I grew up in a Patriots home.

Living in New England (Rhode Island) red, white and blue have always been my hometown colors for football. The Patriots have always been “my” team.  It’s who my father, mother, brothers, sister, grandmother, friends, etc. have just always routed for when it comes to football. It’s pretty simple like that for me.

The actual game of football has always been a game I’ve been around my entire life. Watching it on TV. Watching my brothers play. Watching one of my high school boyfriend’s play. Football is football to me.

Am I a gigantic lover of the sport? Like do I follow players and stats and score throughout the season? No.

Do I enjoy it? Yes.

Here I am, present day. I married a football fanatic. My husband played football throughout his youth, throughout high school and a couple of years in college. We now have 4 sons who are obsessed with the game. If there’s a game on TV, it’s on.

Here’s the problem in our house.

I’m a Patriots fan.

They ALL are Steelers fans.

This is why it’s tough being a Patriots fan.

The game last week… the one where the Patriots played the Steelers. Yeah, that game was BRUTAL for me. I had my Patriots jersey on, they all had on Steelers jerseys (except my sweet girl, although she kept routing for the Steelers). It was tough watching with a room full of Steelers fan who would literally berate every Patriots play on the field.

They don’t like Tom Brady. I love him.

They don’t like Couch Belichick. I love him.

They love to talk about deflated footballs.

They love to talk about cheating on the football field.

They love to pass along bad vibes to Foxboro Stadium.

They don’t even like to see a Patriots jersey out and about.

It’s tough.

It’s tough being a Patriots fan in a house of black and gold.

It’s tough, real tough.