NFL Players Say Jersey Made For Only The “Fit” Players?

‘Do I Look Fat in this Jersey?’ NFLers Complain

For the 2012 NFL season, the manufacturer of team uniforms were switched from Reebok to Nike for the first time in ten years, reports USA Today.

The new materials and cuts introduced for Nike’s jerseys have proved unpopular with larger NFL players who claim the uniforms are designed to show off the bodies of smaller, more muscular players.

In the NFL the size range of players is immense: from kickers and punters of less than 200 pounds to offensive and defensive linemen weighing in at over 300 pounds. Many NFL linemen are now claiming the new Nike jerseys are unflattering and make them look fat.

“I hate them. They are built for thin guys,” said Alex Boone, a 300-pound starting guard for the San Francisco 49ers. “It makes me look like I have big old love handles.”

Nike seems to have followed the trend for tighter uniforms found in other sports, such as soccer and swimming that are claimed to aid the performance of the wearer.

Tight jerseys are common amongst football players who wish to give opponents less jersey to grab during a game. The new jerseys seem to have taken the tight fitting fashion beyond what is wanted by the NFL’s large players.

“I don’t really care for the new jerseys,” said Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman Terrence Cody, who is 349 pounds and 6 feet 4. “I feel like they should put different material in for the big guys.”

The NFL and Nike claim the new jersey design is body contoured to fit snugly on the athlete.

315-pound Ravens lineman Arthur Jones, said the shirts need to be “huge.”

“We have 40 years of experience in the football business and the idea in our products is for optimal performance and we work with the athletes to find fit and function,” a Nike spokesman said. “The uniforms are available in a variety of sizes and cuts for different players with enhanced performance in mind.”