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Patriots Fans Voted Second Biggest Complainers In NFL

BOSTON (CBS) --  In terms of on-field success, Patriots fans haven't had much to complain about over the last 20 years. But that hasn't stopped New Englanders from voicing their extreme distain with the NFL at any slight -- real or perceived -- against their favorite team.

Patriots fans are among the most passionate in the NFL, but they don't hold back when it comes to playing the "victim card" with every bad call, any snub by the NFL, or egregious investigation the league may launch against the franchise.

Bad PI call? "The league is against us!" Someone discredits one of the team's six Super Bowls since 2001? "They hate us cause they ain't us!"

Add it all up, and Patriots fans rank No. 2 among NFL fanbases in terms of "Fans Who Complain The Most," according to a recent survey by MI Bets.

Really, all MI Bets had to do was listen to sports talk radio in Boston after a Patriots loss to put New England fans near the top of the list. But the website surveyed over 5,000 fans across the country to find out which fanbases complain the most, and fans of the Dallas Cowboys earned the top spot. No one plays the victim card quite like fans of the Cowboys, who have been waiting since 1996 for the franchise to add another Super Bowl to its collection.

But New Englanders and their victim mentality came in a close second. Fans of the Buffalo Bills (complaining on social media), the Chicago Bears ("bad" officiating) and Philadelphia Eagles (also "bad" officiating) rounded out the Top 5.

Brace yourself for Patriots fans to complain that they're not in the top spot.

The Patriots did take home the top spot in one category, with head coach Bill Belichick No. 1 in when it comes to NFL coaches who complain the most. Bill is certainly no stranger to voicing his displeasure with officials on the field, and it probably doesn't help that he's not the most gracious coach following a defeat. Notorious whiner John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens came in second.

Tom Brady was voted the worst quarterback when it comes to complaining, with current Patriots QB Cam Newton coming in second. Buffalo's Josh Allen, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers and Chicago's Nick Foles round out the Top 5. Somehow, Philip Rivers didn't make the Top 5.

The survey was conducted from Sept. 22 through Oct. 8, 2020, with the average age of the respondents 36 years old.

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