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The 2025 football season is in full swing, and fans are nothing short of ecstatic. While there are plenty of healthy rivalries in the game, being a football fan definitely has a major upside. Sure, there are wings and beers on Sunday Funday, but there’s actually a lot more to being a fan than just the snacks. What you may not realize is that being an NFL fan has some major perks that are often overlooked.

And yes, there will be plenty of excitement and a fair share of disappointment throughout the course of the season as your favorite players make incredible plays, suffer gruesome injuries, come from behind for wins, or fumble the ball in the fourth quarter potentially losing the game in the last couple of minutes, but for many, nothing beats the feeling of supporting a team with all of your heart. Through thick and thin, through wins and losses, the die-hard fans are there for it all.

Here are 4 things NFL fans are doing right in life that everyone else usually overlooks:

1. They’re making ‘me’ time

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One thing that’s often overlooked when it comes to being an NFL fan is the fact that people carve out time in their week to watch their favorite teams play. Whether it’s for a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon or a Thursday night out with friends, there is a strong mental health component tied to being a fan.

Of course, everyone has a different opinion when it comes to self-care, but watching sporting events is one thing that checks off that box. It’s exciting and, for the most part, it makes us happy. And, if in the event our team loses, we know there’s always next week (or next year).

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2. They’re building a sense of community  

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Another positive that NFL fans get to experience is a feeling of camaraderie and a sense of belonging. Believe it or not, as a sports fan, you’ve got a bond with people you’ve never even met before. It gives people a sense of community, which is something that tends to be missing from everyday life.

“If you identify with a local team that identification brings with it a group that you can then belong to and by then getting the sense of belonging, you’re then going to get this sense that, well, you know what, I’m not alone in the world and that’s a great thing for our well-being,” Dr. Daniel Wann, a professor of psychology at Murray State University, said on the Speaking of Psychology podcast.

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3. They give themselves something to look forward to

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It’s no secret that life can be a rollercoaster, and it can get monotonous. But if your team plays on Monday night? It gives you something to look forward to. Sure, you’ll be tired at work on Tuesday, but what a way to kick off the week!

Sports fans have an outlet that keeps them entertained and gives them an escape from reality, even if it’s only for a few hours. We’re willing to bet that if we asked you right now when your team plays next, you know the day, time, and even their opponent. 

“Feeling anticipation can be inspiring and energizing. You may even feel more creative or productive when you’re looking forward to something, because knowing you have something good coming your way can make you feel a lot more capable of dealing with day-to-day nonsense. It’s fun to feel excited,” according to the Urban Wellness Blog.

4. They’re exercising their brains

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You may not realize it, but each time you tune in to watch a sporting event, you’re actually using your brain in ways you may not have otherwise. NFL fans tend to watch play patterns, make mental notes about various players, and pay attention to various rules in the game. Using your brain in such a way helps promote a variety of functions that you might not get from, say, watching a movie.

Writing for Psychology Today, neuropsychologist Carrie H. Kennedy, Ph.D., ABPP, explained that watching football “stimulates cognitive processes associated with cognitive flexibility, memory, and dopaminergic systems.”

Game on.

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Effie Orfanides is a contributing writer for YourTango who has been reporting on celebrity and entertainment news since 2009.