The following nicknames are given to a unit (defensive, offensive and special teams) or a secondary nickname given to some teams used to describe a style of play or attitude of teams at times in accordance with phrases in popular culture of the time. They are not the official franchise nicknames of the National Football League (NFL). Since the NFL's inception in 1920, players, coaches, team executives, league officials, and football games have been given nicknames based on either individual achievements, team achievements, historical events, etc.
Nicknames for entire teams, whole offensive units, defensive units, or special teams.Names which are marked by an asterisk (*) are team nicknames which may have been coined by team members or local media, but never became well known to the public outside of the teams media market for a multitude of reasons, but most likely due to poor performance. The nickname was earned for accomplishments on the field.
[2] Nickname given to the Dallas Cowboys for having a large number of fans outside its immediate local area (The term itself is likely derived from the title of the team's 1978 highlight film.).
The 1989 Buffalo Bills, so-called due to internal conflict within the organization between quarterback Jim Kelly and several veteran players as well as a fistfight that occurred between two assistant coaches.
[4] Name of the New York Giants defensive team from 1986 to 1990.[5]
[14] San Diego Chargers defensive line in the 1970s and 1980s.
nickname originally given to the 2003 Carolina Panthers and later to the Detroit Lions of the 2010s.[20] [21] [22]
The linebacker corps, specifically Rickey Jackson, Vaughan Johnson, Sam Mills, and Pat Swilling, of the National Football League's New Orleans Saints during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
[27] The 1970s Dallas Cowboys defensive team. Doomsday I, the unit that led the Cowboys to victory in Super Bowl VI, was anchored by future Pro Football Hall of Fame members Herb Adderley, Bob Lilly, and Mel Renfro, while Doomsday II, which spearheaded the drive to the title in Super Bowl XII, featured Hall of Famer Randy White and fellow defensive linemen Harvey Martin and Ed "Too Tall" Jones.
[31] The 1960s Los Angeles Rams defensive line.
[36] The 1999–2001 St. Louis Rams record-breaking offensive team featuring Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Issac Bruce, Torry Holt, Az-Zahir Hakim, and Ricky Proehl. They were recognized as one of the greatest offenses to play in NFL history. (Note: The first team referred to as "The Greatest Show on Turf" was the 1992 Houston Oilers, the title of their 1993 NFL Films highlight film. The Oilers employed the wide-open run-and-shoot offense.)[37]
The Washington Redskins' offensive line in the 1980s. They were considered one of the largest and strongest offensive lines in football history, originally consisting of Joe Jacoby, Russ Grimm, Mark May, George Starke, and Jeff Bostic.[40]
[44] The 1980 Cleveland Browns offensive unit featuring Brian Sipe, Greg Pruitt, Ozzie Newsome, Dave Logan, and Reggie Rucker who had a penchant for having games decided in the final moments.
The dominant secondary of the Seattle Seahawks, consisting of All-Pro safety tandem Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor as well as the league's largest set of corners in 6′4″ Pro Bowler Brandon Browner and 6′3″ All-Pro Richard Sherman. The term has come to encompass the entire defense.[47]
The unstoppable wide receiver corps of the Kansas City Chiefs, particularly known for their speed, consisting of Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson, and Mecole Hardman and notably TE Travis Kelce, starting in 2018 with the arrival of a top quarterback, Patrick Mahomes[48]
[49] Coach Marty Schottenheimer's football strategy.
[54] Originally applied to the Chicago Bears of the early 1940s, but revived for the 1980s Bears and subsequent successful Bears defensive teams. Originally used for the University of Chicago Maroons college football team. "Midway" was the name of the park on campus.[55]
[57] The New York Jets defense of the early 1980s, led by defensive end Mark Gastineau along with Joe Klecko, and interior linemen Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam. Fans began showing up at Shea Stadium with "NY Sack Exchange" signs, then the team itself began to promote that moniker.[58] Name references the New York Stock Exchange on New York's Wall Street.
[60] The 1970s Denver Broncos defensive team, led by defensive end Lyle Alzado and linebackers Randy Gradishar and Tom Jackson.
[61] The George Allen–coached Washington Redskins of the early 1970s, so named because of the large number of veteran players on the team. Many of those players also played for Allen when he coached the Los Angeles Rams from 1966–1970.
[63] The 1970s Minnesota Vikings defensive line, specifically the combination of Alan Page, Jim Marshall, Carl Eller, and Gary Larsen. The name is a reference to both the purple uniforms of the Vikings and the 1958 Sheb Wooley song "Purple People Eater."
A portmanteau of the word sack and the city of Jacksonville. "Sacksonville" is used to refer to the Jacksonville Jaguars defense during the 2017 season, which was known to cause a high number of sacks, interceptions, and turnovers.
[66] Nickname given to the San Diego Chargers from its fight song.[67] [68]
[69] Nickname given to the defensive line of the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers, the backbone of a dominant defense, which was itself giver this moniker. The nickname was a play on the phrase Iron Curtain during the height of the Cold War.
Nicknames for individual players, coaches and personnel.
| Nickname | Player(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A-Train[76] | Mike Alstott | How he was as difficult to tackle as a freight train; "A" is a reference to his surname initial |
| AB, Mr. Big Chest,[77] or Tony-Toe Tap | Antonio Brown | His initials and his alter ego for making catches on the sideline. |
| Action Jackson[78] [79] [80] | Lamar Jackson | Given to him by teammates during high school because of his dynamic play style that produced highlight-reel worthy clips, from the Carl Weathers film of the same name |
| Ageless Wonder[81] [82] | Darrell Green | His remarkable ability to maintain a high level of play during the latter years of his 20-year career. |
| Air McNair[83] | Steve McNair | Originally given to his older brother, McNair earned it due to his impressive throwing talent |
| Alabama Pitts[84] | Edwin Pitts Jr. | The convict-turned-pro athlete, who briefly played in the NFL in addition to his better-known baseball career, was born in Alabama, in contrast to his father Edwin Sr., who was born in Georgia. |
| All Day[85] or AD / AP | Adrian Peterson | Given to him by his parents because he would run "all day" / His initials |
| Amblin' Amby[86] | Ambrose Schindler | Schindler was one of the earliest scrambling quarterbacks. He chose not to play in the NFL despite being selected in the 1940 NFL draft, but would later return to professional football as an official in the 1960s. |
| Amish Rifle[87] | Ryan Fitzpatrick | Fitzpatrick has regularly grown a thick beard over the course of the football season, drawing comparisons to the Amish, who have a large community south of Buffalo, where he was playing at the time the name was bestowed in 2010. |
| Anytime[88] | Devin Hester | His ability to return kicks and punts for touchdowns any time. Inspired from his mentor Deion "Prime Time" Sanders. |
| The Assassin[89] | Jack Tatum | Given for his pure brutality. |
| Bad Moon Rison[90] | Andre Rison | Given nickname by ESPN's Chris Berman in reference to CCR's song "Bad Moon Rising". |
| BallSoHard/T Sizzle[91] | Terrell Suggs | Suggs claims that the reason he plays so toughly and aggressively is because he went to BallSoHard University; however, he did admit in an interview during the 2011 NFL season that he got the name from the commonly known lyric in the Jay-Z song "Niggas in Paris", feat. Kanye West. |
| Ball Hawk[92] | Ed Reed | Reed was always there to make a play on the ball (i.e. pass defense or interception). |
| Bam Bam[93] | Kam Chancellor | For his devastatingly big hitting ability. Also referred to as 'Kamtrack' and 'Kam Chancellor the Touchdown Canceller'. |
| Bambi[94] | Lance Alworth | For his speed, and his spectacular and graceful moves. |
| Bass-O-Matic[95] | Tyler Bass | A play on Bass's name and the Super Bass-O-Matic, a Dan Aykroyd sketch from Saturday Night Live that itself parodied the Veg-O-Matic from Ronco. |
| Beanie[96] [97] | Chris Wells and Veryl Ebert | |
| Beast Mode[98] | Marshawn Lynch | He used this term to describe himself during an interview; afterward, fans continued to use the term. Lynch later named his Fan Controlled Football franchise the Beasts in homage to the nickname. |
| Big Baller Beane[99] | Brandon Beane | Given to him during his time as Bills GM in the 2020s for his popularity with the team's players. The phrase "Big Baller B—" was originally popularized in 2016 by the Big Baller Brand founded by LaVar Ball.[100] |
| Big Ben[101] | Ben Roethlisberger | His imposing size; a nod to the large Big Ben structure in London. |
| Big Daddy[102] | Dan Wilkinson | His 6′5″, 340 lb frame |
| Big Daddy[103] | Gene Lipscomb | At 6′9″ and 290 lb, Lipscomb, a professional wrestler during the offseason, was one of the largest players in professional football during the 1950s. |
| Big Dick Nick | Nick Foles | Connor Barwin once stated that Foles had the largest penis on the Eagles roster.[104] The moniker became more used following Foles' improbable playoff run, culminating in the Eagles' first Super Bowl victory.[105] |
| Big Game[106] | Torry Holt | Goes back to his college career at North Carolina State when he had great performances in games, such as against No. 2 ranked Florida State. He also set rookie Super Bowl records for receptions and receiving yards in Super Bowl XXXIV . |
| Big Snack[107] | Casey Hampton | Apparent reference to his large size and penchant for eating |
| Black Unicorn[108] | Martellus Bennett | |
| Blitz Boy[109] | Jamal Adams | His tendency to blitz despite being a safety |
| Blonde Bomber[110] | Terry Bradshaw | His blond hair, combined with his tendencies to throw the ball down the field, hence "bomber". |
| Boobie[111] | Anthony Dixon | The nickname comes from Boobie Miles, a character from Friday Night Lights, and was bestowed by his teammates in college. |
| Brass[112] | Erik Kramer | In his first play from scrimmage for the Detroit Lions, Kramer, the Lions' backup quarterback at the time, audibled out of the originally called play, prompting a teammate to remark about his audacity that he must have "brass balls." |
| Brickwall[113] | Ray Lewis | Lewis had the ability to hit players very hard and often injured them: many players compared one of Lewis's hits to the feeling of running into a brick wall. |
| Broadway Joe[114] | Joe Namath | Reference to the wide avenue that ran through New York, the city where he played QB with the New York Jets. An allusion to Broadway theater, Namath was known for his showmanship. |
| Breece Lightning/Beast[115] | Breece Hall | A play on "Greased Lightnin'," the car in the musical and film Grease |
| Breesus[116] | Drew Brees | Play on Brees's last name and his perception as the savior of Saints Football. |
| Brooklyn Bullet[117] | Abraham Barshofsky | The Russian Jewish immigrant spent his childhood in Brooklyn, and also went by the anglicized name "Johnny Barsha."[118] |
| Buck[119] | Javorius Allen | His high school teammates referred to him as "young buck" as he was a freshman on the varsity team. |
| Bullet Bob[120] | Bob Hayes | Reference to his incredible speed-won two gold medals and set world record in the 100 m at 1964 Summer Olympics. |
| Bum[121] | Oial "Bum" Phillips | A contraction of "bumblebee," based on his aunt's thick southern accent (common to many others in the Phillips family including his son Wade Phillips and grandson Wes Phillips) |
| Burner[122] | Michael Turner | Given both because of his ability to break long runs and because it rhymes with his last name. Got the name in college. |
| The Bus[123] | Jerome Bettis | Because of his ability to carry tacklers on his back like a "bus". |
| Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid[124] | Larry Csonka & Jim Kiick | Miami Dolphins running back duo from 1968 to 1974; named after the movie about the famous outlaws. |
| Cadillac[125] | Carnell Williams | A high school broadcaster at Etowah High School in Attalla, Alabama compared Williams' running to a luxury car. |
| Cannonball[126] | Jim Butler | A reflection of his 5'9" physique |
| Captain Checkdown[127] | Trent Edwards | Name given to quarterback Trent Edwards for his refusal to throw the deep ball, preferring instead to dump off to running backs or tight ends. |
| Captain Chaos[128] | Chris Cooley | Adapted from Dom DeLuise's character in The Cannonball Run; possibly due to shared initials. |
| Captain Kirk[129] | Kirk Cousins | Nickname adapted from the Star Trek character James Kirk. |
| Captain Comeback[130] | Roger Staubach | Name given to quarterback Roger Staubach during his career with the Dallas Cowboys during the 1970s for his ability to bring back his team from being down during important games. Also referred to as Captain America for his strong old fashioned beliefs, likening him to the comic book hero. |
| Cheetah[131] | Tyreek Hill | Given due to his incredible top speed and acceleration, widely being regarded as one of the fastest NFL players of all time. |
| CJ2K[132] | Chris Johnson | Given to him after rushing for over 2,000 yards during the 2009 season. |
| Concrete Charlie[133] | Chuck Bednarik | Bednarik worked as a concrete salesman during the NFL's offseason and was known for his hard hits and persistent endurance. |
| The Cowboy | Justin Smith | His Southern accent and his tendency to wear jeans and boots[134] |
| Crazy Legs[135] | Elroy Hirsch | Named for his unusual running style. |
| Crystal Chandelier[136] | Chris Chandler | Was plagued by concussions and injuries, referencing his presumed fragility |
| Danny Dimes[137] | Daniel Jones | Coined by his team's (the New York Giants) social media department, allegedly for his ability to throw a football with precision as narrow as a dime. |
| David W. Gibson[138] | Joe Montana | A contestant in a San Francisco Chronicle contest to give Montana a nickname noted that Montana's real name sounded too much like a nickname and suggested the realistic-sounding "David W. Gibson" as an alternative. Montana was so amused by the suggestion that he had a placard of the name placed on his locker. |
| Deebo[139] | James Harrison | His similarity in appearance and demeanor to the character in the movie Friday played by Tom Lister, Jr. |
| Tyshun "Deebo" Samuel[140] | ||
| Diesel[141] | John Riggins | Because of his powerback style of play—compared to a truck that ran on diesel. |
| Dr. Death[142] | Skip Thomas | Because of his physical tackling, and apparent resemblance to the cartoon character. |
| Dr. Doom[143] | Robert Brazile | Taken from the cartoon character Doctor Doom because he was "death on offensive men". |
| Don't Cross The[144] | Arthur Moats | Name bestowed after Moats laid a clean, but particularly devastating hit on Brett Favre, ending Favre's streak of consecutive starts as well as leading to Favre's retirement at the end of the 2010 season. Moats are large trenches surrounding castles that served as a line of defense. |
| Double Trouble[145] | DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart | Carolina Panthers running back duo from 2008 to 2014, previously known as Smash and Dash |
| Dougie Fresh[146] | Doug Pederson | A play on the name Doug E. Fresh. Given to Pederson by Jalen Mills. |
| Duck[147] | Devlin Hodges | Hodges, in addition to his football playing, is a world-class champion duck caller.[148] [149] |
| Dump Truck[150] | Najeh Davenport | Allusion to an incident which allegedly occurred when he was in college as well as a take on one-time teammate Jerome Bettis' nickname, "The Bus" |
| Dwight Hicks and the Hot Licks[151] | 1984 San Francisco 49ers defensive secondary led by Dwight Hicks | |
| Dynamic Uno[152] | David Wilson | His all-around skills at running back |
| Edge[153] | Edgerrin James | Shortening of his first name |
| Earth, Wind and Fire[154] | Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, and Ahmad Bradshaw | 2008 NY Giants running backs; Jacobs = Earth, Ward = Wind, Bradshaw = Fire |
| ELIte[155] | Eli Manning | Play on his first name, Eli, and the word Elite. Used by New York Giants fans in reference to quarterback Eli Manning claiming that he considers himself in the same elite class of quarterbacks as Tom Brady during a preseason interview. Manning backed up this claim by beating Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI |
| The Enforcer[156] | Kenny Easley | Easley rightfully earned his nickname as “The Enforcer” for this style of play on the field.An all-around great athlete, he earned recognition for his abilities including 5 Pro Bowl selections, 5 total All-Pro selections, AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 1981, AFC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1983, NFL 1980s All-Decade Team honors, is in the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, despite only playing for seven seasons. |
| The Face Cleaver[157] | Leonard Weaver | |
| Famous Jameis[158] | Jameis Winston | A nod to Winston's high public profile during his college and professional careers, as well as a play on the Famous Amos cookie brand. Winston has filed for a trademark on the nickname. |
| Fast Freddie[159] | Jonathan Smith | After Fred Flintstone—specifically, how Smith's choice of quick, short strides when running resembled Flintstone's when operating the Flintmobile. |
| Fast Willie[160] | Willie Parker | His speed |
| Fatso[161] | Art Donovan | A reference to his large frame. |
| Feeva Island[162] | Jason Verrett | During his media session at the combine, Verrett explained that his nickname is Feeva Island because he's "a player that's always hot" like he has a fever and he often plays man-to-man coverage "on an island." |
| Fitzmagic[163] | Ryan Fitzpatrick | Fitzpatrick has had brief spurts of resounding success, notable examples include when he played with the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Miami Dolphins throughout his long career as an NFL journeyman quarterback. |
| Fitztragic[164] | Ryan Fitzpatrick | Along with those brief spurts of success, Fitzpatrick is also notorious for going on cold streaks and drastrically underperfoming in games for multiple weeks. |
| Flash 80[165] | Jerry Rice | His stunning plays combined with his number, 80 |
| Flash Gordon[166] | Josh Gordon | After the early 20th century multimedia hero Flash Gordon |
| The Samoan Headhunter[167] | Troy Polamalu | His style of diving into receivers and diving into pass paths for interception, and for Polamalu's Polynesian ancestry |
| Fragile Fred[168] | Fred Taylor | Perception of being injured constantly |
| Fredex[169] | Freddie Mitchell | A play on his first name and FedEx. |
| The Freezer[170] | B. J. Raji | A play off the nickname of William "The Refrigerator" Perry whom the Bears utilized in a similar manner during the 1980s. "Freezer" also alludes to the Packers home stadium, Lambeau Field, which is known for its freezing temperatures in December and February. |
| Galloping Ghost[171] | Harold "Red" Grange | |
| The General / General Lee[172] | Sean Lee | The nickname was given to Lee by Bruce Carter, a former teammate of Lee's on the Dallas Cowboys. Carter says that Lee is always in charge and is a great leader. When he talks, everyone listens — "General Lee." The name is also derived from General Robert E. Lee, a former General during the Civil War. But in no ways is the middle linebacker specifically named after the war general. |
| GEQBUS[173] | Sam Darnold | Acronym for God Emperor Quarterback of the United States. Has a subreddit called The_Darnold, which is a parody of R/The Donald. |
| Golden Wheels[174] | Elbert Dubenion | Johnny Green, a backup quarterback on Dubenion's Buffalo Bills, gave Dubenion a backhanded compliment admiring his exceptional speed while claiming he couldn't catch a football: "he's sure got those golden wheels." |
| Gronk[175] [176] | Rob Gronkowski | Shortening of his last name which is Gronkowski. Also a play off of the Incredible Hulk due to Rob's size, power, and dominance. |
| Groper Cleveland | Deshaun Watson | A pun on Grover Cleveland, referring to Watson's sexual assault allegations |
| Hausch Money[177] [178] | Steven Hauschka | Pete Carroll, head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, coined the nickname in response to Hauschka's ability to kick field goals in clutch situations. The name was revived, possibly independently, when Hauschka joined the Buffalo Bills and continued to make key field goals, often from long range. |
| Headhunter[179] | Jackie Wallace | Wallace led with his head frequently during his playing career, a tactic that in hindsight Wallace suspected may have caused brain damage later in life. |
| He Hate Me[180] | Rod Smart | Self-bestowed nickname Smart used on the back of his jersey during his time in the XFL. Smart credits the nickname with helping him break into the NFL after the XFL folded. |
| Honey Buns[181] | Ben Cavil | Nickname given to him for his sweet tooth. |
| Hopalong[182] | Howard Cassady | A play on his last name and famed Western character Bill "Hop-Along" Cassidy. |
| Horse Whisperer[183] | Ed Oliver | In March 2019, Oliver posted a picture on Twitter of him standing on the back of a horse as a demonstration of his confidence. |
| The Human Bowling Ball[184] | Don Nottingham | So named for his short but robust frame. |
| The Human Joystick[185] | Dante Hall | Nickname given to him by coach Vermeil because of his big play ability in the return game. |
| Iceman[186] | Carlos Huerta | Bestowed in college, Huerta was renowned for keeping his composure (staying cool) in stressful situations. |
| Intellectual Assassin[187] | Ron Mix | Mix had a degree in law at the time he played professional football. |
| Iron Head[188] [189] | Craig Heyward | Heyward had an unusually large head, which he often used as a battering ram. |
| Jjettas[190] | Jefferson's Twitter and Instagram usernames. | |
| Joe Shiesty and Joe Brr [191] | Joe Burrow | Given to him in a viral TikTok by user TrapHouse Sports. Reasons for the nickname are unknown. |
| Johnny Blood[192] | John McNally | Inspired by the film Blood and Sand, McNally took the first name to hide his identity while he first went professional, hoping someday to return to college football (he never did). |
| Juice | Kyle Juszczyk | Based on his last name.[193] |
| The Juice | O. J. Simpson | A play on the initials he had used as his de facto first name since infancy,[194] a common abbreviation for orange juice.[195] |
| Kansas Comet[196] | Gale Sayers | "Kansas Comet" was stuck on him by the Director of Sports Information at the University of Kansas. |
| Kermit[197] Showtime [198] The Grim Reaper[199] | Patrick Mahomes | "Kermit" based on his voice sounding similar to Kermit the Frog.[200] "Grim Reaper" based upon a speech Mahomes's coach Andy Reid made in a 2022 playoff game: "when it's grim, be the Grim Reaper." |
| The Kitchen[201] | Nate Newton | Since he was presumably larger than "William "Refrigerator" Perry" |
| King Henry[202] | Derrick Henry | His height (6 ft 3 in) and imposing stature. |
| The King[203] | Jim Corcoran | A journeyman quarterback whose NFL career was quite brief, Corcoran earned a reputation for pomposity in high school when, coming onto the field in a clean uniform after a rainstorm, he drew a cheer of "hail to the King!" from a spectator. |
| The King[204] | Hugh McElhenny | Because he was "the most feared running back in the NFL." |
| King of Spring[205] | Luis Perez | Perez played in six consecutive seasons of professional spring football: 2019 in the AAF, 2020 in the XFL, 2021 in The Spring League, 2022 in the USFL, and 2023 in the XFL and 2024 in the UFL, appearing in three league championships from 2021 to 2023 and winning the 2023 XFL title. His NFL experience has been limited to preseason games up to 2024. |
| Law Firm[206] | BenJarvus Green-Ellis | Play on the length of his full name and its resemblance to the name of a law firm |
| M-80[207] | Malcom Floyd | His first initial and jersey number combined, also for his deep play ability. |
| Machine Gun Kelly[208] | Jim Kelly | Jim Kelly was perhaps best known for running the Bills' "No-Huddle Offense", which was fast-paced and denied opposing defenses the opportunity to make timely substitutions, establishing the Buffalo Bills as one of the NFL's most successful and dangerous offenses. A reference to mobster Machine Gun Kelly. |
| The Mad Bomber[209] | Daryle Lamonica | Lamonica tended to throw, or "bomb", the ball deep during unnecessary situations. |
| Mad Duck[210] | Alex Karras | Because of his short legs, he appeared to waddle like a duck. |
| The Mad Stork[211] | Ted Hendricks | While playing for the University of Miami, the tall, thin Hendricks gained the nickname “The Mad Stork.” |
| Majik (Man)[212] | Don Majkowski | A play on the quarterback's unwieldy Polish surname. |
| Marion the Barbarian[213] | Marion Barber III | Because of his physical running style and reputation for repeatedly breaking tackles |
| Marks Brothers[214] | Mark Clayton and Mark Duper | Prolific Miami Dolphins wide receiver duo of the 1980s who shared the same first name (also a reference to the Marx Brothers. They were also christened "Mark Twain.") |
| Matty Ice[215] | Matt Ryan | In reference to Matt Ryan's ability to have long game-winning drives under pressure (and pejoratively for Ryan's tendency to go "ice cold" during playoff games); also a play on "Natty Ice", a low-end beer brewed by Anheuser-Busch InBev |
| MCDC[216] | Dan Campbell | Stands For "Motor City Dan Campbell" |
| Mean Joe Greene[217] | Joe Greene | Greene never cared for the nickname |
| Megatron[218] | Calvin Johnson | A reference to his large frame, comparing him to a Transformers character |
| Minitron[219] | Julian Edelman | While not many would draw comparisons between the diminutive Julian Edelman and the monstrous Calvin Johnson, Tom Brady did just that by giving Edelman a new nickname: "Minitron" |
| Mongo[220] | Steve McMichael | Taken from the character in the film Blazing Saddles, played by Alex Karras. |
| Mooney Ward[221] | Charvarius Ward | Given to him in reference to his big-time corner play |
| Moose[222] | Daryl Johnston | Given to him by Cowboys backup quarterback Babe Laufenberg for his blocking ability and opening holes for runningback Emmitt Smith. |
| Mormon Missile[223] | Taysom Hill | The utility player is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. |
| Mudbone[224] | Dave Krieg | Given to him by Seahawks guard Bryan Millard. Krieg became a permanent consistent fixture at QB for the Seattle Seahawks, like a bone in the mud. He was also nicknamed “The Man From Milton” because he went to Milton College which no longer existed by the time he was a starting NFL QB. |
| Muscle Hamster[225] | Doug Martin | Originally the nickname of his college girlfriend who was a short but powerful gymnast and later became Martin's nickname as well due to his short stature. |
| Night Train[226] | Dick "Night Train" Lane | Due to his fear of flying, Lane road a night train to away games while the rest of the team flew. |
| Ocho Cinco[227] | Chad Johnson | Self-bestowed pidgin Spanish reference to his uniform number (85); originally named Chad Johnson, legally changed name to "Chad Ochocinco" in 2008 (changed back to Johnson in 2012). Also self-refers as "Esteban Ochocinco". |
| One Man Gang[228] | Lorenzo Alexander | During his early career, Alexander played multiple offensive and defensive positions. |
| Pacman[229] | Adam Jones | Bestowed in childhood by his grandmother, who surmised he changed directions more often than the popular arcade game character. |
| Papa Bear[230] | George Halas | The founding father of the Chicago Bears |
| Passing Paisano[231] | Tommy DeVito | Nod to his Italian-American Heritage |
| Passtronaut | Josh Dobbs | In addition to being an NFL Quarterback, Dobbs double majored in aerospace engineering while playing for the University of Tennessee Volunteers |
| Pinball[232] | Michael Clemons | The punt returner had a scattershot running style akin to a pinball. Though his NFL career lasted only one season, he achieved much greater fame in the Canadian Football League. |
| The Playmaker[233] | Michael Irvin | For his ability to defeat tight coverage, even double coverage, and make big plays.; possibly self-bestowed |
| Pooh Bear[234] | Clarence Williams | Bestowed by his grandmother due to a childhood resemblance to Winnie-the-Pooh. |
| Poop[235] | Cory Johnson | Johnson once joked that his often fluctuating weight was due to his frequent defecation. |
| Posse[236] | Trio of wide receivers on the Washington Redskins of the late 1980s through the early 1990s: | |
| President[237] | Jamal Adams | His passion, intelligence, and vocal leadership: self-bestowed |
| Presto Podesto from Modesto[238] | Johnny Podesto | His last name and place of birth. |
| Prime Time[239] | Deion Sanders | His ability to step up at critical moments and make big plays; possibly self-bestowed |
| The Prince that was Promised[240] | Trevor Lawrence | His generational talent as an NFL prospect |
| Punt God[241] | Matt Araiza | His punting power |
| Quiet Storm[242] | Marques Colston | Reference to Colston's shyness and ability to make big plays. |
| The Refrigerator / The Fridge[243] | William Perry | His immense size in comparison to other defensive linemen |
| Red Rifle[244] | Andy Dalton | His ability to throw the ball downfield and his red hair. |
| Revis Island[245] | Darrelle Revis | His ability to cover wide receivers was compared to being stranded on an island |
| Riverboat Ron[246] | Ron Rivera | His aggressive nature in playcalling |
| Sausage[247] | Anthony Sherman | Given to him by Kansas City Chiefs play-by-play announcer Mitch Holthus. |
| Shady[248] | LeSean McCoy | His mother gave him the nickname as he had many mood changes when he was young. |
| The Sheriff[249] | Peyton Manning | Well known for calling his own plays at the line of scrimmage and hurry-up offense. |
| Shipwreck[250] [251] | John Simms Kelly | A nod to famed pole-sitter Alvin Kelly, also popularly nicknamed "Shipwreck." |
| Shnowman[252] | Dion Dawkins | Dawkins coined the word "shnow"—a contraction of "should know"—that quickly became associated with him when he first used it in high school. |
| Silverback[253] | Trent Williams | |
| James Harrison | ||
| Sixty Minute Man[254] | Chuck Bednarik | Playing on both offense and defense (and thus playing all sixty minutes of the game); is sometimes applied generally to any player that does this. Bednarik is generally recognized as the last to have done so. |
| Slant Boy | Michael Thomas | His tendency to run slant routes |
| Smash and Dash[255] | Chris Johnson & LenDale White | Running back duo of the Titans starting in 2008; White being Smash for his 'power running back' skills and Johnson being Dash because of his astonishing breakaway speed |
| Smith Brothers or Smith Bros[256] [257] | Preston Smith and Za'Darius Smith | Former Green Bay Packers linebacker duo who shared the same last name.[258] |
| Smokey[259] | John Brown | Brown had jet black skin at birth, leading his grandmother to nickname him "Smokey." |
| Snacks, Big Snacks[260] | Damon Harrison | Based on his refusal to eat Rice Krispie Treats left for him by the coaching staff |
| Spiderman[261] | Joe Webb | Drafted as a wide receiver by the Minnesota Vikings, on Brett Favre's insistence Joe Webb was signed to the team as a back-up QB. Went on to lead Vikings to a win in Philadelphia, against Michael Vick and the Eagles playing a must-win game. Lovingly called Spiderman, due to his last name. |
| Stink[262] | Mark Schlereth | A nickname coined by his teammates on the Washington Redskins after peeing himself constantly during his career. |
| Superman Cam[263] | Cam Newton | Due to both his unusually athletic physique and habit of pretending to rip open his jersey to reveal a "S" underneath when scoring a rushing touchdown. |
| Swag Kelly | Chad Kelly | Kelly released a rap song about himself in 2012, and the nickname stuck afterwards.[264] |
| Sweet Feet[265] | James White | A nickname that carried on from high school to the pros due to his quickness while running the ball. |
| Sweetness[266] | Walter Payton | Earned in college at Jackson State University for his slick moves on the field, his amazing dancing skills, and his friendly personality. |
| The Kid[267] | Jared Goff | Often referred to by fans and anchors as "a" or "the" kid because of his facial young look to him. |
| The Terminator | Aaron Donald | A name given by Rams' head coach Sean McVay due to his ability to terrorize opposing offenses.[268] [269] |
| Thunder and Lightning[270] [271] | and | 1976–1980 New Orleans Saints dynamic running back duo known as "Thunder and Lightning". The nickname is credited to former Saints Head Coach Hank Stram. |
| Tommy[272] | E. F. Hughitt | The origin of this early NFL star's nickname remains unknown. It was popular enough that he legally changed his name to Tommy after his playing career ended. |
| Tommy Cutlets [273] | Tommy DeVito | His parents, with whom DeVito still resides as of his rookie professional season, regularly serve chicken cutlets for dinner. |
| Too Tall[274] | Ed Jones | His tall height |
| Touchdown Jesus[275] | Jake Kumerow | Nickname given due to his long hair and thick beard resembling a common depiction of Jesus |
| Toughie[276] | Frank Stojack | Nickname given for never having been hurt on the field throughout his collegiate career and first year in the NFL. |
| Tuel Time[277] | Jeff Tuel | A play on the show-within-a-show Tool Time on the 1990s sitcom Home Improvement. |
| Tuffy[278] | Alfonse Leemans | Nickname adopted due to softness of his given name, Alfonse. |
| Tuna[279] | Bill Parcells | Bestowed in 1980, well after his (very brief) NFL playing career ended, when Parcells was an assistant with the New England Patriots, as an homage to the advertising icon Charlie the Tuna. |
| Two Point Tupa[280] | Tom Tupa | Tupa took advantage of the legalization of the two-point conversion in the 1994 NFL season; as holder on extra points, he picked the ball up and ran for the conversion three times that season, the first NFL player to score that way. |
| Uncle Rico[281] | Kyle Orton | Orton bore a resemblance to Uncle Rico, a washed-up former high school backup quarterback in the movie Napoleon Dynamite, especially during his time with the Buffalo Bills. Prior to his signing with the Bills, he earned the nickname Neckbeard for his facial hair. |
| Weapon X | Brian Dawkins | Over the span of his career, Dawkins developed a reputation as a ball-hawking safety and became the unquestioned leader of the Philadelphia Eagles' defense. He earned the nickname "Weapon X," a codename of Marvel character Wolverine, the comic book superhero known for relentless aggression. |
| The Wheaton Iceman[282] | Harold "Red" Grange | A part-time job he once held delivering ice in his hometown of Wheaton, Illinois |
| Whizzer[283] | Byron White | An alliterative play on his last name and his speed; White, who led the league in rushing in his short three-year NFL career, was dismayed to find the nickname stuck with him well into his legal career (eventually ending up a Supreme Court Justice). |
| Wildman[284] [285] | Ray Nitschke and Norm Willey | |
| Williams Wall[286] | Pat Williams & Kevin Williams | The duo is largely responsible for the Vikings fielding such a stiff run defense, and they make it nearly impossible for the opposition to consistently gain yardage between the tackles. |
| Windy City Flyer[287] | Devin Hester | Hester's speed and a nickname for the city of Chicago, in which he plays; bestowed by WBBM 780 radio-announcer Jeff Joniak |
| Wink[288] | Don Martindale | Martindale shares a last name with media personality Winston "Wink" Martindale. |
| Winter Soldier[289] | Josh Allen | NFL Films gave Allen the nickname in reference to his strong arm, imposing size, and Buffalo's cold weather. The "Winter Soldier" name also refers to the Marvel Cinematic Universe character Bucky Barnes and his strong prosthetic arm. |
| WD40[290] | and | For Dunn's initials and Alstott's jersey No. 40, a play on the proprietary lubricant of the same name. |
| X Factor[291] | Dante Hall | Hall's prolific special teams success during his prime was an "X factor," a facet of his team's attack plan that most other teams did not have. In acknowledgement of his nickname, he would make an X gesture with his arms during his touchdown celebrations. |
| Yoda[292] | Steve Largent | For his ability to use the "force" to visualize himself making any catch. |
| Zeus[293] | Travis Kelce | |
| The Predator[294] | John Abraham |
[299] Name of the bleacher section behind the east end zone in Cleveland Browns Stadium, also known for having one of the most loyal fans in the NFL. The name was originally applied to the same section of Cleveland Municipal Stadium, which formerly stood on the site.
[308] The notorious upper levels of the former Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia between 1971 and 2002. This section was infamous for brawls between Philadelphia Eagles fans and those of visiting teams, especially Dallas Cowboys fans.
Longtime fans of the San Francisco 49ers as they have been widely known to travel to numerous team away games in support.
[318] Fan who attended nearly all Washington Redskins games from 1978 to 2016 and was considered the unofficial mascot of the team. He wore an Indian headdress, large rimmed glasses, with a red jacket and carried a tomahawk.
[319] Fan at NY Jets home games who wore a green fireman helmet with a Jets logo on the front. Known for leading the "J-E-T-S" chants. He retired the "Fireman Ed" character immediately after the infamous Butt Fumble game, although he still attends games.
[323] A group of about twelve Washington Redskins fans who dress in drag and wear pig-noses. The name is a takeoff of the Redskins' "Hogs" offensive line.
New York Giants superfan Joe Ruback, who is known for attending Giants games wearing license plates and Giants apparel. He is famous for having attended all 283 games (272 regular season and 11 playoff) played in the history of Giants Stadium.[324]
Was a nickname given to the Los Angeles Rams from their final season in St. Louis until 2018; following their return to Los Angeles. Though officially discontinued by the team after the 2018 season, the name currently refers to a majority of the Rams fans in Los Angeles.
An exclusive group, who have attended every Super Bowl game to date.
[326] Ken Johnson, a well-known fan of the Buffalo Bills known for appearing at all the Bills' home and away games, his bushy beard, his tailgating on a 1980 Ford Pinto (hence his name), and the infamous practice of serving shots of liquor out of a bowling ball, a practice that the league has since banned.
[327] Las Vegas Raiders fans. The first team in the NFL to be characterized as a "nation". The rest of the teams quickly adopted the title and therefore coined a variety of various team "nations".
Fans of the Arizona Cardinals
[328] [329] Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
[331] New Orleans Saints fans.
Throughout the league's history, a number of rules have been enacted largely because of exploits on the field by a single coach, owner, player, or referee. The following is a partial list of such rule changes:
The series currently played between the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams as they are the two teams based in Los Angeles. The series originally came into existence in 1982 after the Raiders had relocated from Oakland to Southern California, though the rivalry ended when both teams would relocate following the 1994 season. The series was revived following the Rams and Chargers both relocating back to the city in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
Rare games when quarterback brothers Peyton (formerly of the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos) and Eli Manning (New York Giants) met as opponents.
[388] a banner conceived by the late Myron Cope (long time Steeler commentator) used by fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers to cheer for their team, consisting of a yellow towel with the words "Terrible Towel" in black, to be waved in the air. The Carolina Panthers also began a spin-off known as the "Growl Towel".[389] Also spoofed by the Packers following their third Super Bowl victory as the "Title Towel". Similar traditions have also started in other sports, as Towel Power used by the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League and the Homer Hanky used by Major League Baseball's Minnesota Twins.