL. Sorry 12th Man, but you can’t argue with science.
Matt Ludtke
The vaunted 12th Man for the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks came in at relatively paltry 34 percent this past season.
The Detroit Lions saved $11.5 million against their salary cap Thursday by releasing wide receiver Nate Burleson and safety Louis Delmas.
Both players were valuable contributors when healthy, but neither player was ever able to stay on the field long and both were due hefty pay raises in 2014. The moves put the Lions under the projected salary cap for the upcoming season. Unfortunately, it also means the team has less depth at two positions of need.
Davone Bess has had a messy stint with the Cleveland Browns so far. He went on the non-football injury list in December to deal with a "serious personal issue," then was arrested in January for assaulting a police officer. Now the Browns are trying to recoup some of their investment by voiding the guarantee for Bess' $3.067 million 2014 base salary.
Bess can fight the Browns over his pay or he could simply make his way back onto the field and earn his money, though he will have to get clear of legal trouble first.
The San Francisco 49ers were one win away from going to the Super Bowl, where they would have had the chance to take on an apparently-overmatched Denver Broncos squad. Unsurprisingly, the team's ownership gives a lot of credit of the team's success to head coach Jim Harbaugh.
The 49ers are working actively to give Harbaugh an extension, though Harbaugh is proving to be a hard bargainer. He reportedly turned down an offer last year, so there is an apparent divide between how the organization and Harbaugh view his value.
Sticking points include pay and how much control Harbaugh has over personnel. Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke reportedly had heated differences last year.
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