Is This a Real or Fake NFL Team?

By: Beth Hendricks
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Is This a Real or Fake NFL Team?
Image: Unsplash by HENCE THE BOOM

About This Quiz

The future, as they say, is now. While the shiny newness of a new decade has not yet worn off, we're sure of one thing: We've brought some bad habits of previous years along with us. Not sure what we mean?

Let's look at social media. Your co-worker shares a link about a political candidate calling another political candidate's supporters a "bucket of losers." Fifty people comment on it, and another 50 share it, and before you know it, it seems like everyone is talking about this "news" story. Except it's not real. It falls into the category of one of 2019's buzziest buzzwords — "fake news."

Now, in the sporting world, fake news isn't much of a thing. Sure, there are rumors and innuendos and conjectures from sports pundits, but sports is what it is, for the most part — real and raw and ... not fake.

So, allow us to blur the lines of the usually non-fake football world. We've put together a quiz with some real NFL teams and some team names that are, well, "fake news." Do you have an "Eagle" eye to differentiate the right from the wrong? See if you fit the "Bill" as an NFL super sleuth to figure out which team is real and which is fake!


10 football stadium
Unsplash by Joseph Barrientos
If someone told you they had tickets to see the Albuquerque Aztecs, would you say "real" or "fake?"
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If someone offers you tickets to the Albuquerque Aztecs, don't fall for it: That team is fake. The Albuquerque Aztecs was a team name used in the movie, "Any Given Sunday," about fictional pro football teams.

9 carolina
Unsplash by Clay Banks
You can find a lot of cool things in the Carolinas, but what about a team by the name of the Cobras? Real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sadly, the NFL franchise in the Carolinas is not named the Cobras. The Carolinas are full of great sports teams, though, including a real NFL franchise by a different name, an NBA team and an NHL franchise. The Cobras were the name of a team in the video game, All-Pro Football 2k8.

14 helmet
RichVintage / E+ / Getty Images
Lions and tigers and bears ... oh my! Are the Detroit Lions a real team or a fake one?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Detroit Lions organization is a real member of their Michigan community, having been founded in 1930. The team's owner is Martha Firestone Ford, the granddaughter of the founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Co., who married into the Henry Ford family.

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13 buffalo
Unsplash by Bryce olsen
Buffalo Bill Cody was a real Army scout and hunter, but are the Buffalo Bills real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Buffalo Bills of the National Football League played their first season in 1960, and are named in honor of Buffalo Bill Cody. A contest turned up that name for the team, which was owned at the time by a member of the Frontier Oil Company.

2 washington
Unsplash by Rachael Annabelle
If you headed to our nation's capital and asked about the Washington Redskins, would someone tell you they're real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Washington Redskins, whose operations are in both Maryland and Virginia (but not Washington, D.C., itself), are a real NFL team, although their disgruntled fanbase might say different. The Redskins haven't been to the playoffs since 2015.

8 football
Unsplash by John Torcasio
A "buccaneer" is another name for a real pirate, but are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for real or a fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Buccaneers have been a part of the Tampa Bay community since playing their first season in 1976. The franchise has one Super Bowl title to its name, a victory in 2002 over the Raiders.

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12 football
South_agency / E+ / Getty Images
Do you "Remember the Titans?" What about the Tennessee Titans — real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Tennessee Titans are a real member of the NFL. The Titans mentioned in the Denzel Washington movie, "Remember the Titans," are also real, but they represent a high school called T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia.

16 london
Unsplash by Robert Bye
London has been entertaining NFL teams for many years now, but are the London Silly Nannies a real or fake NFL addition?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The NFL has indeed been sending teams "across the pond" for years now, to the delight of Londoners who love American Football. The London Silly Nannies, though, are fictitious — a football franchise part of the television show, "Family Guy."

11 oregon
Unsplash by Cristofer Jeschke
The Oregon Pioneers is a great name for a football team, but are they real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

With Oregon serving as the endpoint of the Oregon Trail that connected the Missouri Valley to the West Coast, we can think of no better name for an Oregon-based team than the pioneers. Unfortunately, they are fictional; another team depicted in "Any Given Sunday."

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17 plays
spxChrome / E+ / Getty Images
J-E-T-S? Is a team named the New York Jets a real or fake part of New York's sports scene?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The New York Jets are a real NFL team, but they're based in New Jersey. Say what? It's true; with real estate at a premium in New York City, the Jets took up residence just outside the city in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a facility they share with another New York-named team.

18 referee
skynesher / E+ / Getty Images
Falcons are birds of prey, but are the Atlanta Falcons a real team or a fake one?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A team named after a bird of prey sounds pretty freaking intimidating, doesn't it? That's what Atlanta was going for when the Falcons' ownership selected "Falcons" from a schoolteacher who called the falcon "proud and dignified."

6 seats
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Are the Washington Federals a real member of the National Football League or a fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Washington Federals actually did exist ... in a video game. A team in the 2007 release of the video game known as All-Pro Football 2k8, gamers could take the field as the federals, just not in the actual NFL.

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7 jacksonville
Unsplash by Wade Austin Ellis
Black, teal and gold are the team colors for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but are they real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Jacksonville Jaguars joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1995, starting first with team colors that included teal, gold and silver. Over the years, the team's look has been refined to incorporate black in place of silver.

5 cougar
Unsplash by Priscilla Du Preez
Real or fake? What's your thought on the Charleston Cougars?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Charleston, South Carolina, is an extraordinary tourist stop in the South, noted for its charm and great food. Unfortunately, they don't have an NFL team at all, let alone one named the Cougars.

19 minnesota
Davel5957 / E+ / Getty Images
Real or fake? Can you purchase tickets to watch the Minnesota Mustangs?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's another fictitious video game football team, this time by the name of the Minnesota Mustangs. The fictional team was featured in a video game called "Backbreaker," made for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

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20 football line
fredrocko / E+ / Getty Images
Don't mess with Texas, but can you mess with the real or fake Houston Texans?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Houston Texans are a legitimate NFL franchise, the team that replaced the now-defunct Houston Oilers. When the Oilers franchise was moved to Nashville, Houston was left without a team. That changed in 2002 when the city was awarded an expansion team.

15 baltimore
Unsplash by ActionVance
There is a Bearcats team out there, but is it the Baltimore Bearcats? Are they real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you've heard of a Bearcats organization, you're not mistaken. The Cincinnati Bearcats are a member of the NCAA, though, and most certainly not based in Baltimore, Maryland. You can find them in Ohio, and you can find the Baltimore Bearcats in a video game titled, "Blitz: The League II."

22 raven
D-Keine / E+ / Getty Images
Poe would approve of a team named the Baltimore Ravens, but are they real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Baltimore Ravens are the real deal — both as members of the NFL and as legitimate Super Bowl contenders, thanks to the play of QB phenom Lamar Jackson. The team is named after Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven."

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21 buffalo
benedek / E+ / Getty Images
Do you know? Are the Buffalo Beasts a real member of the NFL or a fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Buffalo Beasts are a fictitious team that was incorporated in the video game called "Backbreaker." The Buffalo area does have its own NFL franchise, though, by the name of the Buffalo Bills.

4 viking
Unsplash by Tim Mielke
The "Minneapolis Miracle" may have involved a team by the name of the Minnesota Vikings. Are the Vikings real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Minnesota Vikings are their state's team representative in the National Football League, playing in its NFC North division. The "Minneapolis Miracle" refers to a clutch catch during the 2018 playoffs that helped the Vikings win the game as time expired.

24 new jersey
Unsplash by Ian Simmonds
There are Trail Blazers and then there are New Jersey Blazers. Is the latter a real team or a fake one?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The New Jersey Blazers are, sadly, a fake franchise depicted on the television series, "Magnum P.I." The real Trail Blazers, though, do exist, in the form of the NBA franchise, the Portland Trail Blazers.

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23 helmets
South_agency / E+ / Getty Images
How very patriotic! Are the Boston Americans a real or fake NFL franchise?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

By now, we think most people probably recognize the New England Patriots as the Boston area's Super Bowl franchise, even though the word "Boston" is not in the team's name. The Boston Americans were a featured team on "The Simpsons."

25 panther
Unsplash by Mélody P
Real panther, Black Panther, Carolina Panthers: Is the Carolina version real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Carolina Panthers are an NFL franchise headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Their name was chosen to represent both Carolinas (North and South), though. While we're at it, the Black Panther is also real — Wakanda forever!

26 cactus wren
Unsplash by Carol Lee
The state bird of Arizona is the cactus wren, so are the Arizona Cardinals real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

We don't know why the Arizona Cardinals opted for, well, the cardinal, instead of the state bird, the cactus wren. Maybe the Arizona Cactus Wrens were too much to put on a jersey? The Cardinals are headquartered in Tempe.

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27 quarterback
skynesher / E+ / Getty Images
Ace high! Are the Las Vegas Aces a real member of the NFL or a fake football team?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Las Vegas Aces are a fictitious team portrayed in the video game, "Blitz: The League II." In fact, Las Vegas doesn't have an NFL team at all ... yet. The Raiders are set to make Las Vegas their home in 2020.

28 coach
jpbcpa / E+ / Getty Images
Want to see the Colorado Blizzard? Is this the real name of a football franchise or a fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It sure sounds like the Colorado Blizzard could be the real deal, doesn't it? Unfortunately, it is not; they are depicted in the movie "Any Given Sunday." Never fear, Colorado has some other place-appropriate names, including an NHL team named the Colorado Avalanche.

29 miami
Unsplash by aurora.kreativ
You'll probably see dolphins in Miami, but can you see the Miami Dolphins? Is this a real team or a fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Miami Dolphins are indeed a real NFL franchise and the team that the NFL's winningest coach, Don Shula, led for 26 years. The Dolphins play in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

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30 football player
skynesher / E+ / Getty Images
It's the land of legends, but are the Los Angeles Legends a real NFL team or a fake one?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Los Angeles has two NFL teams, but neither is named the Legends. In fact, the Los Angeles Legends was a fictitious team name in the video game known as All-Pro Football 2k8. L.A.'s two teams are the Chargers and the Rams.

31 football
cmannphoto / E+ / Getty Images
Is the "City of Brotherly Love" home to the Philadelphia Brawlers or is that a fake team?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sports are a big deal in the Philly area, but the Brawlers aren't one of them. The Philadelphia Brawlers were portrayed in the "Blitz: The League II" video game. If you want to see a Philadelphia football team, you'll want to check out the Eagles.

32 fieldgoal
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Real or fake? Do you know if the Denver Broncos are legit or not?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Denver Broncos are a big part of the Colorado town known as the Mile High City. The Broncos played their first season in the NFL in 1960, winning Super Bowl titles in 1997, 1998 and 2015.

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1 los angeles
Unsplash by izayah ramos
Los Angeles has a lot of pro sports teams, but which category do the Chargers fit into?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Los Angeles Chargers, formerly the San Diego Chargers, are, in fact, a real NFL team that plays in the AFC West. They have been around since 1960 when they started in Los Angeles before moving to San Diego and staying there until they returned to L.A. in 2017.

33 minneapolis
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Are werewolves real? What about the Minneapolis Werewolves — real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

OK, fine, all werewolves are fake ... we think, including the fictitious team, the Minneapolis Werewolves. They were a part of the video game, "All-Pro Football 2k8." But, now that we think about it, "Werewolves" would be a great team name!

34 football field
Unsplash by Thomas Serer
What about this "dawg" pound? Are the Ohio Red Dogs real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you want to be a part of the Dawg Pound, you'll have to travel to Cleveland and check out the Browns, one of only two real NFL teams in the state of Ohio. The Cincinnati Bengals in the opposite west corner are the other.

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35 nfl
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What's a Seahawk anyway? Are the Seattle Seahawks real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Seattle Seahawks are a real member of the NFL's NFC West. Established in 1974, they played their first season two years later. To date, they have won one Super Bowl, a 2013 matchup against the Broncos.

3 football
Unsplash by Dave Adamson
You can head to the Sunshine State to see the Miami Sharks ... or can you? Is this team real or fake?
Real
Fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the team name "Sharks" sounds like a good fit for a Miami football team, sadly, the Miami Sharks are not real. They were a fictitious team name in the 1999 film, "Any Given Sunday."

You Got:
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