The Significance of New York City to the NFL

A bone of contention to many football fans in the northeast is the fact that though both the Giants and Jets play in the state of New Jersey, they still go by the name New York. In fact, it’s been since 1983 that New York City hosted a professional football regular season game.

Truth in advertising alert: In the USFL the Generals played in Giants stadium but they were known as the New Jersey Generals. Even the XFL’s New Jersey franchise was known as the New York/New Jersey Hitmen. What is it with the NFL and their lack of geographic knowledge? Was this decided by the same people that had the Atlanta Falcons playing in the NFC West all those years?

Plus, imagine the disrespect to the Buffalo Bills, the only NFL team left playing in the state of New York and they’re the ones without the name New York in their name. In fact, the NFL’s league offices are even in New York City, a city that hasn’t had an NFL team in years.

So, here’s to the day when the New Jersey Giants play a game against the New Jersey Jets.