The NFL Expert Picks for the Top 10 Best Player Nicknames of All Time
The NFL has been around for over 100 years, and there have been some fun and creative nicknames. Some players got their nickname from childhood, while others earned it on the NFL field by helping their team’s NFL odds and dominating the competition.
We are going to rank the top ten NFL player nicknames of all time. This list is more about the nickname than the player, but many of these men are the best players in NFL history, and their nicknames only boosted their legacy. The rankings consist of creativity, how well the name fits the player, and the legacy the nickname has had in NFL history.
10. Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu
Standing at 5-foot-9-inches, Mathieu was an undersized defensive back, but his manic play style and ability to force turnovers earned him acclaim at LSU and then in the NFL. In 2011, his college defensive coordinator John Chavis saw viral videos of honey badgers doing crazy things and said that the animal reminded him of Mathieu. The nickname stuck, and the LSU safety went on to win SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2011.
Coming out of college, NFL Experts had concerns about the Honey Badger, and he slipped out of the first two rounds of the NFL draft. Drafted in the third round, Mathieu felt slighted and has seemingly played with a chip on his shoulder, becoming one of the best safeties in the NFL today. He is a three-time All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler, and he won Super Bowl LIV with the Kansas City Chiefs.
9. “Mean” Joe Greene
A simple yet fitting nickname for one of the greatest defensive tackles of all time goes to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ most recognized defensive lineman. Drafted fourth overall in the 1969 NFL Draft, “Mean” Joe Greene was the first NFL draft pick for legendary Steelers head coach Chuck Noll. Green became the foundation of the “Steel Curtain,” another great nickname, and won four Super Bowls during the ‘70s.
Greene did not like the “Mean” moniker as he was a genuinely nice guy. In an attempt to shed the mean stereotype, Greene starred in the legendary Coca-Cola commercial that aired for the first time during Super Bowl XIV. In it, Greene trades his game jersey to a young boy for a bottle of Coca-Cola. The ad became nearly as iconic as Greene’s nickname and launched Coca-Cola to a whole new generation. One of the best NFL players of all time, Greene’s nickname might not have been the most creative, but it was one of the most fitting. On the field, his presence and dominance of other teams’ offensive linemen was downright nasty.
8. William “The Refrigerator” Perry
William Perry earned his appliance nickname while playing at Clemson University. He and a fellow Clemson player Ray Brown were crammed in an elevator going to wash their clothes. The two could barely fit, and Brown looked at Perry and said, “you’re about as big as a refrigerator.”
Perry was not only big, but he was also abnormally fast for his size. Drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 1985 NFL Draft, the rookie made an immediate impact and was a force in helping the team secure their first Super Bowl victory.
The defensive tackle would occasionally line up as a fullback for short-yardage or goal-line situations. On one particular play in Super Bowl XX, Perry got the ball and smashed his way through the line for a touchdown. At 335 pounds of fun, the Refrigerator became the heaviest player to score a Super Bowl touchdown. With stars like Walter Peyton and Jim McMahon on the team, The Fridge was the one who became a pop culture phenomenon from the legendary ‘85 Bears team.
7. Jack “The Assassin” Tatum
When it comes to intimidating nicknames, there is none more intimidating than “the Assassin.” The Oakland Raiders of the ‘70s were one of the dirtiest teams of all time, and Tatum’s physical playstyle was the embodiment of the Silver and Black, for better or worse. In a 1978 preseason game, he legally hit Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley in such a way that Stingley would end up being paralyzed from the chest down.
The Raiders were constantly atop the Super Bowl odds and were one of the best teams in the NFL. Tatum was a Super Bowl XI champion and was named to three consecutive Pro Bowls. The most feared man in the NFL finished his career after spending 1980 with the Houston Oilers.
The safety retired with 37 interceptions. Tatum was a symbol for a different era in the NFL. His hardest hits are legendary but also hard to watch. They say that you cannot play football scared, but it is hard to have no fear when you are lined up against someone nicknamed The Assassin.
6. “Megatron” Calvin Johnson
The greatest wide receiver in recent NFL history, Calvin Johnson, has one of the greatest nicknames in modern NFL history. Given the name his rookie season, the Detroit Lions receiver had a towering presence like the Transformers character, Megatron. The nickname predates his birth, as the original Transformers hit the airwaves in 1984, and Johnson was born in 1985. Striking a chord in football fans who grew up watching the tv show, the name stuck. Johnson was unguardable on the field, looking like he was shot out of a gun (Megatron would transform from robot to gun, for those who don’t remember) and putting up video game numbers despite being on terrible Lions teams.
A six-time Pro Bowler and three-time First-team All-Pro, Megatron was a dominant force while he was on the field. Defenses would focus solely on shutting him down, and they would still fail time and time again. His early retirement at age 30 was shocking and reminiscent of the great RB Barry Sanders and his decision to take an early retirement from the Lions. Both were the best in the game when they walked away, tired of playing on the worst team in the league.
Between 2011-2013, Johnson had the most dominant three-year span for any wide receiver in NFL history. Had he stayed in the league and stayed healthy, there is no doubt that he would have broken numerous career receiving records.
5. “Beast Mode” Marshawn Lynch
A common thread with these nicknames is their similarity to the player’s style of play. Marshawn Lynch is no different. Nicknamed “Beast Mode” for his self-described bruising play style, Lynch was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 2007 NFL Draft. Although he played well in Buffalo, he is most remembered for his time with the Seattle Seahawks.
The man was literally responsible for causing an earthquake. His 67-yard touchdown run against the New Orleans Saints in the 2010 Wild Card game was so amazing, and at such a crucial moment, fans within Seattle’s CenturyLink Field went crazy. The Seahawks fans’ celebration of the moment was so raucous and so loud that it shook the Seattle ground, registering as an M=2 earthquake on the Richter scale. The play will forever be known as the “Beast Quake.”
The Oakland native returned to the NFL in 2017 to play with his hometown Oakland Raiders for two years, then made a brief appearance at the end of the 2019 season with the Seahawks. Beast Mode has totaled 10,413 yards and 85 rushing touchdowns in his 13-year NFL career. The term Beast Mode has reached beyond the NFL and is now a standard phrase within pop culture.
4. Richard “Night Train” Lane
The Hall of Fame defensive back, Richard “Night Train” Lane, had great moves on and off the field. The nickname’s origin is disputed, but the common theory is Lane was given the moniker by Los Angeles Rams teammates who noticed him dancing to the song “Night Train” by Jimmy Forrest.
Lane spent time with the Rams, Chicago Cardinals, and Detroit Lions over his 14-year NFL career. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro. NFL experts regard him as one the greatest DBs in NFL history and the greatest of his generation. The former cornerback played 157 games in the NFL and recorded 68 interceptions, taking six of them to the house.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974.
3. Deion “Prime Time” Sanders
Also nicknamed “Neon Deion,” Deion Sanders was notorious for his flashy personality, and his playstyle was amplified under the bright light of prime time. Both a professional football and baseball player, Prime Time is the only player to play in an NFL Super Bowl and an MLB World Series. While his career with the Atlanta Braves was fun, Sanders was most known for his work on the football field with the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, and Dallas Cowboys.
Not only one of the greatest cornerbacks of all time, but Sanders is also one of the greatest return men of all time, scoring 23 career touchdowns. Prime Time, high-stepping into the endzone, was legendary, and children of all ages grew up practicing his moves and antics. Sanders would be personally responsible for making celebrations fun again and was a catalyst for the flashy over-the-top celebrations we see in the NFL today. His talent was also responsible for the way a lot of sports broadcasters call games today. The combination of ESPN’s Chris Berman on the call while Sanders created highlights out of routine plays is the basis for what we have come to expect on shows like Sportscenter.
2. Christian “The Nigerian Nightmare” Okoye
Hailing from Enugu, Nigeria, Christian Okoye was a true nightmare for defenders, hence the nickname. At six-foot-one, 260 pounds, Okoye did not shy away from contact. In fact, he enjoyed it and would rather run into a defender than run around him. He was Beast Mode before Marshawn Lynch was out of diapers.
The Nigerian Nightmare’s career in the NFL might have only lasted six seasons, and he might have rushed for over 1,000 yards only two times, but he was one of the most popular NFL players in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. With his neck roll and massive build, Okoye was a big body moving at full speed, and he would run you over if given a chance.
Okoye’s best year was 1989. He led the league with 370 carries and won the NFL rushing title with 1,480 yards to go along with his 12 touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl and First-team All-Pro. The fullback returned to the Pro Bowl in 1991 when he rushed for 1,031 yards. The bruising back did not appear to have a weakness until he met Denver Broncos safety Steve Atwater in the now-famous hit.
Okoye retired in 1993 and is a member of the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor.
1. Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch
Today’s NFL fan might not be familiar with Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch, but he was one of the best receivers of his generation. That’s not why he made this list, however. Named by a coach who was commenting on how the wide receiver’s legs would flail all over the place when he would run, Hirsch’s nickname has stood the test of time. While it looked strange to players and fans alike, Hirsch’s style was effective, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.
Hirsch made a name for himself with the Los Angeles Rams from 1949 until his retirement in 1957. The Rams won the NFL championship in 1951, and Crazy Legs put up numbers that would be impressive in today’s NFL. In 1951, he caught 66 passes for 1,495 yards and 17 touchdowns, all of which were tops in the NFL at the time. For comparison, only Stefon Diggs had more yards in 2020 than Hirsch did in 1951, and only Devante Adams had more touchdowns; his 18 barely beat Crazy Legs by one. With his dashing good looks and highlight-reel plays, Hirsch was a true NFL superstar and helped shape what the modern NFL passing attack looks like today.
These nicknames are iconic, not only in the NFL but in all sports and pop culture. While it is tough to choose ten, these were the names that stood above the rest. Whether or not these players were great and helped their team in the online sportsbook, it is the nicknames that we often remember, not the stats.
Every nickname has a different origin and a story to go with it. All of these men’s nicknames are sewn in the fabric of American pop culture and have taken on a life of their own. Many of these players are known more by their nicknames, with many fans not knowing their real names. Sports nicknames can be fun, and these ten are the very best in NFL history.
