“I stopped watching the NFL because of its politics.”

That was something a friend said to me on social media within the past year. I’m not sure what politics she was referring to, but I’m assuming it had to do with matters regarding social rights. It also likely had to do with the environment of the NFL back in 2016-2018 when many football players, led by 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, began kneeling during the playing of the national anthem as a means to bring awareness to police brutality against minorities.

If you remember those years, 2017 probably stands out as the height of this movement. While dozens of NFL players took a knee each and every Thursday, Sunday and Monday, thousands of fans began boycotting the league. Some did so quietly, like my friend–I don’t remember her even having an issue with it at the time–while many did so very openly. They took to social media to encourage everyone to join them in their anti-NFL movement. Others posted videos of them burning jerseys, jackets and even season tickets.

Countless NFL fans were vowing that they were done with the league forever. The NFL saw a slight dip in ratings that year, so there is no doubt that the boycotters’ voices were at least heard.

How many of the Never NFLers reversed their stance once the league became slightly less vocal about social justice issues–or at least made sure not to show players kneeling during its broadcasts?

That’s impossible to say, but I do know this: The NFL has never been more popular. As I wrote about before, 93 of the 100 highest-rated TV shows from 2023 were NFL broadcasts. The league set ratings records for the 2023/2024 playoffs.

As for Super Bowl LVIII between the 49ers and Chiefs in Las Vegas, Nevada, last Sunday? You guessed it, it set a record. 123.4 million viewers tuned into or streamed the game on various platforms–including CBS, Paramount+ and Nickelodeon. The league broke its previous record of the previous year when over 115 million people watched the Chiefs outlast the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.

Yes, Taylor Swift, the internationally famous pop star who is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, likely helped the NFL set a new Super Bowl record, but ratings are ratings, and the NFL is the undisputed champion of television at the moment.

What’s my point? Only that the NFL was going to move on, with or without its vocal or silent boycotters who were making headlines in 2017. It was going to continue to grow in popularity and make new fans each and every year. I said this at the time. Kids would read about the political and social issues the NFL was dealing with in the late 2010s and say, “Hmmm, pretty crazy time,” before checking on their fantasy football rosters at recess.

Of course, political and social justice issues aren’t the only reasons some fans have often vowed to never watch the NFL again. There’s always something, whether it’s the quality of play, the league’s ongoing battle with head trauma or even issues involving sexual misconduct and domestic violence. The last two issues are not exclusive to the NFL–they’re more a reflection of society in general. But if that’s what has caused you to stop watching football, that’s your choice.

Back before the days of social media and everyone and their mother having a platform to voice their opinions on everything, people started and stopped watching the NFL every year, and nobody noticed.

People might notice more in 2024, but one thing remains the same: The NFL is still America’s favorite pastime, and will continue to be, with or without you.