NFL Home Field Advantage: Ranking the Toughest NFL Stadiums for 2025

One of the most debated topics throughout the NFL season is home field advantage, and that’s because determining who has the best advantage is hard to pin down.

Detailing each team's win-loss and ATS record is the simplest way to reach a conclusion, but that doesn’t tell the full story.

The fact is, some teams win in spite of a lackluster home field edge, and vice versa.

The goal of this analysis is to determine what venues make life the most miserable for opposing teams by measuring the crowd influence via the one area they truly affect the game: the impact on officiating crews and the subsequent penalty count.

The outlier in this research is the 2020 NFL season, which is admittedly a small sample size.

However, it provides the only data we have to contrast how impactful the crowd can be on a contest, and we’ll get into how the absence of fans distorted offensive output in 2020.

The methodology in determining the final rankings was extensive.

Rather than inundate you with endless statistics, we’ve streamlined the findings to some key criteria that were weighted more heavily in the final rankings.

Home Field Penalty Advantage

Unconscious bias: the unintentional and subconscious preferences an individual holds that can influence judgment and behavior.

This category is simple. How does a crowd affect the behavior of referees?

In raw numbers, what home teams have recorded the largest net penalty advantage versus visiting teams since 2018?

The north ruled in this category, with the AFC North ranking No. 1 in overall penalty advantage, followed closely by the NFC North.

Offensive Pre-Snap & Offensive Holding

Stadium noise is at its peak level before the visiting offense snaps the ball, with home crowds impacting offensive pre-snap and subsequently offensive holding infractions at a far higher rate than any other penalty category throughout the course of a game.

We know this because NFL stadiums largely absent of fans in 2020 coincided with a big dropoff in these penalty categories versus every other season on record.

That penalty reduction contributed to record scoring output along with the highest win percentage for road teams in recent history during the COVID season.

We’ve compiled statistics on which stadiums create the biggest headaches for opposing offenses, both pre- and post-snap, using data with and without crowds in attendance to measure their impact.

Additionally, the percentage of overall penalties generated by teams in these specific categories carried a lot of weight in final rankings, because of the direct connection to the crowd impact.

One division in particular excelled in this category: the AFC North.

Home/Away Penalty Per Game Average

What teams excel at home compared to their road numbers in penalty per game average?

Highlighting what teams either perform better and/or get more favorable treatment at home from officials, but for whatever reason, that advantage doesn't transfer on the road.

So, what teams have the best home field penalty advantage since the 2018 NFL season? Let's take a deeper dive.

NFL Home Field Advantage Rankings, 2025

NFL Teams with the Best Home Field Advantage

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Acrisure Stadium

Home Record (2018-2024): 37-21-1 (63.8%) | Road Record: 30-30-1 (50%)
ATS Home: 33-25-1 (56.9%) | ATS Road: 32-27-2 (54.2%)
Key Stat: No. 1 in NFL home field penalty advantage with 42.5% of opponent penalties being offensive pre-snap or holding

Boasting arguably the largest and most loyal fan base in the NFL, the Steelers' top ranking should come as no surprise.

Pittsburgh not only ranks No. 1 in raw numbers for both home field penalty advantage and generating pre-snap and holding penalties on visiting teams, but it did so in convincing fashion.

If there is one negative, Pittsburgh ranks 24th overall in home versus road penalty per game average, although there are extenuating circumstances associated with that.

Steeler Nation is spread far and wide and is often louder than the opponents' home fans in many Steelers “road” contests, which partially explains this ranking.

No team came close to the Steelers' home field penalty numbers, and it's an underappreciated element that contributes to Pittsburgh's consistency.

Ultimately, Acrisure Stadium and the Steelers presented the biggest challenge for road teams in the NFL’s toughest division, resulting in Pittsburgh capturing the No. 1 overall ranking by margin.

2. Kansas City Chiefs: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium

Home Record (2018-2024): 56-15 (78.9%) | Road Record: 46-14 (76.7%)
ATS Home: 32-36-3 (47.1%) | ATS Road: 33-25-2 (57%)
Key Stat: No. 1 in NFL for home versus road penalty per game average

The deafening noise generated at Arrowhead Stadium makes communication extremely difficult for visiting teams, and the Chiefs' beneficial penalty numbers reflect that fact.

The Chiefs rank sixth overall in net penalty advantage versus visiting opponents since the start of the 2018 season.

A key contributor to that advantage was ranking second (behind the Vikings) as a net beneficiary of unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer penalties at home.

The Chiefs rank fourth overall at generating offensive pre-snap and offensive holding penalties on opposing offenses in games at Arrowhead Stadium, although those infractions only accounted for 37% of opponent penalties.

These numbers will undoubtedly reignite the “Chiefs get all the calls” narrative, claiming the penalty edge is a result of officiating bias since the arrival of Patrick Mahomes, but that take is incorrect.

When we expand the sample size window back to the start of the 2013 season (Andy Reid’s first with KC), not a lot changed for the Chiefs from an overall home penalty advantage perspective.

Arrowhead was always one of the NFL’s toughest venues for opposing teams to operate in, plus the fact that this venue holds the world record for crowd decibel level adds to the Arrowhead mystique.

This provides the Chiefs arguably the most intimidating destination in the NFL for officiating crews and opponents to operate in, providing them an edge that will continue to grow stronger over time.

3. Philadelphia Eagles: Lincoln Financial Field

Home Record (2018-2024): 42-21-1 (66%) | Road Record: 33-28 (54%)
ATS Home 30-30-3 (50%) | ATS Road 27-33-1 (45%)
Key Stat: No. 3 in the NFL at generating offensive pre-snap or holding penalties

Philadelphia boasts the NFL’s most intense home crowd paired with arguably the league’s best roster over the past seven seasons.

That has resulted in high rankings across a variety of penalty categories in this analysis.

The catalyst is the offensive pre-snap and holding combination, which laid the foundation for the Eagles' ranking eighth overall in home field penalty advantage.

Additionally, the Eagles rank ninth as a net beneficiary of the all-important unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer penalty combination at home.

Further validating the impact of this venue and fanbase were the subpar penalty numbers minus the home crowd in 2020.

Philadelphia saw a decline in beneficial offensive pre-snap and offensive holding infractions compared with team averages in surrounding seasons.

Philadelphia fans are portrayed in a less than positive light by national media, but they definitely get the credit for creating one of the most intimidating home field atmospheres in the NFL.

It’s clearly paying dividends and a contributing factor to the Eagles' success in recent seasons.

4. Green Bay Packers: Lambeau Field

Home Record (2018-2024): 45-15-1 (75%) | Road Record: 31-29 (51.7%)
ATS Home: 37-24 (60.7%) | ATS Road: 31-28-1 (52.5%)
Key Stat: 42.5% of opponent penalties via offensive pre-snap or holding

Based on our penalty numbers, unconscious bias from officiating crews is at peak level when they are assigned games in Green Bay, making Lambeau Field one of the most challenging venues for visiting teams to operate in.

The Packers rank ninth in home versus road penalty per game average, and that in turn has Green Bay ranking 11th in net penalty advantage versus opponents at Lambeau Field.

Those rankings were propelled via an elevated percentage of offensive pre-snap and holding on opponents at Lambeau.

However, the percentage in those categories fell to just 30% in 2020 when crowd impact was not a factor.

That represented one of the largest percentage declines of any team in and out of the COVID season.

The Lambeau mystique not only exists, but it's fair to assume it will grow stronger over time.

That, along with crowd and weather-related obstacles, ensures Green Bay will always be one of the premier home field advantages in the NFL.

5. Cleveland Browns: Huntington Bank Field

Home Record (2018-2024): 33-22-1 (61.4%) | Road Record: 19-41 (31%)
ATS Home: 28-29-1 (49.1%) | ATS Road: 24-35-1 (40.7%)
Key Stat: No. 7 in the NFL at generating opponent offensive pre-snap or holding penalties

The Browns recorded the largest home versus road win percentage discrepancy of any team in this analysis.

The catalyst from a penalty perspective was Cleveland ranking seventh at generating offensive pre-snap and offensive holding infractions on opposing offenses.

Those categories accounted for an above average 41.5% of penalties assessed on Browns opponents, which laid the foundation for Cleveland to perform well in a variety of other less important categories we did not detail in the opening preview.

However, the cumulative effect of those statistics propelled them into the top 10.

The 2020 season saw a big decline in opponent penalties overall compared with the surrounding seasons, particularly in the aforementioned offensive pre-snap and offensive holding categories.

The Dawg Pound is as impactful as any home crowd we’ve detailed in this analysis, and this franchise's shortcomings are in no way a result of lackluster crowd support.

The fact is, the Browns' home field penalty numbers share some similarities with the Chiefs over the last 15 years.

Which brings us to the obvious and ongoing issue in Cleveland: finding a legitimate franchise quarterback that can supercharge this home field advantage.

The Browns' history doesn't inspire much confidence in this happening, but hope springs eternal in the NFL.

If Cleveland finally solves the quarterback issue, this home field can be as dominant as anywhere in the NFL.

6. Denver Broncos: Empower Field at Mile High

Home Record (2018-2024): 29-29 (50%) | Road Record: 18-40 (31%)
ATS Home: 29-28-1 (51%) | ATS Road: 27-30-1 (47.4%)
Key Stat: No. 2 in NFL at generating opponent offensive pre-snap and holding penalties

The altitude and rabid fans provide the Broncos with a unique advantage that has a significant impact on visiting teams.

The key stat detailing all-important offensive pre-snap and offensive holding infractions on opponents at Mile High Stadium was the foundation of the team's penalty superiority.

Furthermore, those two categories accounted for an above average 41.5% of penalties generated on visiting teams, highlighting the impact of the Broncos' home crowd.

The Broncos were 13th in overall home field penalty advantage.

However, the makeup of those beneficial calls was noteworthy, with Denver ranking fifth as a net beneficiary of unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer penalties.

From both a raw number and percentage perspective, the 2020 season ranked as the team’s least effective at generating offensive holding and pre-snap infractions on teams playing in Denver.

While on-field success has been limited in recent seasons, it wasn’t due to a subpar home field edge.

The question should be how much worse things could have been without that advantage.

The good news is the Broncos once again have the head coach and roster in place to take full advantage of their unique home field edge, all but ensuring road games at Mile High will be a daunting proposition for opponents in 2025 and beyond.

7. Indianapolis Colts: Lucas Oil Stadium

Home Record (2018-2024): 32-26 (55.2%) | Road Record: 26-33-1(44.1%)
ATS Home: 26-31-1 (45.6%) | ATS Road: 32-26-2 (55%)
Key Stat: No. 2 in NFL home field penalty advantage

Lucas Oil Stadium does not have the notoriety of other venues in the NFL, and rumors have swirled around artificially enhanced crowd noise being used.

Whether those accusations are true, we don’t know.

We can confirm that the visiting team penalty numbers are elevated in this stadium versus the league average, resulting in high rankings for the Colts in multiple categories.

The Colts rank second overall in home field penalty advantage, including ranking 10th as a net beneficiary of unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer penalties at home.

Indianapolis is more efficient and/or benefits from officiating at a far higher rate at home, ranking eighth in home versus road penalty per game average.

Finally, the Colts rank 10th at generating offensive pre-snap and offensive holding infractions on opponents.

The numbers associated with this venue are hard to ignore and all the more impressive given the quarterback carousel the Colts have dealt with since 2019.

It's incumbent on ownership to resolve the glaring issue that has hamstrung this franchise post-Andrew Luck and find the next great quarterback who can once again supercharge this home field edge the Colts have benefited from the majority of this century.

8. Buffalo Bills: Highmark Stadium

Home Record (2018-2024): 49-16 (78.9%) | Road Record: 33-27 (55%)
ATS Home: 33-30-2 (52.4%) | ATS Road: 31-26-3 (54.5%)
Key Stat: No. 2 in NFL for home versus road penalty per game average

Based on our numbers, unconscious bias from officiating crews is operating at maximum level in Buffalo, providing the Bills a penalty edge they simply don’t benefit from at the same rate on the road.

In addition to ranking second overall in home versus road penalty per game average, the Bills rank fourth as a net beneficiary of unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer penalties.

The Bills have been one of the best teams at generating offensive pre-snap and offensive holding penalties on opponents since the start of 2021, ranking fourth in per game average during that stretch.

They recorded a sizable dropoff in generating offensive pre-snap and offensive holding penalties on opponents in 2020 compared with the averages in Buffalo’s surrounding seasons in these categories.

Bills Mafia is the most exuberant crowd in the NFL, and the Bills clearly feed off this, as indicated by their home versus road win record since 2018.

The combination of this fanbase and a loaded Buffalo Bills roster is paying dividends on the penalty front, ensuring this venue remains as difficult a destination for visiting teams as any in the NFL in 2025 and beyond.

9. Miami Dolphins: Hard Rock Stadium

Home Record (2018-2024): 38-20 (65.5%) | Road Record: 21-37 (36.2%)
ATS Home: 36-22 (62%) | ATS Road: 28-29-1 (49%)
Key Stat: No. 3 net home field beneficiary of unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer penalties

The South Florida heat clearly presents a major challenge for opponents, and the Dolphins' strategy of having the visiting team sit on the sun-soaked north sideline of Hard Rock Stadium has paid dividends when we look at their win-loss numbers.

On the penalty front, the Dolphins rank ninth overall at generating offensive pre-snap and offensive holding penalties on visiting teams since 2018.

Miami ranks 13th in home versus away penalty per game average.

The makeup of the penalties is important, with the Dolphins ranking third overall in the unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer combination.

The pushback against this ranking would be Miami continuing to perform exceptionally well at home in 2020, recording a 5-3 win-loss and 7-1 ATS record in the COVID season.

The reality may be that the Dolphins' home field advantage is more a result of the South Florida heat and humidity than the crowd in attendance.

Nevertheless, that combination creates a fatigue factor that is unique in the NFL and will continue to provide a big advantage for the Dolphins going forward.

10. Minnesota Vikings: U.S. Bank Stadium

Home Record (2018-2024): 36-22 (62%) | Road Record: 30-28-1 (51.5%)
ATS Home: 27-30-1 (47.5%) | ATS Road: 29-24-6 (54.5%)
Key Stat: No. 1 net home field beneficiary of unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer penalties

If this were a three-year analysis, the Vikings would have ranked much higher than 10th.

Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell’s offensive approach has generated far more penalty-related benefits at U.S. Bank Stadium compared to his predecessor.

That said, the Vikings still managed to rank seventh overall in home field penalty advantage, propelled via beneficial penalties in a variety of important categories, including unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer ranking.

Minnesota ranks as a mid-level team at generating offensive pre-snap and offensive holding penalties on opponents since 2018, but one thing really stood out when it was broken down year by year.

Over the last two seasons (2023/24) with Brian Flores in charge, the defense generated a disproportionate 44% of Vikings opponents’ penalties in those categories.

Additionally, no team saw a bigger percentage decline than Minnesota in opponents' offensive pre-snap and offensive holding penalties in 2020 versus surrounding seasons.

This is already one of the most difficult venues in the NFL to operate in, and it has the potential to become an even bigger headache for visiting teams if this core group of Vikings coaches and players remains intact in the seasons ahead.

11. Seattle Seahawks: Lumen Field

Home Record (2018-2024): 32-26 (56%) | Road Record: 35-25 (58.3%)
ATS Home: 26-31-2 (45.5%) | ATS Road: 29-27-4 (51.5%)
Key Stat: No. 4 in NFL for home versus road penalty per game average

The Seahawks were the poster child for home field intimidation during the Legion of Boom era, but fast forward to the current day, and cracks are beginning to appear in the foundation.

Opposing team fans are beginning to make up a larger portion of the crowd in Seattle, and the Seahawks' penalty advantage numbers have declined as a result.

The standout for Seattle was the home versus road average we detailed in the team introduction stats.

However, even that advantage took a hit last season, with the Seahawks ranking 32nd overall in this category.

The Seahawks rank a mediocre 14th in home field penalty advantage, although the makeup of that penalty advantage was key.

Seattle ranks in the top 10 teams at generating offensive pre-snap and holding infractions on opponents.

The Seahawks did register a positive net beneficiary count in the unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer combination, but just barely.

And those categories have also fallen off a cliff in the past two seasons compared to their pre-2023 numbers.

Only time will tell if the Seahawks construct a roster built to thrive off the crowd energy that made a road trip to Seattle a daunting proposition in the 2010s, but the franchise’s history provides hope that a resurgence in the Pacific Northwest is possible in the seasons ahead.

12. Baltimore Ravens: M&T Bank Stadium

Home Record (2018-2024): 42-21 (66.5%) | Road Record: 38-23 (62%)
ATS Home: 29-32-2 (47.5%) | ATS Road: 38-21-2 (64.5%)
Key Stat: No. 6 in NFL for home versus road penalty per game average

Baltimore is partially a victim of their own success, with their outstanding road numbers diminishing their equally impressive home win-loss record.

On the penalty front, the key stat detailed above was the standout category for this team, with Baltimore excelling at home versus their road penalty averages.

Baltimore performs well across a variety of areas despite not ranking in the top five in any particular category.

What hurts Baltimore was their net negative unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer penalty count at home, an area they rank 29th overall.

When we compare fellow AFC heavyweights Kansas City and Buffalo, who rank second and fourth respectively in this category, it's clear that officiating crews aren't treating the Ravens with the same level of respect.

All that being said, M&T Bank Stadium remains one of the NFL’s most difficult venues for opposing teams to operate in, and Baltimore benefits from nine home contests this season.

If the Ravens can live up to the expectations many have for them, there is a strong likelihood they move up into the top 10 off a dominant 2025 season.

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13. San Francisco 49ers: Levi's Stadium

14. Detroit Lions: Ford Field

15. New Orleans Saints: Caesars Superdome

16. Cincinnati Bengals: Paycor Stadium

17. Dallas Cowboys: AT&T Stadium

18. New England Patriots: Gillette Stadium

19. Atlanta Falcons: Mercedes-Benz Superdome

20. Los Angeles Rams: SoFi Stadium

21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Raymond James Stadium

22. New York Giants: MetLife Stadium

23. Houston Texans: NRG Stadium

24. Tennessee Titans: Nissan Stadium

25. Chicago Bears: Soldier Field

26. Arizona Cardinals: State Farm Stadium

27. Washington Commanders: FedEx Field

28. Las Vegas Raiders: Allegiant Stadium

29. Jacksonville Jaguars: EverBank Stadium

30. Los Angeles Chargers: SoFi Stadium

31. Carolina Panthers: Bank of America Stadium

32. New York Jets: MetLife Stadium

Why Home Field Advantage Matters in the NFL

Crowd noise significantly impacts NFL games by increasing offensive pre-snap and holding penalties, as evidenced by the 2020 season’s data.

Teams like the Steelers, Chiefs, and Eagles leverage their fans to create hostile environments, influencing officiating and game outcomes.

As the 2025 NFL season approaches, these stadiums will continue to challenge visiting teams, making home field advantage a critical factor in playoff races and Super Bowl aspirations.