According to the annual Harris Poll of more than 2,000 people, the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys polled equal numbers.
Last year, 17 percent of Americans who follow professional football chose the Packers as one of their two favorite NFL teams. This year only 12 percent do so, the same percentage who pick the Dallas Cowboys.
Both teams have seen a significant decline in the past five years.
Just behind the Packers and the Cowboys come the two contenders in late last year's Super Bowl, the Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, each with 11 percent.
Last year the Raiders polled 12 percent, while the Super Bowl champions, the Buccaneers saw a big leap from four percent in 2002.
Said a Harris Poll spokesman: “Recent performance on the field seems to be only one component of popularity. It may explain some of the recent drop-off for the Dallas Cowboys, the Green Bay Packers, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, who in the past five years have not come close to the championship level of their storied past.
“It also may explain the recent boost given to the Buccaneers and the Raiders who have performed well as of late, meeting in the Super Bowl last year.
“But, a greater explanation for the changes in the rankings may lie in the increasing competitive parity in the NFL. As the competitive balance between teams has become more equal - due mainly to the stringently enforced salary caps and early free agency for stars - so too has the fan support.
“This is evidenced by the fact that the voting in this year's list is more evenly spread than in any previous years.”
