NFL Status
No current team
NFL History
None notable
Nearest NFL Market
Regional
Best Option
Nearest NFL city or college football
St. Petersburg does not currently have an NFL team. St. Petersburg has never had its own NFL team; the Buccaneers, across the bay in Tampa, are the local option.
Bottom line: St. Petersburg has never had its own NFL team; the Buccaneers, across the bay in Tampa, are the local option.
How St. Petersburg fits into the NFL's map
| City type | What it means for fans |
|---|---|
| Current NFL city | A home team plays there right now — tickets, tailgates, the full Sunday experience |
| No team, tied to a nearby metro | Fully part of a team's fan base and market, just not the literal host city |
| Former NFL city | Had a team that relocated — often with real, traceable history and a franchise playing elsewhere today |
| No current tie | Nearest NFL football is a regional trip, not a local one — college football often fills the gap instead |
Visiting St. Petersburg for football
- NFL tickets swing hard on opponent and time slot — a Monday or Thursday night marquee game costs far more than an early-season Sunday against a weak opponent.
- Tailgating culture varies a lot by stadium — some lots open hours before kickoff, others have tight restrictions, so check the team's own gameday policy before planning around it.
- Team, stadium and relocation facts here reflect current reporting as of 2026 — stadium situations in particular are moving fast across the league, so it's worth a quick check closer to your travel dates.
FAQs — St. Petersburg and the NFL
Does St. Petersburg have an NFL team?
No, and it never has.
Is St. Petersburg an NFL expansion or relocation candidate?
It hasn't come up as a named candidate in recent NFL expansion or relocation conversations.
What's the closest NFL option to St. Petersburg?
St. Petersburg has never had its own NFL team; the Buccaneers, across the bay in Tampa, are the local option.
What is St. Petersburg best known for in NFL terms?
St. Petersburg's own pro sports identity centers on MLB's Rays, who play at Tropicana Field within the city itself — a team St. Petersburg can claim that the Buccaneers, across the bay, are not.