Author: Josh Henwood - @jhenwood92

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What NFL team should you support based on your Premier League team?

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As both the Premier League and NFL go into their preseasons, we’ve created a not-so-definitive guide (I cannot stress that enough) on what NFL team you and your mates should follow based on the football team you support in England. 

Something fun for fans or a guide to help inform those looking to get into the NFL this year!

Arsenal – San Fransisco 49ers or Baltimore Ravens

Arsenal are a team that is known for its attacking play, great results and nice stadium – but with one thing that alludes them more recently: a title. The 49ers and Ravens are both teams that check those boxes, do so with the same consistency, and have that feel of being top tier and a really well made outfit.

Aston Villa – Cleveland Browns or Detroit Lions

The Cleveland Browns is in part due to the connection with former owner (of both sides) Randy Lerner. However, there is a deeper connection here. Villa and the Browns were both part of the founding of their leagues, both part of cities that have had to reinvent themselves, and both trying desperately to get back to former glories which are now generations old. The Lions have a similar arc and the ruthlessness of their rise in the past year has that Unai Emery 2023-24 season feel to boot.

Bournemouth – Tennessee Titans or Washington Commanders

Some of these are going to be more than others as it proves difficult to connect dots between really different markets. However, AFC Bournemouth have solidified themselves as a part of the Premier League despite being unable to invest heavily. The Commanders have had haphazard ownership of late but continue to strike up wins; meanwhile with the Titans, they aren’t the best team but you also find yourself not wanting to play them at their home – something that’s synonymous with Bournemouth, I find.

Brentford – New York Jets

A passionate yet smaller fanbase than their illustrious neighbours in the capital, and whose teams are known for tough defenses, lively characters and a never-say-die attitude – even when their results don’t pan out!

Brighton & Hove Albion – Los Angeles Chargers or New Orleans Saints

These teams are all in areas that are considered cool or party areas (that one more by out-of-towners such as myself), and play into it somewhat with their branding. The Chargers comparison is definitely more in line with their style of play though – attacking and always looking to give youth a chance. The Saints recent downturn in fortunes after showing promise and having to offload players is synonymous of Brighton last season too so there’s another fit.

Chelsea – Los Angeles Rams

When the Los Angeles Rams announced they were moving to the LA Coliseum and went on the offensive in terms of maximising picks and cash to create a team of superstars, Chelsea immediately came to mind. The fact that they then stayed aggressive until they won a Super Bowl at their $5.5 billion stadium a few years later felt very similar to the Roman Abramhovic years in West London.

The perception of wealth, being in a high-end area in California and their aggressive roster building approach would definitely keep Chelsea fans interested. Their recent unexpected dip hits similar to Chelsea’s last couple of years also!

Crystal Palace – Houston Texans

The forgotten team for many years in the big city, with promising potential. Sounds a lot like the Houston Texans. Overshadowed by their interstate competition in the Dallas Cowboys, but a young core is driving some excitement for better days ahead.

Everton – Chicago Bears or Denver Broncos

I usually pair Aston Villa and Everton fairly close together for these things, and the Bears and Broncos seem to match a similar vibe to what I had for Villa fans. Everton are a historic team in English football, in a major town with a traditional fanbase. Something that fits the aesthetic of both the Bears and the Broncos well. 

Fulham – Jacksonville Jaguars

For anyone living under a rock as a Fulham or Jaguars fan, Shahid Khan owns both clubs and has looked to put his distinct flair on both. With their long-standing commitment to playing in London, the Jaguars are getting accustomed to being the ‘quintessentially London’ team in the NFL – and once Fulham’s Craven Cottage renovations are complete – both teams will have pools as a highlight of their stadiums. Wild.

Ipswich Town – Carolina Panthers

I’m old enough to remember Ipswich’s wild ups and downs the last time they were in the Premier League – that plus the real highs and lows of their relegations and promotions has a similar feel to the highs of the Cam Newton era of the Carolina Panthers and their struggles since.

Leicester City – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

A team that has had some recent success all of a sudden, and is now looking for some consistency after a bit of a downturn. Two teams that I would say are more relevant in the past decade than they have been in their respective histories, looking to make a bigger impression at the higher end of their respective sports.

Liverpool – New England Patriots or Green Bay Packers

I often find that the Boston Celtics are very much the Liverpool of basketball. A top-tier city, a rich sporting history and a brand that surpasses itself. The Boston connection I feel carries for Liverpool fans; and with the Patriots’ recent dynasty – there is also the recent brush with success. The Green Bay Packers are one of the most storied franchises in the NFL with a traditional yet passionate fanbase, an iconic stadium and atmosphere. Sounds about right for Liverpool fans.

Manchester City – Kansas City Chiefs

If Cityzens can excuse the red colour of the Chiefs uniforms, it’s quite obvious as to why the comparison is made. Recent dominance for both sides doesn’t look to break anytime soon. Let’s move swiftly on!

Manchester United – Dallas Cowboys or Miami Dolphins

Manchester United is one of the most instantly recognisable brands in world football, and dominated the sport at several points in the last 50-60 years. Both the Cowboys and the Dolphins are two of the biggest brands in the NFL who dominated the sport for stretches in the same timeframe – and arguably still hold that perception as a force today (Dallas’ moniker as ‘America’s Team’ for example). Something United fans and observers no doubt understand this side of the pond.

Newcastle United – Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills or Minnesota Vikings

Give me the best and most wild fanbases for Newcastle United. Seahawks fans are known as the Twelfth Man for their earthquake-inducing cheering in Seattle. Meanwhile, Bills fans face freezing conditions bare-chested (very familiar for Newcastle fans) and smashing tables. The Vikings provide that more ‘football is a religion’ vibe that Newcastle put down – with their purple and gold colourway as iconic as Newcastle’s black and white stripes. If you’re going for a team that best matches their current performance – the Bills have built a great team and pushed close but not been able to get to the top table the past few years – the others are a bit more off the pace.

Nottingham Forest – Pittsburgh Steelers

For Forest, let’s find a franchise in a working class city, with past glory looking to find itself again. The Pittsburgh Steelers is one of the league’s more successful franchises in years past and Pittsburgh itself is a city with a strong sports pedigree (like Nottingham), and a fanbase that is looking to see their team come back to prominence.

Southampton – Indianapolis Colts

I immediately put the Colts down for Southampton fans and it’s difficult to explain but it’s a great fit. Great tradition of being able to nurture young talent similar to that at the Saints (the English ones – I guess the New Orleans Saints are an option if just for the name).

Tottenham Hotspur – Cincinnati Bengals, Las Vegas Raiders or New York Giants

Right, stay with me here. Spurs are basically all three of these teams combined. They are built up through the urban metropolis of the nation’s capital – like the New York Giants – and as such it does share a lot of that hype from being in the capital and that in turn drives roster building. The Raiders recently cashed in their chips and took the team from Oakland for a stadium in the bright lights of Vegas and are a very flashy side – something that Spurs have also done since moving to their new stadium.

Finally, the Bengals are in here because both them and Tottenham have a reputation of building teams on a limited budget, but are usually competitive. Both sides in recent years have started to shake off this moniker and have been towards the higher end of the table more often.

West Ham United – Philadelphia Eagles

Big city; working class fan-base that’s very passionate; haphazard success but mainly consistently average or above. Simple as.

Wolverhampton Wanderers – Atlanta Falcons or Arizona Cardinals

This one was difficult, I won’t lie. Many other articles chop and change who aligns with Wolves. I would argue that a team like the Cardinals or Falcons would be a good fit. Both teams build teams that can play some attractive football, but they have not found success all that much. Definitely both franchises that believe they have something to prove.

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The Watson Verdict: Six things to consider over six-game ban

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On Monday morning, Sue L. Robinson, the former federal judge independently appointed to rule on Deshaun Watson’s long-outstanding player conduct case ruled that he is to miss the first six games of the NFL season.

At the point of writing this, there has been no word on an appeal from the NFL, and the NFLPA as well as Deshaun Watson outlined that they would not appeal the decision yesterday prior to the judgment being revealed.

No matter the ruling, it was always going to be one that split opinion. There are those who will pledge ‘innocent until proven guilty’ and now point to two juries and an independently appointed judge and consider the matter closed after massive scrutiny. 

There are those who see there is no smoke without fire, especially as much smoke as 25 members of a class-action suit with their own stories, as well as another 25 or so who stepped forward but for one reason or another wasn’t part of the class action suit with their own stories, and will point to the fact that innocence beyond doubt or that missing six games in the highest-paid professional sports league in the world is justice when proof as a qualifier of guilt when it’s incredibly unlikely to obtain.

With the case being so high-profile and long-ranging as it’s waged over the past year and a half or so, there are a number of things to consider here when looking at the judgment through different lenses. Here’s six things we can take from the decision and Sue Robinson’s 16-page decision summary:

1. The judgment finds that Deshaun Watson sexually assaulted at least four masseuses in the eyes of the NFL

In the eyes of the Disciplinary Officer Sue L. Robinson, the League was able to meet the burden of proof via preponderance that Deshaun Watson committed non-violent sexual assault by means of its definition in the players conduct, namely “unwanted sexual contact with another person” through a series of undisputed facts.

Sue Robinson found the circumstantial evidence of insisting to use a medium/small towel (or a Gatorade towel) increased exposure, and asking therapists to focus on areas that not uncommonly triggered erections made the prospect of sexual touching more likely. She judged that as the therapists didn’t return for future messages it was clear to all that the touching was unwanted.

It was also noted that Watson’s complete denial of even trivial aspects, such as ever getting an erection even during massaging areas where getting an erection would not be uncommon, led to the consideration of the evidence that may not in itself be seen as wrongful in isolation.

Watson was also found to have violated conduct in two other areas. Namely that he acted in a way that posed a genuine danger to the safety and well-being of another person, and putting the NFL into disrepute.

This is why Watson and his team believe there should be no games in a suspension, as to suspend him is to assign guilt of sexual conduct at least in the eyes of the league’s conduct policies.

There is also contention about the classification of non-violent sexual assault as the definition seems to be defined from the same classification as violent conduct i.e. domestic violence. Many detractors will note that all sexual assault is violent conduct. However, in line with the policy – this was deemed to be an uncontested point.

2. Watson’s future conduct remains a concern

Take from this what you will, but a further point to the one about a lack of exoneration is that the judge deemed it necessary to bake in a restriction that all massage therapy is to be conducted by club staff.

At many points in the decision document, we see the mention of a pattern of egregious behaviour and in fact a particular quote in the conclusion says that the ‘pattern of conduct is more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL’.

Even if it could be considered almost a given to showcase ‘next steps’ and guaranteeing progress in terms of a players conduct, it is clear that there are concerns about his future conduct and of egregious patterns continuing.

3. The NFL’s past leniency costs them here and that needs to change

Recently, Calvin Ridley was suspended for a whole season for placing a bet on an NFL game, while De’Andre Hopkins was given the same six-week ban for violating the PED protocols. When you add into this that over at Major League Baseball Trevor Bauer was given a two-year ban under the MLB’s domestic violence protocol, it makes for a question of standards and precedents that the NFL sets itself.

However, in this judgment Sue L. Robinson outlines that it is because of the NFL’s previous suspensions for domestic or gendered violence and sexual acts has been 6 games, and the minimum 6-game suspension is only outlined for violent conduct. It was uncontested that Watson did not engage in violent sexual assault. 

Robinson found it important to impose the ‘most significant punishment ever imposed on an NFL player for allegations of non-violent sexual conduct’ due to Watson’s egregious pattern of conduct. She felt it was the maximum that could be handed down as, in her role as Disciplinary Officer, she has to find a ‘fair’ and ‘consistent’ punishment in line with similarly situated players.

In other words, the NFL should look at the conduct policy before any future cases arise and beef up the potential games and fines to be incurred and have it codified, as there was no case law or indication of anything from 6 games onwards for non-violent misconduct.

There will be more than valid calls for Roger Goodell to dismiss the notion of fairness in this instance (again, from an employment policy perspective) and pass down a harsher sentence to act as a deterrent and future signpost for offenders of the policy in the future. As to whether that would be deemed as valid in this instance with or without a stretched out legal battle with Watson and the NFLPA is something to consider also.

4. Watson stands to lose very little from this

With the Browns contract starting low and building its cap-hit later in the contract, Watson’s outlay for the suspension stands to be just $333,333.

Questions will no doubt be raised at the Browns front office as to whether or not they structured the contract that way. However, the argument can also be made that other ‘superstar’ contracts negotiated by the team are pushing the larger sums down the road. It simply seems too convenient in this case when the numbers are presented.

What’s more, sports-washing is a very powerful thing. Moments after the judgment was passed down, several Browns fans were cheered Watson as he came out onto the training field. The League has created an environment where offenders of various conduct categories are celebrated, and we see their misconduct forgotten about amongst fans so long as they ball out.

5. The Browns stand to lose little from this, too

When looking at this purely from a sporting perspective, as many imagine those in the Browns front office have been doing since March, the Browns are viewing the trade with optimism that it could prove effective in creating a play-off window as early as this January.

The question of ‘but at what cost?’ will be one to wrestle with for many, but when looking at it on paper, a six-game suspension is probably the top-end of what the Browns would find palatable from a sporting aspect. Watson will be out for the following games:

  • Week 1 at Carolina
  • Week 2 v Jets
  • Week 3 v Steelers
  • Week 4 at Atlanta
  • Week 5 v Chargers
  • Week 6 v Patriots

Before then returning to face the Ravens on the road and the Bengals on a halloween Monday Night Football. The schedule was almost made for his return as well and negate the impact of a suspension. If you believe in such conspiracies of course(!)

To face losing teams from last year in 4 of 6, and in both road games means that the Browns will feel they’ve a serviceable chance in the first third of the season in handling Watson’s absence at .500 or better.

All this while his contract is also at its lowest point.

6. This isn’t the end of it

As Sue L. Robinson found misconduct and gave a suspension, the NFL still has an opportunity to give Watson more disciplinary action via. appeal.

From what we’ve seen from sources around the NFL, the League did push for a minimum of a year as well as a fine, and stuck to their guns during ‘settlement negotiations’ on a suspension whilst Sue L. Robinson was coming to her decision.

The League has until 9am Thursday to submit an appeal directly to Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner, who would then give the final decision. 

An appeal might not be forthcoming, mind.

This is the first major incident to be trialled using the new player misconduct procedure outlined in the latest collective bargaining agreement. As such, the optics behind the League approaching the commissioner to overturn an independently appointed judge at the first time of asking would be damaging to the always-fractured relationship between the League and their Players’ Association.

You can read Sue L. Robinson’s judgment by clicking here. 

Believeland Brits Podcast focused on the Watson verdict in their latest episode which you can listen to on your favoured podcast provider by going to its linktree: linktr.ee/believelandbrits

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