Throughout the World Cup, we witnessed a handful of stadium chants and fight songs from nations all across the world. For instance, Norway’s “Viking row” went viral throughout the tournament. Stadium chants are par for the course in international soccer and are also popular stateside in college football. But many NFL teams have never quite nailed down that type of rallying chant, at least not to the same extent as soccer clubs and college football programs.
Nearly every NFL team has its own unique chant or fight song, which can be heard echoing down from the stands on game days. Some have become quite iconic over the years, while others remain less popular among the average football fan. A good chant or fight song can dramatically enhance the game-day experience for fans, and there’s arguably no greater sight than a team celebrating an important touchdown or a win in a big game than by joining their supporters in bellowing out the staple sound of the franchise.
We’re going to rank the top 10 NFL stadium chants and rallying cries, offering insight into how they came to be, how they’ve evolved, and the tradition around them.
10. “Shout”
One of the most recognizable songs among members of Bills Mafia is the Bills’ remixed version of The Isley Brothers’ song, “Shout!” In 1987, the team commissioned jingle writer Scott Kemper to make a custom version of the track, tailored to the Bills. The remix, which is a bit more cheerful and upbeat, altered some of the song’s original lyrics. The Bills-themed track became immensely popular with the fan base and an integral part of Buffalo’s game-day experience.
In 1993, when Polaroid, which owned the rights to the original song, demanded $10,000 in royalties from the Bills to continue playing it at games, Bills fans rallied in a grassroots campaign and raised money to convince the team to keep the song as franchise tradition. Their efforts paid off, and today, “Shout!” is a mainstay at Highmark Stadium, and it will follow the team across the road to the new stadium in Orchard Park.
9. “Bear Down, Chicago Bears”
The Bears were the first professional football franchise to have its own official fight song, “Bear Down, Chicago Bears,” which dates all the way back to 1941. Written by Al Hoffman, the song is still closely embedded in Chicago football lore. In 1993, Bill Archer and the Big Bear Band created a new version of the classic fight song, which is played after every touchdown during games at Soldier Field. The song is extremely popular among Bears fans and was performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra ahead of the team’s appearance in Super Bowl XX in 1986, and was even featured on the soundtrack for EA Sports’ Madden 11.
8. “Go Pack Go!”
The Packers’ chant is the oldest and one of the most famous rallying cries in the NFL, dating back to 1931. The original song, “Go! You Packers Go!” was written by commercial jingle composer Eric Karll and was performed live at Packers games by the Lumberjack Band. Over time, fans in Green Bay popularized the shortened, three-word version of the tune. “Go Pack Go!” is still regularly heard at Lambeau Field today. It’s become a significant part of the Packers’ game-day traditions, with the song being played at the stadium after player introductions and whenever the team scores a touchdown. Once the bass starts slapping, fans in Green Bay instantly recognize it’s time to shout, “Go Pack Go!”
7. “Miami Dolphins No. 1”
After a hot start to the 1972 season, Lee Ofman created the team’s fight song, “Miami Dolphins No. 1,” as a means of inspiring his beloved team. That year, the Dolphins completed the only undefeated campaign in NFL history, going 14–0 in the regular season and winning all three playoff games, including Super Bowl VII. Despite the emergence of other franchise fight songs, including “Fins” by T-Pain and Jimmy Buffett, “Miami Dolphins No. 1” remains the preferred rallying cry for Dolphins fans today. In fact, the rival fight song, introduced in 2009, was heavily booed by fans in Miami who made clear they preferred Ofman’s original work. Ofman’s song is still blared today through the speaker system at Hard Rock Stadium after Miami scores a touchdown as a means of firing up the crowd in South Beach.
6. “Who Dey”
You may have noticed that the Bengals and Saints have strikingly similar stadium chants. While fans in New Orleans bellow “Who Dat,” fans in Cincinnati can often be heard shouting, “Who Dey?”
The Bengals’ chant originated in 1981, stemming from a popular local car commercial and a beloved beer, Hudepohl. Beer vendors at the team’s former stomping grounds, Riverfront Stadium, used to offer the local beer by shouting “Hudy!” to fans. That eventually transitioned to “Who Dey,” and it evolved further after fans incorporated the song played in commercials by Red Frazier’s Ford of Cincinnati, which goes, “Who’s going to give you a better deal than Red Frazier … nobody!” The combination of both resulted in the Bengals chant. “Who dey? Who dey? Who dey say is gonna beat the Bengals? … Nobody!”
In Cincinnati, fans will bellow the “Who Dey” chant after “The Bengals Growl,” which is the team’s official fight song.
The similarities between the Saints and Bengals chants have caused some contention between the two fan bases over the years, particularly regarding which chant came first. Neither side has backed down, however, and the chants have become game-day traditions for their respective fan base.
5. “Who Dat”
The phrase “Who Dat” can be traced back to the late 1800s, first appearing in minstrel shows in the New Orleans area. It didn’t link to the Saints until much later on, however. The phrase became a staple for the Saints in 1983, when Aaron Neville and The Singing Saints––a group of NFL players––recorded a version of “When the Saints Go Marching In” that featured the “Who Dat” chant, which in full goes, “Who dat? Who dat? Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?” Perhaps the most iconic rendition of the stadium chant occurred in 2010 ahead of New Orleans’s season opener against the Vikings. After the coin toss, quarterback Drew Brees could be seen signalling for Saints fans to commence the rallying cry, and they didn’t let him down.
4. “J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets”
The Jets’ renowned chant is short and sweet. Spell the team’s name, and then repeat it three times. Congratulations, you’ve mastered it. Sometimes, that’s all that’s required to make a top-tier football chant. The Jets’ beloved rallying cry debuted in the 1970s when the team played at Shea Stadium, but rose to prominence after the team moved to the Meadowlands. Die-hard fans such as Larry Mack, Don Schaeffer and later Fireman Ed all played pivotal roles in popularizing the chant as they aimed to rally the fans across all sections of the stadium. Jets fans haven’t had all too much to be excited about lately, but a good old J-E-T-S chant will still put a smile on the faces of Gang Green as they yearn for better days.
3. “Fly, Eagles, Fly”
Initially titled the “Eagles’ Victory Song” when it was released in the 1950s, this song has been part of the franchise for roughly 70 years, though it wasn’t always quite so popular. In the 1960s, a 200-man marching band was hired to perform the song during Eagles games, but due to the team’s struggles throughout the decade, it never truly latched on with the fan base. In 1997, that all changed when Bobby Mansure and the Eagles Pep Band were permitted to play it during tailgates. They released a shortened, revamped 33-second version of the song, which became immensely popular and is now a mainstay at modern Eagles games, with Coldplay even performing a rendition of the song in 2022.
2. “Duuuval”
The Jaguars’ beloved “Duuuval” chant is a nod to Duval County, where Jacksonville is located. It was initially popularized by the city’s hip-hop scene in the 1990s, particularly byDJ Easy E, who blared the phrase over the radio during mix shows. In the mid-2000s, it made its way to the gridiron when Jaguars players such as Mike Peterson and Paul Spicer began to use the chant as an on-field rallying cry for the team. Jaguars fans adopted the name “Duval” as the fan base’s moniker in 2013, and it became a game-day staple in 2018 when the team began bringing in a local celebrity to rally the fans with the “DUUUVAL” chant. Liam Coen may not have nailed his first attempt at the Jaguars’ chant, but when a stadium full of fans gets in on the action, it can be a powerful call to arms.
1. “Skol Vikings!”
The term “skol” stems from the Norwegian, Danish and Swedish word “skål,” which means “cheers.” Interestingly, the Vikingsadopted the chant from the Icelandic men’s national soccer team, who displayed and popularized it during the 2016 Euros. It made its way to Minnesota not long after that. When the Vikings played their first regular-season game at U.S. Bank Stadium in September 2016, legendary quarterback Fran Tarkenton led the fan base in the first rendition of the now-iconic thunder clap that has become a staple for the franchise. This chant can give anyone goosebumps. The beating of the drum, followed by the booming clap and “Skol!” roar, creates palpable intensity.
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