Best Players With Long Hair in the NFL
While the NFL may have a reputation as being the “no fun league”, more and more football players are beginning to explore the limits of the league and beginning to express their own unique styles and fashions.
And this is no better seen then in players’ hairstyles. And while a players hairstyle and hair are covered by a football helmet during a game, these players are able to showoff their hairstyles both before and after a game.
Below, we are going to take a look at the best players with long hair in the NFL. And while most of these players are known for their gravity-defying plays, jaw-dropping catches, and insane runs to the end zone, their long hair helps them to define their individual and unique personalities.
Looking for more unique hairstyles across the world of sports? Be sure to check out our list of the top athletes with the best hair, the best NBA players with afros, and the definitive list of the best bald NBA players.
Can NFL Players Have Long Hair?
Whereas neither the NBA, MLB, or NHL leagues have an outright ban on hair length or styles, the NFL rulebook states that no player can have hair which covers or obscures the names on the back of player’s jersey.
And although ban on long hair was proposed in the NFL by the Kansas City Chiefs back in 2008, the measure failed to gain traction. As such, NFL players are allowed to have long hair, even if it flows out of the players helmet.
However, one reason why so many NFL players opt out of having long hair is due to the fact that it is legal to tackle a player using their hair if it’s hanging out of the back of their helmet.
As such, to reduce the likelihood of injury or an inopportune tackle, many NFL players decide to keep their hair shorter and more tamed, reducing injury and the ability of the opposing team to tackle them via their hair.
Troy Polamalu
No true list of the best players with long hair in the NFL is fully complete without mentioning Troy Polamalu. Featuring a full, long head of hair, Polamalu was a safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers throughout his twelve-year career.
Having played college football at the University of Southern California (USC) and earning consensus All-American honors, he was chosen by the Steelers in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft.
With the Pittsburgh Steelers, Polamalu would win two Super Bowl championships and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010. In addition, he is an eight-time Pro Bowler and a six-time All-Pro selection.
Jason Verrett
Jason Verrett is a cornerback and currently plays for the San Francisco 49ers. Drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, he played college football at TCU.
Having attended Angelo Rodriguez High School, he played both football and track. On the football team, Verrett played running back on offense and cornerback on defense.
While he had no college scholarship offers after high school, he would attend Santa Rosa Junior College, being named to the all-conference first team in 2010. He then transferred to TCU, having 58 tackles in his first year and 63 tackles the following season and a team-leading six interceptions.
Sammy Watkins
Sammy Watkins is a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers and played college football at the football powerhouse Clemson. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 2014 NFL Draft with the fourth overall pick.
In addition to playing for the Buffalo Bills and the Green Bay Packers, Watkins played for the Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs, where he would become a Super Bowl champion.
Larry Fitzgerald
Larry Fitzgerald is a former NFL player who played the wide receiver position for 17-seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. Having played college football at the University of Pittsburgh, he would be drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2004 NFL Draft with the third overall pick.
Larry Fitzgerald would be selected for the NFL’s Pro Bowl eleven times in his 17-year career and would be named to the NFL’s First-Team All-Pro in 2008 and the Second-Team All-Pro in both 2009 and 2011.
He is second in the NFL records for career receiving yards and career receptions. In addition, he is sixth in receiving touchdowns. After he retired, Larry Fitzgerald became a minority owner of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.
Marshawn Lynch
One of the best NFL players to play the game with long hair, Marshawn Lynch played the running back position in the NFL for 12-seasons. Nicknamed “Beast Mode” for his ability to break tackles and defenders, he played the majority of his football career with the Seattle Seahawks.
Having played college football at California, Marshawn Lynch would be selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft and played with the Bills for three seasons before joining the Seattle Seahawks in 2010.
Domata Peko
Not only does Domata Peko have long hair but he also has a long, luxurious full beard as well. Having played the nose tackle position in the NFL, he would be drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft.
Peko would attend the College of the Canyons before transferring to Michigan State University. Playing for the Spartans, he would record 53 tackles in his senior year of college.
Alvin Kamara
Alvin Kamara is a running back for the New Orleans Saints. He played college football for the university of Tennessee before transferring to the college football powerhouse of the University of Alabama.
Drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, he would be named the NFL Rookie of the Year in 2017. Similarly, he has been an NFL Pro Bowler in all five seasons that he has played in the NFL.
Further, he is a two-time second-team All-Pro and in 2020 he would become just the second player in NFL history to score six rushing touchdowns in a single game, tying the great Ernie Nevers.
Davante Adams
Davante Adams is a wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders and played college football at Fresno State. He would be drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
As an NFL player, he would be named a 2-time First-Team All-Pro, a 5-time Pro Bowler, an NFL receiving touchdowns leader in 2020, and would win the Paul Warfield Trophy in 2013.
Aaron Jones
Aaron Jones is a running back for the Green Bay Packers. He played college football at UTEP and was drafted by the Packers in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He would become an NFL Pro Bowler in 2020 and would be an NFL rushing touchdowns co-leader in 2019.
Dalvin Cook
Dalvin Cook is a running back for the Minnesota Vikings and would play college football at Florida State. During his time at Florida State, he would finish as the school’s all-time leading rusher.
Dalvin Cook would be drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Some career highlights include being a 2-time First-Team All-Pro in 2019 and 2020 and a 3-time Pro Bowler from 2019-2021.