Which QB has the biggest and smallest hand size in the NFL?
The NFL Combine week is currently in progress, where teams can visit and see the prospects that will be in the upcoming draft. General managers and coaches keep a close eye on the smallest of details, and there's one thing that they look for in quarterbacks: the size of their hands.
The projected top quarterback prospect is Kenny Pickett, who has the smallest hands out of all the quarterbacks in the combine, measuring eight and a half inches, which would also be the smallest in the NFL out of all the other quarterbacks. Even smaller than Joe Burrow, whose hands measure nine inches — and there was plenty said about him leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft.
People talking about Kenny Pickett's hand size...let's not forget what @JoeyB said after his combine measurements...
#NFLCombine https://t.co/8knFWs5qQ7
This may not seem like an important stat, but it is important to the teams drafting quarterbacks. We have compiled a list of NFL quarterbacks with the biggest and smallest hands.
NFL quarterbacks with the smallest hands
#1 - Taysom Hill
The quarterback with running back ability for the New Orleans Saints has the smallest hands in the entire league at 8 and 3/4 inches. This may come as no surprise as he isn't the most traditional of quarterbacks. Hill is known in the league for being able to run the ball with power and speed. He mainly played for the Saints as a utility player, coming in for specific downs where the team would play to his strengths.
#2, #3 and #4 - Joe Burrow, Ryan Tannehill and Jared Goff
Quarterbacks for the Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, and Detroit Lions, respectively, these three guys all share the same hand size of 9 inches. They have all had relative success in their NFL careers despite their hands being on the small side. Burrow and Goff have both taken their teams to a Super Bowl appearance, where they both lost. Tannehill has revitalized his career since moving to the Titans, leading them to the AFC Championship game in his first season at the franchise in 2019. Hand size hasn't seemed to hinder them in the league.
#5 and #6 - Derek Carr and Justin Fields
Both of these quarterbacks have 9 1/8 inch hands, and it was the rookie who came out on top in the Week 5 matchup of the quarterbacks with the same size hands. Fields led the Chicago Bears to a 20-9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Carr went on to lead his team into the playoffs where they bowed out in the Wild Card round.
NFL quarterbacks with the biggest hands
There's a whole host of quarterbacks with 10 inch hands, including Dak Prescott, Matthew Stafford and 2021 No. 1 overall draft pick Trevor Lawrence. Here are the three quarterbacks with the biggest hands.
#3 and #2 - Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers
Allen and Rodgers both have 10 1/8 inch hands and fall just short of the top spot. The two have only met once and it was in Allen's rookie year at Lambeau Field, with the back-to-back NFL MVP leading the Packers to a 22-0 blowout victory.
#1 - Russell Wilson
Standing alone on his own at the top of the list of quarterbacks with the biggest hands is Seattle Seahawks signal caller Russell Wilson, who has a hand size of 10 1/4. Along with his NFL success, Wilson was selected in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB (Major League Baseball) draft by the Colorado Rockies, with his hand size coming in useful for both sports.
Quarterbacks drafted by the Colorado Rockies (baseball team):
Michael Vick
Russell Wilson
Todd Helton
Seth Smith
Kyle Parker
Quarterbacks drafted by John Elway's Denver Broncos (football team):
Brock Osweiler
Zac Dysert
Trevor Siemian
Paxton Lynch
Chad Kelly
That concludes the list that you didn't know you needed. It's all just a bit of fun, and hand size probably doesn't matter a great deal in terms of quarterback success, but now you know who is near the top and bottom of the list.