The National Football League (NFL) is filled with giants, but that doesn't mean there aren't some short kings bossing things. Of course, most players are well over six feet tall and weigh more than 200 pounds, but there are some exceptions.
For every Big Ben Roethlisberger, there's a Kyler Murray, and for every massive offensive lineman like Jason Kelce, there's a diminutive running back like Christian McCaffrey literally running things. So, in celebration of the players of smaller build, let's have a look at ones who show that vertical size hardly matters.
The shortest player in the league is New England Patriots running back J.J. Taylor, who stands at 5' 6". He's one of three players who stand below 5' 7", alongside Philadelphia Eagles RB Boston Scott and New Orleans Saints receiver and return specialist Deonte Harty.
Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!
Officially, Taylor is the shortest of the three, but that hasn't stopped him from taking snaps in Bill Belichick's New England Patriots offense. The other players of his build are doing their best, with Scott proving to be a wildcard asset for the Eagles. Meanwhile, Harty was an All-Pro selection and made the Pro Bowl in his first NFL season. The three aforementioned players aren't letting their sizes affect their teams' productivity on the gridiron.
Who is the shortest player in NFL history?
At a mere 5' 1" and 119 pounds, Jack Shapiro was the shortest and smallest NFL player. Shapiro played just one game in the league in 1929 for the Staten Island Stapletons.
It's pretty wild thinking about a 5' 1" and 119-pound player would play in the NFL. No wonder he played in just one game, as who knows what could have happened to him throughout a full season. If he was playing in today's league, he could have been a kick returner, but even that wouldn't have been enough to protect him from ferocious defensive backs out for offensive scalps.
Who is the tallest player in the NFL?
At the other end of the spectrum, some National Football League players are so tall that they wouldn't look out of place in an NBA game. These players likely played some college basketball just for fun, and they can most certainly dunk it on a standard NBA rim.
We have five players that share the title of the tallest players in today's league, and they all come in at a towering 6' 9" inches. The players we are marveling about are Green Bay Packers OT Caleb Jones, Indianapolis Colts tackle Jordan Murray, San Francisco 49ers OL Alfredo Gutierrez and New York Giants tackle Roy Mbaeteka and tight end Austin Allen.
They're all under contract for their respective franchises, so you will most likely see them in the 2023 NFL season.
New England Patriots Nation! Check out the latest Patriots Schedule and dive into the New England Patriots Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.