Ken "The Snake" Stabler and Jake "The Snake" Plummer, 11. The names below are so unique and strange you might just think we made them up. Its not terribly exotic for a redheaded quarterback to be dubbed the Red Rifle. It's no secret that the 49ers are deep at the . I am Samoan and I threw the ball. Billy White Shoes Johnson earned his nickname long before becoming a standout punt and kick returner with the Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons. Although the exact makeup up the Houston Astros' Killer Bs changed over time, the nickname first appeared in 1996. Funny Football Team Names. His tendency to blitz despite being a safety. Arizona Cardinals: The Cards or The Redbirds, Chicago Bears: The Monsters of the Midway or Da Bears, Dallas Cowboys: Americas Team or The Boys, Green Bay Packers: The Pack or The Cheeseheads, New York Giants: The G-Men or The Big Blue, Philadelphia Eagles: The Birds or The Iggles, Washington Commanders (fka Football Team): The Commanders. Provides support for the wide midfielder ahead of them. There are five positions on the offensive line; Left Tackle, Left Guard, Center, Right Guard, and Right Tackle. A teammate noticed and told Jones, Youre too tall to play football. Jones, who was listed at 6-foot-9 during his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys, wasnt too tall to play football, of course. He went on to throw for 31,304 yards and 174 touchdowns during a 13-year pro career with the Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens. Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch. Along with those brief spurts of success, Fitzpatrick is also notorious for going on cold streaks and drastrically underperfoming in games for multiple weeks. Earl Campbells nickname originates in the fact that his hometown of Tyler, Texas, boasts a long history as a leader in the commercial production of roses. Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis adopted the nickname The Bus during his college days with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, thanks to the school newspaper. ", "Martellus Bennett: Martellus Bennett believes he's the complete package for Chicago Bears", "Why Seahawks' Jamal Adams and Saints' Michael Thomas are suddenly underrated superstars", "Phil Robertson and Terry Bradshaw to Attend Thursday's Football Game", "A Passel Of Pro Football Immortals Recall The Early Days Of The Game", "Anthony Dixon on why he's now 'Boobie Dixon' on Bills' official roster", "Depression almost ended the life of ex-NFL QB Erik Kramer. After terrorizing SEC quarterbacks for three seasons, he made an immediate impact with the Tennessee Titans as the No. His ability to return kicks and punts for touchdowns any time. In 12 seasons with the Broncos, he registered 1,145 tackles and 79 sacks. But it was his willingness to take risks by throwing into coverage that helped earn his nickname. Bednarik is generally recognized as the last to have done so. The origins of former Denver Broncos linebacker Karl Mecklenburgs nickname are a bit unclear, although it apparently dates at least to his college days at the University of Minnesota. Nicknames can also create a sense of history and tradition for a team and its fans. Groza earned nine Pro Bowl invitations and four first-team All-Pro selections for his work on the offensive line, but it was his kicking that summoned a nickname. There are three layers: defensive line, defensive backs, and linebackers, and each has particular tasks. His hard-hitting, game-changing play style. White registered 198 career sacks, received 13 Pro Bowl invitations and was named first-team All-Pro eight times. 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. In order from left to right, they are: the Left Tackle (LT), Left Guard (LG), Center (C), Right Guard (RG) and Right Tackle (RT). ", "Brady rule: Steps taken to protect QBs' knees", "Rules of the Name, or How the Emmitt Rule Became the Emmitt Rule", "NFL.com Laying down the Law in New England", "New Orleans Saints have a chance at the "Bird Gauntlet", "Go Deep! Not only does the word missile sound similar to the name Ismail, but the moniker complements older brother Raghib Rocket Ismail. Former Raiders cornerback Lester Hayes earned his somewhat obscene nickname by tormenting opposing wide receivers in bump-and-run coverage. ", Fitzpatrick has had brief spurts of resounding success, notable examples include when he played with the. Howard Hopalong Cassady received his nickname as a high school standout from a Columbus Dispatch sportswriter who described him hopping over defenders at the goal line. Young enjoyed an impressive rookie season with the Washington Football Team in 2020, recording 44 tackles, 7 sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries in 15 games. Return specialists: The players who return punts and kicks. This is called your special teams. Unfortunately, a broken foot in 2002 slowed his production, but he remained in the NFL through 2009. Not only did longtime NFL running back Craig Heyward have a terrific nickname, but there also was an awesome backstory behind it. A part-time job he once held delivering ice in his hometown of, His choice of footwear at a time when most players wore black cleats. He recorded 353 receptions for 5,137 yards and 33 touchdowns as a pro. The Wishbone A formation that features a running back lined up directly behind the quarterback, with two other running backs lined up behind him in a triangle formation. Here are some famous American Football player nicknames specifically for Punters: Punters are often referred to by their position, for example Punter. Baltimore Sun". Hall of Fame linebacker Ted Hendricks acquired his avian nickname while playing at the University of Miami. We have some famous American Football player nicknames specifically for Defensive Backs (Cornerbacks and Safeties): Defensive backs are often referred to by their position, for example Cornerback or Safety. 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. The Spread Offense A formation that utilizes multiple receivers and creates space on the field to open up passing and running lanes. Qadry, a college standout at Syracuse, was drafted in the second round by the Minnesota Vikings in 1993 and enjoyed a 10-year NFL career as a wide receiver with the Vikings, Dolphins, Saints, Raiders and Colts. Fortunately, Johnson had the skill to back up the flash. Also reference to the hip-hop group Run-D.M.C. Joe Namath received his famous Broadway Joe nickname from New York Jets teammate Sherman Plunkett, who was chiding the rookie quarterback for his 1965 appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the lights of Broadway splashed behind him. Reed was always there to make a play on the ball (i.e. A full lineup will include defenders (one will be the goalkeeper), several midfield players, and forwards (e.g. K: Kicker; Kicks field goals (FG) and extra points (XP) KR: Kick Returner; Receives kicks from the opposing team's kicker. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Longtime Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman was dubbed Peanut as a baby by an aunt who thought he resembled one. Manning was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2021. Outside fullback They play on the left and right flanks and see that the ball doesn't pass over them. He earned co-MVP honors in Super Bowl XII and was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 1994. Headed into the 2021 NFL season, Harrison is an unrestricted free agent. The persona of Joe Cool dates to at least 1971 in pop culture, with Snoopy from the comic strip Peanuts, but it came to be connected in a football sense with Joe Montana. Perhaps no nickname embodied the freewheeling aerial display of the old American Football League than The Mad Bomber. Daryle Lamonica began his career with the Buffalo Bills, but he became a star with the Oakland Raiders. Ten years later, college football has more weird position names than ever, thanks to the need for so many new defensive packages to counter pass-happy offenses. Anthony McFarland hasnt answered to his birth name in a long time. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. At 69 and 290lb, Lipscomb, a professional wrestler during the offseason, was one of the largest players in professional football during the 1950s. 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. But within the game - especially to coaches, players, and serious fans - the football slang terms take on meaning. Snap-stepping, a skill confined to the center, is football's version of rub-your-stomach-pat-your-head. . Last season, there were more than . He was enshrined in the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2013. 49. Cassady the football player went on to star at Ohio State, winning the 1955 Heisman Trophy. Elroy Crazy Legs Hirsch boasts one of the most colorful nicknames in football history, and it was inspired by his atypical style of running. The last one we'll tell you about in this section is West Brom's nickname of 'The Baggies'. Apparently, backup quarterback Babe Laufenberg noted that Johnston, at 6-foot-2 and 242 pounds, dwarfed the rest of the teams running backs. Johnson, one of the best high school football products from the state of Michigan, recently was named head coach of the powerhouse prep program at IMG Academy. Grange would play nine pro seasons seven with the Bears and two with the erstwhile New York Yankees football club. It's a difficult task given the agility and skill of today's offensive players. McFadden rushed for 4,590 yards and 41 touchdowns in three seasons with the Razorbacks, finishing second in Heisman Trophy balloting twice. Chase Young earned his nickname in college with the Ohio State Buckeyes as a nod to his dreadlocks and his relentless pursuit of opposing quarterbacks. Wayne Chrebet acquired his nickname in response to a slight from former New York Jets teammate Keyshawn Johnson. Bonus points to Hynoski for performing a Hynocerous celebration after scoring the only touchdown of his NFL career. But the truth is they really belong to real people, which makes them that much more hilarious. At 6-foot-1 and 253 pounds, former Kansas City Chiefs running back Christian Okoye must have seemed like a runaway train to would-be tacklers. Because of his physical tackling, and apparent resemblance to the cartoon character. Prior to his coaching career, Rivera played linebacker for the Chicago Bears for nine seasons, including the 1985 Super Bowl season. Sports Nicknames: 20,000 Professionals Worldwide by Terry W. Pruyne, National Football League Players Association, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_NFL_nicknames&oldid=1142337263, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Articles with dead YouTube links from February 2022, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Articles with dead external links from September 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from January 2018, Articles with dead external links from May 2017, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2009, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2013, Pages using navbox columns without the first column, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, How he was as difficult to tackle as a freight train; "A" is a reference to his surname initial. Marion Barber IIIs nickname works two ways beautifully. It was during freshman year at Clemson University that defensive tackle William Perry first became known as the Refrigerator. The defensive end and tackle positions employ their height and leaping abilities to swat down passed balls thrown by the quarterback. In 1991, he was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. No play was more emblematic of Riggins career than his 43-yard touchdown romp in Super Bowl XVII, in which he dragged hapless defender Don McNeal for several yards before bursting into the open down the sideline for the go-ahead score. One of the greatest defensive linemen of any era Randy White terrorized opponents with a blistering combination of strength and speed. Their strength, which is likened to that of a. Football slang has some pretty strange terms. We all know that a nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place, or thing, for affection or fun. 8. Bum was a fine head coach in his own right, guiding the Luv Ya Blue-era Houston Oilers to consecutive AFC Championship Games in the 1978 and 1979 seasons. Thompson went on to play six NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, throwing for 5,315 yards and 33 touchdowns. Hall of Fame tight end Dave Casper was dubbed The Ghost due to his sharing a name with the cartoon character Casper the Friendly Ghost, but his football ability was no joke. 24 overall by the New Orleans Saints in 1988. Apparent reference to his large size and penchant for eating. Okoye rushed for 4,897 yards and 40 touchdowns in six NFL seasons. San Diego Chargers teammate Charlie Flowers applied the tag and told Alworth it was for your big brown eyes and the way you move, according to Sports Illustrated. Rich Jackson terrorized opposing quarterbacks for seven seasons as a professional, primarily as a defensive end for the Denver Broncos. Plummer threw for 29,253 yards 161 touchdowns in a decade-long career with the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos. However, some of the nicknames that are considered iconic and memorable in the NFL include: These teams have a long and successful history, as well as a strong fan base and a reputation that makes their nicknames iconic and memorable. The linebacker positions depend on the type of defensive formation the team is running. Here are some famous nicknames for American Football plays and formations: Below are some famous American Football player nicknames: Here are some famous American Football player nicknames specifically for Linebackers: Below are some famous American Football player nicknames specifically for Quarterbacks: We list out some famous American Football player nicknames specifically for Running Backs: We have some famous American Football player nicknames specifically for Receivers: Here are some famous American Football player nicknames specifically for Offensive Lineman: Offensive Lineman are often referred to by their position, for example Left Tackle or Center. Offensive Line - There are five offensive linemen. Dec 9, 2019 #1 ), Play on the length of his full name and its resemblance to the name of a law firm, Because of his reputation of being a hard hitter; has been shortened to "Lights" by teammates in interviews. Regardless, the nickname stuck. Payton, who led the NFL in carries for consecutive seasons from 1976-79, was selected to nine Pro Bowls and named first-team All-Pro five times. Nickname given due to Spygate and several other Patriots scandals. Lynch later named his, Given to him during his time as Bills GM in the 2020s for his popularity with the team's players. from a spectator. As well as his flying tackles. Tigers teammate Ray Brown came up with the nickname, which eventually would become synonymous with Perry. He went on to record 5,860 yards from scrimmage and 34 total touchdowns in 11 pro seasons with the Saints, Bears, Falcons, Rams and Colts. New York Newsday, December 8, 2002, page 38, Jets Confidential Magazine, Vol 10, Num. He compiled 71,838 yards and 508 touchdown passes over the course of a brilliant 20-year career with the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings. Left: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports. The Wildcat A formation that features a player other than the quarterback taking the snap, usually a running back or receiver, in order to run or pass the ball. 16: Deion played his way into 'Prime Time', "Heartwarming Children's Book Based on Saints' Marques Colston", "Then & Now: William "The Refrigerator" Perry", "NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg changes Manhattan to Revis Island", "Upon Further Review: Coach Reid's Monday Recap", "The Sheriff: Record-setting Peyton Manning breeds hope, faith, and confidence", Shipwreck Kelly Dies; Football Star in 30's, "Trent Williams' Silverback nickname makes John Thompson uncomfortable", "Has 'Smash and Dash' become 'Smash and Grab'? The fact that it rhymes with Natty Ice, a favorite of thrifty beer drinkers everywhere, is a bonus. Wrangler Stampede. Do you have a sports website? Other nicknames are more playful or humorous, such as Gronk for Rob Gronkowski, which references his last name and his larger-than-life personality. Hornung was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986. Revis even trademarked the term in 2015. Lovingly called Spiderman, due to his last name. 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. Woods registered 1,066 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns as a rookie, but a torn anterior cruciate ligament felled his career the following season. Michael Irvins nickname doesnt require much explanation. Lamonica guided the Raiders to Super Bowl II in his first season with the team and racked up more than 3,000 passing yards in three consecutive seasons gaudy numbers for that era. He then memorably scored on a 1-yard plunge as the Bears steamrolled the Patriots in the big game. ) Thomas recorded 17 interceptions during his six-year NFL career and was a member of the 1976 Raiders team that won Super Bowl XI. Lance Alworth was an artist at the wide receiver position, one of the stars who helped legitimize the fledgling American Football League. Proper training and positioning prepare officials to be in the right place to make the right call. He communicates the play call to his team in the huddle and is responsible for distributing the ball or, in some cases running it himself. Here are some popular nicknames for offensive positions in American football: Below are some popular nicknames for defensive positions in American football: Here are some popular nicknames for various positions in American football: Here are some popular nicknames for players in fantasy football: Note: Some of the players mentioned may no longer be in the NFL, and there could be many more nicknames for players, these are some of the popular ones. Them up the erstwhile New York Jets teammate Keyshawn Johnson combination of strength and speed University that defensive William. 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