I have never met some of my closest friends.
If you told me in 2005 that, by 2025, a bunch of blokes from Glasgow to Yeovil would be up at 02:00am arguing about third-down efficiency on a group chat, you would have been politely shown the door.
But here we are. NFL fandom has not only crossed the Atlantic, it has slipped into our pockets and infiltrated group chats like a well-executed Belichick game plan.
Virtual friends, but no less real
NFL WhatsApp groups in the UK are a curious beast.
There are no polite time zones. Messages ping in at 03:00am after a 67-yard field goal, waking spouses and terrifying pets. It is a chaotic cocktail of GIFs, memes, bad takes and even worse fantasy trade proposals.
Here is the thing – most of these people have never met. Yet they trust each other with critical fantasy advice.
We celebrate and commiserate together. And we grieve when someone benches Amon-Ra St. Brown during a 35-point breakout.
This is not just sports banter. It is digital fellowship forged in the fire of Red Zone Sundays and an unhealthy obsession with mock drafts.
The friendships are real. They have blossomed over a shared hatred of the Cowboys – or love, if you enjoy emotional rollercoasters – and were cemented when someone finally explained what a nickel defence is without mocking your lack of knowledge.
Wholesome characters
Each group has its characters: The Stats Guy, the Chaos Poster, the Professional Insulter and, of course, the one who brings the chat back on course when it has veered into dangerous waters.
These WhatsApp groups are also weirdly wholesome. In a digital age often plagued by trolls and toxicity, these are places where strangers become mates.
We have bonded over touchdowns, terrible puns and the unifying experience of watching Sky Sports at 03:00am while the dog wonders why you are yelling about the Dolphins.
They are also places where men can talk about things they usually would not and not be judged. This has often helped me and lots of others in our group.
So thanks Tom, Garry, Ronnie, Chris, JC, Steve, John, Cam, Dave, Mark, Jar and Stu.
I raise my glass to many more nights of chaos, thousands of messages and even more laughs.
