NFL Kickoff 2021: Your Guide to the Best Tailgating Experience

By Brian Jones

The 2021 NFL season starts this week, and with fans returning to stadiums all across the country, this means tailgating is back. A big part of the gameday experience is eating, drinking and hanging out with friends before the game. But for some, tailgating is a part of life as it has the ability to bring people together. 

"It's more than just going out to the parking lot and firing up a grill for me," Chicago Bears fan Tim Shanley told USA Today in a 2019 interview. "It becomes a lifestyle when you take it as seriously as I do," he says, adding that "It's family, it's friends and it's bonding."  

There is not one way to tailgate, and people have different styles to party before the game. However, in order to have the most enjoyable tailgating experience, having a plan and being prepared for anything is essential. NFL fans will begin the tailgating season on Thursday when the Tampa Bay Buccanneers host the Dallas Cowboys. But Sunday will also be huge as a full slate of NFL games will take place for the first time this year. Here's a guide to have the best tailgating experience for this NFL season. 

Arrive Early

This should be understood, but arriving at the parking lot of a stadium early is key to having a successful tailgate. You want to make sure you have enough time to eat, drink and hang out with family and friends before the big game.

Don't Run out of Food

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(Photo: Brian van der Brug / Getty Images )

This goes for any party, but make sure you have enough food for your guest. Whether it's wings, burgers or hot dogs, having more than enough food for a tailgate is essential, especially when food prices at a stadium are almost similar to a monthly car payment.

Don't Overserve

Having enough drinks for everyone is also essential, but you want to make sure the people who are consuming alcohol drink responsibly. The last thing anyone wants is for a person getting sick or being too rowdy before a game because that could ruin the entire experience.

Playing Creative Games

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(Photo: QB54)

Having great games to play can help make the tailgating experience more enjoyable. One game that is fun to play is QB54, a new outdoor toss game similar to cornhole but you use two folding chairs with goalposts while throwing a kicking a football. In 2020 QB54 sold more than $1 million game sets.

Themes Are Cool

Having a theme for the tailgate is another way to make things fun. It's also an easy thing to do as you can have items and accessories related to the team you support. If your team is the Dallas Cowboys, add the word Cowboys to the food and have the team colors all over the tailgate.

Break Down Early

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(Photo: Alika Jenner / Getty Images)

Tailgating can be a lot of fun, but make sure you don't have too much fun to the point you miss the start of the game. Ending the tailgate early is just as important as arriving early so you have ample amounts of time to get inside the stadium and cheer on your team at kickoff.

Be Safe

Enjoying the tailgating experience safely is a must. The last thing anybody wants is a fan getting injured and going to hospital due to an accident. It's amazing that you don't hear about more Buffalo Bills fans suffering serious injuries due to them jumping onto tables on a weekly basis.

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