Regardless, the nickname stuck. He wasnt always like that, though. Now the offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs, Eric Bieniemy was a standout running back at the University of Colorado who went on to a nine-year playing career with the Chargers, Bengals and Eagles. It was popular enough that he legally changed his name to Tommy after his playing career ended. 1 overall by the Houston Oilers in 1978, he led the NFL in rushing in each of his first three seasons. He registered 206 tackles, 14 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries during a seven-year NFL career with Jacksonville, Denver and Washington. May overlap and send crosses into the opposition box . Slingin Sammy Baugh was the first prolific passer in NFL history, a forerunner of the future quarterback prototype at a time when the ground game was the preferred method of offense. Fullbacks are normally good runners with exceptional strength. His hard-hitting, game-changing play style. Cassady the football player went on to star at Ohio State, winning the 1955 Heisman Trophy. They can also be used to build up a player or teams image, making them more appealing to fans or more intimidating to opponents. But it was with the NFLs Los Angeles Rams that he would emerge with national acclaim. He also trademarked the phrase Im just here so I wont get fined, but we digress. He also has a signature fashion statement for games in the bitter winters of New England: the hooded sweatshirt. Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells supposedly garnered his fishy nickname back while he was serving as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. The offensive unit in American football consists of a quarterback, linemen, backs, tight ends and receivers. LS: Long Snapper; Takes position of C for long snaps, as in the case of field goals and punts. So, let's start browsing through these amazing nicknames. Lance Alworth was an artist at the wide receiver position, one of the stars who helped legitimize the fledgling American Football League. From his peculiar childhood habit of seasoning corn flakes with black pepper. "Kansas Comet" was stuck on him by the Director of Sports Information at the University of Kansas. Nicknames for entire teams, or whole offensive or defensive units. That changes the game up massively and requires each position to have a different set of . Johnson once joked that his often fluctuating weight was due to his frequent defecation. Also self-refers as "Esteban Ochocinco". Stabler was dubbed The Snake by his junior high football coach in reaction to his elusive, zig-zagging running style. Reference to his incredible speed-won two gold medals and set, A contraction of "bumblebee," based on his aunt's thick southern accent (common to many others in the Phillips family including his son. . Many of the terms have meanings outside of football, such as bye, scramble, and shotgun. 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). There are three layers: defensive line, defensive backs, and linebackers, and each has particular tasks. 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. Football wouldnt be the same without nicknames. Although the exact makeup up the Houston Astros' Killer Bs changed over time, the nickname first appeared in 1996. Football: Linebacker. His tendency to blitz despite being a safety. The No. the greatest football products from the state of Michigan, flattening Giants running back Frank Gifford, was held liable for the deaths in a subsequent $33.5 million civil decision, after showing up to practice in a limo and wearing a fur coat, That moniker was then spun to T-Sizzle for Terrell, top players ever produced in the state of Arizona, top players in Oilers/Titans franchise history, when a coach noted the way he exploded out of the starting blocks, Red Hickey asked him to stop hammering the receivers, dwarfed the rest of the teams running backs, the greatest players to come out of the Buffalo area, 23 game-winning drives and 15 fourth-quarter comebacks, his 43-yard touchdown romp in Super Bowl XVII, knocking our four opposing players in a high school game, greatest players to hail from the state of Maryland, top football players ever produced in Minnesota, in homage to the fearsome, oafish character, inspired teammate Irv Eatman to create a brilliant nickname, greatest players ever produced in the Lone Star State, Tillman went on to a career as an FBI agent, Hendricks was dubbed the Mad Stork for his skinny legs, in reaction to his elusive, zig-zagging running style, a nod to professional wrestler Jake The Snake Roberts, he dubbed Johnson as Megatron from The Transformers series, applied the nickname by saying, Here comes Night Train, top players ever produced in talent-rich Western Pennsylvania, came from a teammate at North Fort Myers High, for your big brown eyes and the way you move, during a 2009 Monday Night Football game, 28 game-winning drives and 26 fourth-quarter comebacks, Charlie Waters tagged White with his colorful nickname, had been ordained as a Baptist minister at age 17, greatest football prospects ever from the state of Tennessee, a nod to the many skills he wielded as a passer/runner/receiver, Francis Powers coined the moniker, writing of Hirsch, a YouTube clip depicting the ferocity of honey badgers, flight home from a win at West Virginia in 2011, great players to come out of talent-rich Miami, received his famous Broadway Joe nickname, his 1965 appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. A standard football offense has two tackles on the offensive line. 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). Here we go naming linebackers.. Mike, Sam and Will . John Chavis, LSUs defensive coordinator at the time, connected the two in a stroke of genius on the teams flight home from a win at West Virginia in 2011. Find out more. The A-11 a formation that features all eleven players on the offensive side of the ball eligible to receive passes, making it difficult for the defense to determine who is eligible and who is not. The nickname in question refers to Zuerlein's ability of making field goals from a distance. After debuting as a professional in the USFL, White embarked on a dominant 15-year NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers. Nicknames are usually preceded by 'The'. The Texas A&M football team's defense is nicknamed the "Wrecking Crew," though the name is more tradition than representative of play. The tackles are positioned on each side of the offensive center in the 3-4 defensive formation. Right: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports. Are you looking for the best football nickname? Nicknames are often given to players or teams to create a sense of identity and camaraderie. Most of the other position group names are just as misleading. The Nigeria national football team are nicknamed Super Eagles and they are governed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The defensive end and tackle positions employ their height and leaping abilities to swat down passed balls thrown by the quarterback. Lynch, one of the great players to hail from the Bay Area, attended Oakland Tech and Cal before entering the NFL as a first-round pick in 2007. I thought a name like that would be remembered. One of the greatest pass rushers in football history, he was an anchor of the Los Angeles Rams famed Fearsome Foursome defensive line alongside Merlin Olsen, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier. football position group nicknames Back >> Steel Curtain (Pittsburgh Steelers) Originally used to describe the defense line, the nickname Wil and Matt look ahead to the future of football in East Lansing, power ranking all of the Michigan State football position groups for the 2021 fall season. He was involved in the league from its beginnings in 1920 until his death in 1983. Provides support for the wide midfielder ahead of them. pass defense or interception). He was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985 on the first ballot. Do you have a sports website? Not only does it contain a rhyme and play off his last name, it perfectly described his physical running style. 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. They also provide a bit of added mythology to the athletes whose talents never cease to amaze us. 1 overall in the NFL draft. LSU Tigers defensive back Tyrann Mathieu was just emerging as a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2011 when a YouTube clip depicting the ferocity of honey badgers went viral. 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. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. The abbreviation "CM" means Central Midfield. ", "Steelers' Troy Polamalu: The Samoan Headhunter", "Fred Taylor retiring after 13 seasons, 1 Pro Bowl", "The Eagles' Mitchell Is Ready for Another Close-Up", "B.J Raji TD vs Bears and funny celebration-NFC Championship", "Top Dallas Cowboys nicknames on the 2015 roster", "Top ten wide receivers in Bills history", "Boston TE party: Gronkowski unstoppable for Patriots - NFL.com", "Report: Rob Gronkowski 50/50 to Play for Patriots Against Buccaneers on Sunday", "Seahawks 'Hausch Money' helps kick some money over to local charity for children", "K Stephen Hauschka is a major part of the Bills recent success", MLB's nickname gimmick won't solve baseball's mounting age issues, "Former Lion Hopalong Cassady passes away at 85", "Oliver: "I just want to come in and compete", "Huerta Keeps Foot On The Clutch For 'canes", Idec, Keith. Kenny Easley received his intimidating nickname while delivering crushing hits as a member of the Seattle Seahawks secondary in the 1980s. Mix had a degree in law at the time he played professional football. But it does tend to generate a bit of a chuckle when that quarterback is Andy Dalton, someone known much more as a game manager than a gunslinger. 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. We list out some famous American Football player nicknames specifically for Defensive Lineman: Defensive Linemen are often referred to by their position, for example Defensive Tackle or Defensive End. Not only did longtime NFL running back Craig Heyward have a terrific nickname, but there also was an awesome backstory behind it. 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. Doug Martin gained his nickname from a college teammate at Boise State in reference to the running backs buff, but diminutive, physique. It was pretty true. The Russian Jewish immigrant spent his childhood in Brooklyn, and also went by the anglicized name "Johnny Barsha.". Dec 9, 2019 #1 leading the attack). ' Indeed, Bettis rumbled for 1,912 yards and 27 touchdowns in three collegiate seasons. Best known for his Ickey Shuffle touchdown celebration, Elbert Ickey Woods rumbled into the hearts of fans and helped lead the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII as a rookie in the 1988 season. Morris would earn three consecutive Pro Bowl selections as the Dolphins reached the Super Bowl three consecutive times from 1971-73. If it isnt obvious, the nickname Juice plays off the initials O.J. 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. The function of most of the linemen is to block. ", "No. I hope you enjoyed this list of LB names. Was a star receiver, From a common mispronunciation of his last name, Given to him by his parents because he would run "all day" / His initials, Schindler was one of the earliest scrambling quarterbacks. He was dubbed Bummel, which later was shortened to Bum, according to his son, former NFL head coach Wade Phillips. Reference to Colston's shyness and ability to make big plays.