Cereal Killers. His nickname paid homage to his speed and alma mater he was a track and field sprinter in addition to playing football for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Each position fulfils different duties in the game and, consequently, requires players of particular characteristics. Reggie White - The Minister of Defense, his brothers inability to pronounce his given name, the original Air McNair at quarterback at Alcorn State, earned the nickname from a Texas sportswriter, greatest players to hail from the Pittsburgh area, by scoring the Giants first touchdown in Super Bowl XXV, after he scored four touchdowns in a game in junior college, the subject of a clue on the game show Jeopardy!, Johnson referred to himself as a star and Chrebet as a flashlight, he ranks among the top players ever produced, explained to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, one of the greatest players ever developed in football-crazy Texas, Fitzpatrick signed with the Washington Football Team, by ESPN broadcasters Chris Berman and Trey Wingo, gained his nickname from a college teammate at Boise State, one of the best high school football products from the state of Michigan, Knighton said at Super Bowl XLVIII media day, earned Sherman a phone call from actor Peter Cullen, the suboptimal diet he maintained early in his career, He was dubbed Bummel, which later was shortened to Bum, dubbed Contact by Kansas City Chiefs teammate Jerry Mays, One of the greatest players ever to hail from the state of Virginia. Johnston won three Super Bowls and was selected to two Pro Bowls during an 11-year career with the Cowboys. If youre wondering, Johnson was limited to three catches for 46 yards in the game. 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. The names below are so unique and strange you might just think we made them up. leading the attack). The name is an allusion to a, A play on the initials he had used as his. 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. Got the name in college. Longtime Dallas Cowboys fullback Daryl Johnston got his animalistic nickname as a rookie in 1989. Name bestowed after Moats laid a clean, but particularly devastating hit on, Carolina Panthers running back duo from 2008 to 2014, previously known as Smash and Dash, Hodges, in addition to his football playing, is a world-class champion, 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", Play on his first name, Eli, and the word. 2 overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft, Calvin Johnson checked into his first Detroit Lions training camp measuring 6-foot-5 and 239 pounds with 4.39 speed in the 40-yard dash and a 42-inch vertical jump. 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). Game of Jones. Officials' Responsibilities & Positions. Nevertheless, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977. The offensive line consists of a center, two guards, two tackles and one or two tight ends. 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. As for the 11 players on the pitch, they can be broadly divided into four positions - goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders and forwards. Hayes won gold medals in the 100 meters and the 400-meter relay in the 1964 Olympics before embarking on a decade-long career with the Dallas Cowboys. I didnt think anything of it, Thompson told the Times. Oail Andrew Phillips Jr. got his nickname as a child after an incident where he was stung by bumblebees or bummel bees as they were called by his family in Orange, Texas. 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. He rushed for 14,101 yards and 90 touchdowns and added 484 receptions for 3,329 yards and 10 touchdowns as a pro. 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. But it was with the NFLs Los Angeles Rams that he would emerge with national acclaim. He was enshrined in the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2013. It's like planking, but dumber. Nickname given to him for his sweet tooth. In addition to famously leading the Jets to victory in Super Bowl III, Namath was named to four AFL All-Star Games and one Pro Bowl during his 12 seasons with the Jets. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2006. Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera became known as Riverboat Ron as a nod to riverboat gamblers because of his willingness to take risks. Kearse totaled 36 sacks in his first three NFL seasons, earning a Pro Bowl selection each year. The Catch Dwight Clark, former NFL wide receiver best known for his game-winning catch in the 1982 NFC Championship Game. Team owner, general manager, and head coach Paul Brown nicknamed Cincinnati's AFL expansion franchise the Bengals in 1968 in honor of the football team nicknamed the Bengals that played in the. The logic of the game's strange new nicknames. . Kearse registered 74 sacks and 28 forced fumbles in an 11-year pro career with the Titans and Philadelphia Eagles. Incidental/historical squad nicknames []. 5 overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft. The punt returner had a scattershot running style akin to a, For his ability to defeat tight coverage, even double coverage, and make big plays. First Cowboy to be drafted and in the hall of fame, To his homeland as well as to the difficulty he posed to defenses. McFadden rushed for 4,590 yards and 41 touchdowns in three seasons with the Razorbacks, finishing second in Heisman Trophy balloting twice. We often struggle to think of a witty way to describe ourselves. Williams rushed for 3,831 yards and 45 touchdowns as a collegian, becoming the No. A reference to his blond hair and his alma mater, Shortening of his last name which is Gronkowski. 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. He registered 14,746 passing yards and 77 touchdown passes in 11 seasons with the Steelers, Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens. . Quarterback (QB) On most plays, the quarterback gets the ball from the center and controls the play. Theres nothing fancy about Joe Greenes nickname. He was named All-AFL twice and compiled a 66-16-6 record as a starter in 12 pro seasons. 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. Marlin Dyess, "Scooter". Headed into the 2021 NFL season, Harrison is an unrestricted free agent. The I-Formation A formation that features two running backs lined up directly behind the quarterback in a straight line. Over the course of his eight-year prop career with the Oilers and New Orleans Saints, Campbell rushed for 9,407 yards and 74 touchdowns. Perry exploded on the national scene as a rookie in 1985, scoring three touchdowns in goal-line situations en route to Super Bowl XX. Robert Brazile received his villainous nickname at a college all-star event from fellow linebacker Richard Wood, with an endorsement from famed sports commentator Howard Cosell. Not surprisingly, those devastating hits would earn him a notorious nickname. Here are some popular nicknames for various positions in American football: Quarterback: "QB" or "signal caller" Running back: "RB" Wide Receiver: "WR" Tight End: "TE" Offensive Line: "OL" (includes Center, Guard, Tackle) Fullback: "FB" Center: "C" Guard: "G" Tackle: "T" Defensive Line: "DL" (includes Defensive End, Defensive Tackle) 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. Hayes also was adept at creating turnovers. Given to him after rushing for over 2,000 yards during the 2009 season. Most of the other position group names are just as misleading. Reference to the hip-hop group Run-D.M.C. As such, they need to move the ball a minimum of 10 yards from the initial line of scrimmage in 4 plays or 'downs', or the ball is automatically turned over to the . 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. Morris would earn three consecutive Pro Bowl selections as the Dolphins reached the Super Bowl three consecutive times from 1971-73. Hutson, who held the NFLs career record for touchdown catches (99) for 44 years after his retirement, was part of the inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame class in 1963. ), 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. 1 heading into Monday night's game against L.A", "San Francisco's Million Dollar Backfield: The 49ers' Fabulous Foursome", "Monsters of the Midway finally Bearing (sic) their teeth", "Jets' 'New Jack City' DBs look to 'control the airways', "Sack Exchange Had a Brief, but Glorious, Run", Time to Take Stock Of Sack Exchange / Defensive unit considers its place in history, "An Unkindness of Ravens; a Murder of Crows. The Hoosiers are coming off two seasons where injuries . From his mother. The Broncos of the 70s sported Popsicle orange uniforms.. No nickname has ever conveyed that someone was both large and running on a schedule so well. One of the great return men in NFL history, Hall scored six touchdowns on kickoff returns and six more touchdowns on punt returns during a nine-year career with the Chiefs and St. Louis Rams. Well known for calling his own plays at the line of scrimmage and hurry-up offense. It was either that or Shrimp Alfredo. At 6-foot-3 and 355 pounds, theres nothing shrimpy about Knighton. Hot Chubb Time Machine. Bill Belichick boasts unquestioned credentials: six Super Bowl titles, nine AFC championships, 17 division titles and nearly 300 regular-season victories. After rushing for 3,086 yards in three seasons at the University of Pittsburgh, Craig was drafted No. Or write about sports? He ranks second only to Don Shula in NFL history with 318 regular-season victories. Johnny Manziels nickname is straightforward. The task for the offense is to move the ball forward and into the opposition's endzone to score touchdowns, or close enough to attempt a field goal. In order from left to right, they are: the Left Tackle (LT), Left Guard (LG), Center (C), Right Guard (RG) and Right Tackle (RT). Each name is special, while some are pretty hilarious. Its said that Grange acquired his nickname because of his ghostlike speed and elusiveness. He scored 33 touchdowns in three college seasons for the Fighting Illini. We would be remiss not to mention his secondary nickname, FitzMagic, bestowed when he eclipsed 400 passing yards in three consecutive games to start the 2018 season. He wisely trademarked the phrase and cashed in on apparel sales. Other nicknames include: J-Load, Hefty Lefty, Abominable Throwman, Round Mound of Touchdown, Quarter(got)back, He Ate Me, and BBQ (Big Beautiful Quarterback). Chad Ochocinco Johnson, pictured above; Leonard Bigg Davis; Michael The Burner Turner; Bob The Boomer Brown; Terry Blonde Bomber Bradshaw; Big Ben Roethlisberger; Mark Stink Schlereth; LeSean Shady McCoy; Adrian All Day Peterson; Adam Pacman Jones; Devin Anytime Hester; Brian Weapon X Dawkins; Gene Big Daddy Lipscomb; Dan Big Daddy Wilkinson; Steve Smiling Assassin Atwater; Stephen Hausch Money Hauschka; Paul Tank Younger; Anthony A-Train Thomas; Mike A-Train Alstott; Denard Shoelace Robinson; Josh Flash Gordon; Sam The Rifle Etcheverry; Touchdown Tommy Vardell; Chris CJ2K Johnson; Devlin Duck Hodges; Art Fatso Donovan; Byron Whizzer White. Baltimore Sun". The best American football team nicknames are subjective and can vary depending on personal preference. As he told the Los Angeles Times in 1980, Football is a violent world and Deacon has a religious connotation. The Chargers led the league in yards five times under Coryell. ", Fitzpatrick has had brief spurts of resounding success, notable examples include when he played with the. Prior to his coaching career, Rivera played linebacker for the Chicago Bears for nine seasons, including the 1985 Super Bowl season. from a spectator. He concluded his playing career with the Los Angeles Rams in 1977. The guy positioned immediately in front of the center in a 3-4 defense is a nose guard or nose tackle.