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CSC Slack: Top Five Most-Hated Players from the Division in the Payton-Brees Era

The CSC gang compiles their lists of the top 5 villains from the NFC South since 2006.

Divisional Round - Seattle Seahawks v Carolina Panthers Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Every sports fan has a few of those players in their team’s division who just irk them when they face up against their squad. We don’t really hate them, (well...) but it’s just especially un-enjoyable when a player from a rival team makes big plays and/or celebrates in your face on a consistent basis when playing your hometown team.

Whether it be someone like Drew Brees from a Buccaneer fan’s perspective, who just tears their team apart every time he plays them; Cam Newton, who not only makes big plays, but lets you know about it when he does; Or even Matt Ryan, who just has a face that’s easy to hate — there are many ways for a player to get on someone’s hate list.

All of these aspects were taken into account when compiling these lists. And because I’m a baby-faced Gen Z-er, we limited it to the Sean Payton era.

So without further ado:


My list

  1. Cam Newton
  2. Deion Jones
  3. Matt Bryant
  4. Matt Ryan
  5. Steve Smith Sr.

-A couple of these — Bryant and Jones — made the list primarily due to performance-based reasons. It feels like Bryant just never misses field goals against the Saints (he’s missed two since 2009— 41 and 52 yarders), and Jones being an LSU guy who has a knack for picking Brees off gets him comfortably on the list. Cam, Ryan and Smith find their way on the list for more personal reasons, including boisterous celebrations right after they dunked on the Saints defense, or in Ryan’s case, hate-able face syndrome.

Chris Dunnells

(Dunz had two lists because he had to be difficult)

List 1: 1. Roddy White

2. Roddy White

3. Roddy White

4. Roddy White

5. Roddy White

List 2: 1. Roddy White

2. Cam Newton

3. Steve Smith Sr.

4. Gerald McCoy

5. Luke Kuechly

“I like Keuchly as a dude (unlike most of the people on that list). I just hate how good he was.”

Deuce Windham

“Hmm... 1. Roddy White.

2. The Falcoholic

3. Keanu Neal

4. Matt Ryan

5. Who Dat Dish”

Ellias Williams

1. Thomas Davis

2. Roddy White

3. Josh Freeman

4. Josh Norman

5. Tony Gonzalez

“Steve Smith can be subbed for Freeman via the ‘hated to play against them’”

Ross Jackson

*Ross initially had some trouble concocting a list full of hatred, because unlike some of us, he doesn’t hold a lot of hate in his heart. But eventually, we broke him into admitting he dislikes Matt Ryan (who doesn’t)*

1. Roddy White

2. Deion Jones

3. Steve Smith

4. Luke Kuechly

5. Matt Ryan

“I really stink at this stuff. Matt Ryan might be the one on there I just don’t like so he makes the list. Roddy Too.”

Kade Kistner

“1. Cam Newton

2. Roddy White

3. Matt Ryan

4. Steve Smith

5. Cam Newton (again)”

Brenden Ertle

“1. Mike Evans (for hitting Shon after the play/ being a pab)

2. Cam newton

3. Matt Ryan

4. Julio Jones

5. Atlanta Falcons roster”


Who are your most-hated players from the NFC South? Let us know in the comments. Make sure you follow Canal Street Chronicles on Twitter at @SaintsCSC, “Like” us on Facebook at Canal Street Chronicles, and make sure you’re subscribed to our new YouTube channel. As always, you can follow me on Twitter @andy_b_123.