I recently had the pleasure of traveling through an airport on NFL Sunday. I profess to not having watched much NFL this year, which made me forget how seriously people take their football, especially when we get near the playoffs.
Many people were sporting their favorite team's apparel, but the most visible fans were supporting the Green Bay Packers. The gate for my flight happened to be right next to the gate for a plane going to Madison, Wisconsin, showcasing how many people love the Packers, and how they might convey that.
This opportunity to observe Packers fans in their natural habitat deepened my understanding of levels of Packer fandom. Based on their apparel, these are 6 levels of Packers fans you might see in an airport on any given NFL Sunday.
1. Rams Beanie
While not specifically a Packers fan, this man was sitting next to the gate leading to Wisconsin. He merited inclusion as the base level of Packers fan, both because he seems to like the NFL per his Rams beanie and because packing and ramming are two verbs that have similar meanings. The fact that he ended up on my plane and had a penchant for unfunny corny jokes was not enough to exclude him.
Packers Fan Level: General NFL Fan, probably enjoys Aaron Rodgers Discount Double Check Commercials
2. Green Leggings
One young woman had green leggings of which were the same colors as the Packers uniforms. It screamed high key fan, but low key college budget, as in, "I want to support the Packers but I can't go all out on a jersey because I am a college student so I will get the double-whammy leggings because then I can look fashionable and supportive."
Packer Fan Level: Probably plays Lil Wayne's "Green and Yellow" on her iPhone at least 12 times before the game.
3. Hoodie, Hat, and a Cheesehead
This man was walking around the airport in a Cheesehead and a Packers Hoodie. Then he sat down and took off his Cheesehead and put on his Green Bay Packers Hat. When I say Cheesehead, I mean Cheesehead. Below is a dramatic rendering of what he would look like if he were both wearing a Cheesehead and was Clay Matthews.
Having both a Cheesehead, a hoodie, and a Packers hat indicated that this man was a big fan. With three options for Green Bay paraphernalia head coverings (#3 = hood on the hoodie), it is possible this man's ears are never not shrouded by Green Bay support.
With such an array of ear shroud options, it is likely that each head covering is for different occasions. Cheeseheads are exclusively for religious holidays, hats are for going undercover, and hoodies are exclusively for training, like with Hoodie Melo.
Packer Fan Level: Probably owns stock in the Green Bay Packers and named his child Brett Aaron Matthews Clay.
4. Shirt and Cooler Suitcase
Cooler suitcase? Is that even a thing? Yes, it is. This man appeared to have what was doubly functional as a suitcase and a cooler. So that when he travels to away games, he can take his clothes and things, and then, when he gets there, can take said clothes out and replace them with beer, cheese, and beer cheese.
He appeared very relaxed at the airport, despite his team losing. His laid-back attitude and cooler suitcase made me think that this man just appreciates having a good time, which the Packers provide. He isn't just in it for the W.
Packer Fan Level: Lifelong fan regardless of results. Probably proud of them honoring his Pappy for being a great Wisconsin cheesemaker and will go anywhere and do anything for them.
5. Tandem Sweaters and a Hat
A man and his apparent son were wearing tandem, very decorative, very Green Bay Packers sweaters. The father was the one wearing a hat, which made it appear as if the son was still a junior Packer-ite waiting to graduate to Hat-Level-Packer-Fan status.
I am thoroughly convinced that they are both huge Packers fans because why else would you ever be caught out in public wearing this:
The only other explanation as to why they would be wearing this is that the family matriarch hand-knitted the sweaters for them and her dying wish was that they wear them every Sunday because the Packers were and are their one and only Savior. All hail-mary Aaron Rodgers.
Packer Fan Level: Shrine in the basement
6. White and Yellow Packers Shirt, a packers hat, green hat, all green everything
Our most decked out fans were an older middle-aged couple. The female wore a dark green beanie and a dark green jacket. The male was wearing a Packers hat, a Packers Shirt, had a green bag, and probably would have had green blue jeans if jeans that could simultaneously be both blue and Packer green were a thing.
They looked particularly not enthused, which I can only surmise was because their team lost. Either that or they were leaving 60 degree weather to return to Wisconsin.
Packer Fan Level: Clings to the good ol' days when these young whipper-snappers knew how to tackle right. Packers are still bae though.
