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“LFG” stands for, “Let’s Freaking Go,” or the more profane, “Let’s F*****g Go!” It is most often seen on social media platforms, primarily Twitter. Football fans will use it when they’re excited about something their team has done, and many players including Tom Brady have used it to express excitement at a recent transaction, a new season, or in Brady’s case, his unretirement.
Growing up a big sports fan and coming of age just as social media was taking off, I can’t read “LFG” without translating it, usually with the more explicit phrasing. I’ll confess to also using it on the rare instances that my bumbling Minnesota sports teams show anything close to competence.
But it may be a new phrase for some people. And you don’t want to use it improperly or around company that may not appreciate its potentially vulgar nature. In this article, we’ll share the history of this iconic acronym and provide some suggestions on when best to use it.
Key Takeaways
- “LFG” is a shorthand acronym for “Let’s F*****g Go,” and is commonly seen on social media
- It originated in gaming communities in 2002 and gained traction on social media platforms such as Twitter around 2010
- Tom Brady has frequently used the acronym on Twitter including when he announced his unretirement in March of 2022
When Did People Start Using LFG?
Like many online and texting shorthands, it’s hard to give proper credit to the original user or when it was first used. Best as I can find, “LFG” first became prominent in online gaming communities around the year 2002. But it wasn’t until 2010 with the rapid growth of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook that it entered the mainstream vernacular. [1]
Today, “LFG” is used throughout pop culture in a variety of situations from people cheering on their favorite sports team, to hyping up a sharp gambling pick, or simply hyping a new movie.
In football, fans will usually use it when posting about their team doing something positive.
Depending on your interpretation of the acronym, the explicit nature of the hashtag makes the abbreviation preferable, serving as a way to sensor your excitement without resorting to an obvious substitution of a curse like, “Let’s flipping go!”
Tom Brady’s Unretires
For those that weren’t familiar with the shorthand version of the phrase, Tom Brady’s unretirement in 2022 was their introduction to “LFG.”
In Brady’s case, this likely referred to the Buccaneer’s disappointing defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams in the 2022 playoffs. Unhappy with that being the end of his career, Brady implored his fans and teammates for one more run at a title, signing off his tweet with the iconic, “LFG.”
But it led to no shortage of confusion on the internet as some tried to parse out what Brady meant. It’s a phrase Brady has used several times on social media in the past, though whether he’ll continue to use it while raising kittens during his second retirement remains to be seen.
Read more: TOM BRADY DRAFT PICK: FROM 199TH SELECTION TO THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME.
Conclusion
Whether you prefer, “Let’s freaking go!” or the more profane version, “LFG” is a common occurrence on Twitter, Instagram, and even popping up on our televisions when sportscasters or commentators share a player’s tweets. Understanding its context and when to use it can save you plenty of embarrassment and a lengthy, uncomfortable explanation.
References
- https://www.wikihow.com/LFG-Meaning
