Mexico is Split on Which US League it Likes the Most

Tom Fears was the first Mexican-born player to join the NFL in 1946. Born in Guadalajara, he moved to California with his family at age six and showed impressive physical ability.

The Los Angeles Rams drafted Tom in 1948, following his service in World War II. He played with the Rams for eight seasons, winning three championships and leading the league in receptions for multiple seasons. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970.

Interesting side story: Years later, he helped produce North Dallas Forty, a movie that details substance abuse within the NFL, and claimed that the league put him on a 'blacklist' because of it.

Tom's story illustrates the early days of the league's relationship with Mexico, and that relationship has come a long way. Isaac Alarcon and Alfredo Gutierrez are the two newest Mexican players to play in the league this season. Both graduated from ITESM, which has proven to be a football powerhouse in the country.

We also have to mention local legend Raul Allegre, a two-time Super Bowl champion from our hometown of Torreon, who, like us, graduated from the University of Texas. As an ESPN analyst, he's been a key figure in bringing the NFL to the Spanish-speaking masses.

Based on Google Trends, the NFL now has a dominant presence, with 22 of the 32 states following the NFL over any other American league. Mexico's love for the NFL is unique in Latin America — every other country prefers the NBA or the MLB.

And it's not just Google search — Mexico is the NFL's 2nd most substantial market. An estimated 8% of the country's entire population watched this year's Super Bowl on free TV alone.