After a startlingly entertaining Super Bowl last February that saw Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs stun a reeling and rattled Niners defense late in the fourth to win 31-20, we are finally back after experiencing what feels like an 11-year layoff. Remember, it was just over a month after Super Bowl 54 when the pandemic hit and everything â literally everything â came to an abrupt halt and itâs been a strange, surreal, and pretty deflating time ever since. But itâs important to stay positive, especially with the NBA and NHL gifting us with the outlet of some classic playoff games and knowing the NFL is right around the corner, as well as all of your fantasy football bullshit that comes with it.
Looking good, Big Red, looking good! And I mean that sincerely. Not sure Iâve ever seen the guy look healthier and happier, complete with a twinkle in his eye and a Super Bowl ring the size of a delectable meatball.
Anyway, what weâre here to do right now in this âNFL Fashion Previewâ is more or less conduct a check-in on all the new faces in new places, of which there are many, to find out which rookies donât dress like their mom still lays out their clothes, and of course drop in on all the colorful, fashionably misguided personalities that grace this sacred space on a regular basis as we head into what will no doubt be a bumpy ride of a season.
Now as we dive into this debacle, letâs hope we donât run into too many Daniel Jones-like tragedies (thereâs definitely room for at least one) because â as well all know â throwing on your best 8th grade year field trip attire is akin to dunking on yourself. Not great!
So without further ado â whether itâs fire, fierce or a fail â letâs get this shit started with the pedal to the floor and some of that raw Ric Flair energy. Woooooo!
There were so many top-shelf names that opted to take their talents elsewhere â either through trade or free agency with the one commonality being severe unhappiness â so that feels like an appropriate place to start. Canât recall any season in recent memory where we saw so much big-name movement.
Cam Newton
'Every day is a new challenge'
Cam Newton discusses learning the #Patriots offense: https://t.co/8WHQUGOj4m #PatsCamp pic.twitter.com/RPM6WPvdCR
â Patriots.com (@PATRIOTSdotCOM) August 26, 2020
Cam Newton is back and I seriously cannot contain myself. After playing just TWO games last season, the key component in triggering any and all lame media members and fans has triumphantly returned. Iâm so ready for the 2020 Cam Newton-Bill Belichick Football Tour. I honestly hope he wears a fur coat thatâs still alive and Crocs made out of LEGOs and Bubble Tape every single week just to piss people off. Welcome back, old friend.
Christian McCaffrey
One of the breakout shining stars from last season who often looked like a fierce rival that Tommy Shelby and the crew should not take lightly, the cold-blooded assassin known as CMC hasnât missed a god damn beat. And now heâs using IG captions like âno sign of weakness, even in deathâ and wearing Bruce Lee shirts? Itâs probably in your best interest to just surrender now.
Tom Brady
Tom Brady spent the entire spring and summer acting like a giddy 11-year-old decorating his Buccaneers-themed bedroom while making sure everyone in the world knew he was having the time of his life at his new happy home in Tampa. Between Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, you could not escape Brady cracking jokes and generally gushing about this apparent all-smiles, life-after-Belichick rebirth. Sir Thomas has basically been channeling Andy Dufresneâs âsoaking in the rain with his arms outstretchedâ vibe going on six months now. The dudeâs even droppinâ jokes about his own hair, including that embarrassing man-bun of yesteryear. What the hell is happening?
Of all the haircuts throughout the years, my favorite oneâŠis the next one! Thank you all for the bday wishes!! pic.twitter.com/bgmmkLVEvm
â Tom Brady (@TomBrady) August 3, 2020
This new and admittedly entertaining âHappy Tom Bradyâ transformation, coupled with the Florida sunshine should make for some outrageously vibrant fits all season long. But yeah, no bad blood at all between Tommy and The Bill. Nah. None. Nothing lingering whatsoever. Page turned.
Rob Gronkowski
GRONKâs âoffseasonâ was very GRONK in that it was your typical, run of the mill, mundane routine. Really not much to see here, guys. Totally normal to wear a sleeveless jean jacket that features your nickname in giant block lettering and then make a run in the WWE and win the â24/7 Championshipâ belt.
Nope, nothing outside the box. Safe and boring attire is what to expect from this tamed NFL personality as we head into the season. But hopefully GRONK can find a way to the well and bring back some of that magnetic energy to entertain the masses as its clearly been lacking throughout the course of his one-year sabbatical.
DeAndre Hopkins
I think itâs become pretty clear that anything and everything is what weâve come to expect from DeAndre Hopkins, who doesnât believe ceilings exist.
Moodđđœ pic.twitter.com/H25PryMKzE
â Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) March 16, 2020
If D-Hopâs gonna be in this kind of âmoodâ after making his great escape from Bill OâBrien, weâre about to see some next level, brain-bending fits â even by his standards.
Lamar Jackson
I see no dropoff coming from Lamar Jackson after spotting the heat on his feet. Those AJ III Animal Instincts look waaay better here than they did in the SNKRS release photos and⊠shit, sizes are still available. Stop robbing us blind, Nike.
Jimmy Garoppolo
Most people lose a little luster when wearing a mask, and thatâs completely understandable. Itâs a fucking mask. Jimmy GQ, though? Nah. He leveled up. Some dudes were just meant to be king.
Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes spent his offseason reminding the league that he IS the league. This guy could be surrounded by 10 accountants and still have the swaggiest starting offense in the room.
Tyrod Taylor
If weâre being honest â and I know thatâs a lot to ask â Tyrod Taylor is hands down the best-dressed player in the NFL and itâs not even particularly close. As some might say, Tyrod Taylor is a whole damn vibe. He looks like he should be doing a memorable scene with Don Cheadle, I just canât figure out if that scene takes place in the 70s or in the future.
Justin Herbert
In the event that Tyrod Taylor slips up or has a few bad games â and he will â the Chargers can rest easy knowing theyâll be guided by rookie Justin Herbert and his flawless flow.
Stefon Diggs
Yes, Stefon Diggs is wearing a âKing of the Worldâ Titanic shirt and a pair of yellow AJ IVs that match his⊠cell phone case. Of course! This is gonna make for quite the interesting marriage with the no frills, table-breaking, blackout-in-the-making #BillsMafia crowd.
Philip Rivers
Philips Rivers in a âHoosiersâ Hickory High short-sleeve hoodie is the most on-brand thing Iâve ever seen.
Julian Edelman
You have full approval to light me on fire RIGHT NOW.
Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson wearing ripped up, patch-tiled jeans featuring the Grateful Dead dancing bears is the damning evidence we needed for anyone who ever said the Texans franchise QB had a limit. And with the bag officially secured â as seen below â to the tune of $160 million, Iâm ready for Watson to go off this year and it starts with the Chiefs on Thursday night.
If youâre not rooting for Deshaun Watson at this point, thereâs something fundamentally wrong with your boiled brain.
Deshaun Watson got emotional after his family crashed his press conference to celebrate his new extension đ„°
(via @HoustonTexans) pic.twitter.com/IlaV635jka
â ESPN (@espn) September 6, 2020
Baker Mayfield
So weâre really doing this short-shorts shit, arenât we? OBJ is rubbing off on this dude in the worst of ways.
UPDATE: Woah boy. Let us pray the shorts are as far as OBJâs preferences go in terms of rubbing off on Baker.
Ben Roethlisberger
Big Ben beard check âŹïž pic.twitter.com/iFDAJ2p7dY
â SI Extra Mustard (@SI_ExtraMustard) March 21, 2020
Big Benâs historic quarantine beard mop set a new standard for hostage video enthusiasts and his hair game gave a strong recharge to the Lloyd Christmas Fan Club, however I am devastated to announce he has since cleaned things up and seems to have a little bit of a hipster thing going on? At least by his standards, anyway.
Gardner Minshew
This one isnât exactly from over the summer but I just couldnât help myself. The insane chunky chain that you probably have a few questions about was actually for a Snickers ad, but itâs a 100% lock he kept it and wears it on a regular basis. Plus, the fact that our boy Gardner tagged Don Johnson in the photo is hilarious and makes me appreciate his existence even more.
George Kittle
George Kittle has an enjoyable presence and is just a funny person in general, and heâs also funny when heâs not trying to be funny. Itâs like when Elaine tells Jerry itâs impossible for him to not be funny. So even when Kittle is doing something nice and sincere, like in the photo below for teammate Arik Armsteadâs foundation, how can you not laugh at his man-bun and that innocent look in his eyes like he just wants to go play with his wrestling figures? A kid at heart forever and I appreciate that.
Thank @gkittle46 for supporting @arikarmstead and his foundation đŻ https://t.co/C3LUUcaXqW pic.twitter.com/MsFTD1tQ8E
â Armstead Academic Project (@ArmsteadProject) September 3, 2020
Now please enjoy George Kittle singing along to one of his favorite jams, âSk8er Boiâ by Avril Lavigne. Because of course he loves that song. The nonstop, 24/7 reality show that is George Kittle remains one of the most entertaining things in sports.
He was a sk8er boi she said watch @gkittle46 mic'd up later boi.
đ„ #49ers Facebook/YouTube
â° 5 PM PT@Cisco pic.twitter.com/G3tGDUumwNâ San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) August 30, 2020
Travis Kelce
When the Chiefs got their Super Bowl rings, Travis Kelce showed up to Arrowhead Stadium in Louis Vuitton frames, some kind of Dior x Stussy shirt-shorts getup, and a pair of AJ1 Dior kicks that literally everyone wanted. Winning it all seems fun.
Yeah, safe to say Killa Travâs had a pret-tay, pret-tay, pret-tay good offseason.
J.J. Watt
No, No, and Hell No. Nice outfit, yaâ dick.
NOTE: Thatâs actually a clean, great-looking jersey but Houston Astros slander is an indefinite requirement for true Americans. Sorry, I donât make the rules.
Russell Wilson
Russ always with the drip and of course his mask marries perfectly with the jacket, which â after taking a look at the color of the collar â screams Dallas Cowboys just a little too much for my taste.
Kyler Murray
A bulked-up Kyler Murray is another one on that Bruce Lee shit. Look the fuck out.
Aaron Rodgers
It only took until Aaron Rodgersâ 15th season in the NFL to find his fashion form â aka something other than an Old Navy button-down with a bacon-necked white undershirt â so congratulations for finally breaking down those walls, No. 12. But please, may I humbly suggest never using that #ChillVibes hashtag ever again? Like, ever. Thank you for your time.
Matt Ryan
As usual, shit is lit! Go get âem again Matty Ice, you unrelenting savage!
Drew Brees
Drew Brees' postgame presser (VIDEO) http://t.co/qZsyfWuPgl #NOvsCLE pic.twitter.com/7nWW3wSHqR
â New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 14, 2014
Speaking of lit, Drew Brees has been putting on a five-star fireworks show for about 20 years now. Rumor has it the future Hall of Famer might get a little crazy and wear a Nike Dri-FIT tennis polo to the podium this season and refuse to button it to the very top. Fucking wild.
JuJu Smith-Schuster
JuJu Smith-Schusterâs dog Boujee has a big-ass chain that says Boujee, his own Instagram page, and even his own t-shirt line that JuJu has proudly put on display. Total scene-stealing legend.
Odell Beckham Jr.
This is telltale proof that nothing in this world could ever stop an Odell Beckham offseason from having an âIâm about to drop a fire track with Drakeâ photoshoot. Nothing. Although given that this next photo is captioned with âWhen ya momma hire a good photographer for ur senior pics,â heâs disarmed any kind of mockery by preemptively mocking himself. Chess move, complete with The Peopleâs Eyebrow.
Hollywood Brown
Simply put, you donât get a nickname like Hollywood Brown and have an IG handle like âPrimetime Jetâ by accident. The charismatic Ravens WR is entering just his second year in the league yet carries himself like he has 3 Super Bowl rings and has been named First Team All-Pro for 10 straight seasons. Gotta love his natural stylinâ and profilinâ ways.
Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins just fine with getting coronavirus: 'If I die, I die' https://t.co/e9LVHVhnMN pic.twitter.com/ApzglXlROE
â New York Post (@nypost) September 2, 2020
Kirk Cousins taking on a rather dark, Ivan Drago-like approach means the door is wide open for some real fireworks at the podium this season. CANâT. WAIT.
Jared Goff
The fact that Jared Goff became an NFL quarterback and not a regular on the PGA Tour might be the biggest upset in sports that no oneâs talking about. Jared is so GOLF is utterly ridiculous.
Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones has over 222k followers on Instagram and has done a grand total of nine posts, one of which is a video of him playing ping pong and partaking in a chipping competition â I swear Iâm not kidding â with his friend named âBatesâ. It does not get any whiter than this.
Dak Prescott
Menâs Romper SZN thankfully ended just in time for the NFL season. #BlessUp
Joe Burrow
In his mind, Joe Burrow believes he is set to star in the soon to be announced Invincible Too.
Bengal fans are crazy if they donât think Joey freakinâ Burrow is about to go off and slaughter the rest of the rookie class.
Tua Tagovailoa
Big mistake by Tua here. Never mix the iconic Adidas Trefoil logo with the newer crappy one. Thatâs a big no-no. Like someone wearing a Tua jersey tucked into khaki cargo shorts. Canât happen.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
As the kids say, Clydeâs stuntinâ on us with a pair of AJ1 Shattered Backboards, an orange matching hoodie and a platinum chain running underneath the hood. Thatâs the sign of someone who knows exactly what theyâre doing. Already getting the sense Clyde will be a regular here.
CeeDee Lamb
OBJ 2.0? Sure as hell lookinâ like it and that is in no way meant to be a bad thing.
Kyle Rudolph
Death, taxes, and Kyle Rudolph showing out every single week.
Yes, to be specific itâs cognac velvet, sir.
Von Miller
The best part about Von Miller is heâs constantly evolving and changing shit up. This time heâs gone ahead and dyed his hair red and nicknamed himself âVon Elway.â
Chase Winovich
Chase Winovichâs highly anticipated country-rock-techno album releases next week.
Marcus Mariota
Raiders HC Jon Gruden announced today that QB Marcus Mariota will be the teamâs starter for Week 1 vs. the Carolina Panthers. Mariota signed a two year, $17.6 million contract to back up Derek Carr (so we thought). Now, Mariota gets another chance with a new team.
â Adam Schefter â (@MrAdamSchefter) September 2, 2020
Marcus Mariota has already won the starting job, inexplicably it seems, which either says a whole lot about Derek Carrâs rapid fall to mediocrity or just how impressive Mariota has looked in camp. Leaning HARD towards for the former, but nonetheless since Mariota is The Guy in Vegas I see no reason why the former Titans QB shouldnât be required to return to his imposing Narcos look from 2018. Now thereâs a dude whoâs ready to call all the shots, whether it be on a football field or in a secret bloody backroom of a casino.
Mustache and a tan suit in November.
Well done, Marcus Mariota. pic.twitter.com/Vil1BWzv4Wâ Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) November 11, 2018
UPDATE: Marcus Mariota has been put on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. Yeesh. That makes⊠*drumroll please* âŠNATHAN PETERMAN the No. 2 quarterback on this squad. Can I get a hell yeah!?!?
Every Charger in this photo has intercepted or will intercept Nathan Peterman today. pic.twitter.com/jnvTXVwgxQ
â SB Nation GIF (@SBNationGIF) November 19, 2017
Teddy Bridgewater
How can anyone not love Teddy? That âLittle Bear Teddyâ hoodie heâs wearing there is the logo for a childrenâs book series set to be released thatâs based on the NFL QB and his core values. Outstanding. Plus, he also likes Stranger Things. This endearing fella is bulletproof.
Chris Jones
His handle is âStoneColdJones95â yet heâs wearing an nWo shirt. This is uncomfortable.
Kenny Stills
Kenny Stills is on another planet and Iâd love to get a flight there.
Zeke Elliott
All the people want is for this latest hairstyle from Zeke to remain intact until the end of time. Itâs a simple ask.
Aaron Donald
Since that impossible-to-miss â99â chain looks huge even on Aaron Donald thereâs not a doubt in the world it would look like one of Flava Flavâs clock necklaces on anyone else.
Wisconsin's turnover chain is a Flava-Flav clock-sized cheese wheel. #OrangeBowl pic.twitter.com/xLSf6lD0rC
â Hester (@SeanHesterEsq) December 31, 2017
Jameis Winston
The media was killing Jameis Winston for basically low-balling himself into a 1-year deal with the Saints for just over a million, but I swear this is the first time I have ever seen him smile and style like this. Drew Brees and Sean Payton are certified wizards.
And again! Jameis 2.0 has finally arrived. Unfortunately, heâll be holding a clipboard.
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Sanders is drastically underrated on the Fire Fits Big Board. Thatâs a badass Laker jersey (scroll right to see the back) paired up with some clean âL.A. to Chicagoâ Jordans, but the truly tremendous move is wearing a gold Superman chain where the âSâ clearly stands for Sanders.
Melvin Gordon
Melvin Gordon, now a member of the Denver Broncos, going with the very subtle âPLEASE MOVE ONâ t-shirt. Safe to say heâs very much over the Chargers and the teamâs abundance of invisible fans.
The Kiefer Sutherland Lost Boys shirt is an A+ purchase, I just have one question: Is that âTNFâ necklace some kind of bizarre tribute to Thursday Night Football? Or maybe those are just his favorite letters in the alphabet? Gotta keep all options on the table.
Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton changing his hair to match his teamâs color like⊠pic.twitter.com/ujbP3vJUlY
â NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) May 4, 2020
Couldnât find much of anything to use for Dallas Cowboys new backup QB Andy Dalton, so weâre going with this and I think we really need to speak it into existence because itâs so good.
Jamal Adams
If you have the ability to look this smooth on a god damn golf course youâre probably used to owning the room upon entry. Additionally, itâs all but confirmed that every NFL player that matters owns a stack of Jordans taller than Tacko Fall.
Todd Gurley
So Todd Gurley signed with the Falcons after being released by the Rams and proceeded to spend his offseason doing a little fencing? Whatever works.
Blake Bortles
TIL Blake Bortles real name is Robby and I am shook pic.twitter.com/0Oy2IaXgws
â Alex Rollins (@AlexRollinsNFL) September 2, 2020
While the Jaguars have been busy getting rid of just about every single player from the 2018 team that reached the AFC Championship and nearly won it, Blake Bortles finds himself fittingly without a team and now weâve learned his name is actually Robby Bortles?!? If and when he does get signed, he will be forever referred to as Robby Bortles. Thereâs no going back. Heâs Robby Bortles.
Nick Foles
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_AvdvSppkv/
The freeze-frame here does a great job in summing up the electric factory that is Nick Foles.
Mitch Trubisky
ALL ABOARD THE MITCH TRUBISKY TRAIN @Mtrubisky10 named Chicago Bears Week 1 starter against the Detroit Lions.
LET'S RIDE pic.twitter.com/TZPTCtd466
â Clark and Ivy Sports (@ClarkandIvy) September 5, 2020
The only person smiling about Mitch Trubisky being named the Week 1 starter is Mitch Trubisky, who has posted on his Instagram page exactly once this entire year. So thatâs either the sign of a deeply focused player determined to deliver or someone hiding from the inevitable shitstorm.
Robby Anderson
A very focused Robby Anderson stepping off of a jet is symbolism at its finest. The Panthers better take care of this guy though. Heâs looking a little sheepish and who can blame him? However many seasons someone plays for the Jets, multiply it by 12 and thatâll give you a good idea of where their headâs at.
Khalil Mack
If Khalil Mackâs gonna wear a Bulls jersey itâs not gonna be some Jordan or Pippen bullshit, itâs gonna be a Khalil Mack jersey and thatâs final.
Josh Allen
Josh Allen wearing a t-shirt of Devin Singletary at his NFL Combine day is a significant improvement to anything Josh Allen has ever worn. Then again, maybe I shouldnât talk shit about what the guy wears. Heâs doing fine.
Ed Oliver
#Bills QB Josh Allen spotted @Edoliver_11 cruising down the side of the road on his horse. đ pic.twitter.com/HmWOLXgFlE
â Buffalo Rumblings (@BuffRumblings) August 29, 2020
Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver was spotted riding a horse down the side of a road while Josh Allen cruised past him because everything in Buffalo is completely normal.
Time to up the ante, Devin White.
Best Moment Of My Life đ€ #DaisyMae pic.twitter.com/b9vhhFjWhy
â DEVIN WHITE (@DevinWhite__40) November 29, 2018
Deebo Samuel
Niners receiver Deebo Samuel is another one of those guys who can wear a ridiculous fluorescent green jacket and glowing pink sneakers that look like they hopped out of a video game and somehow still make it look like standard casualwear.
Frank Clark
I guess one could say Frank Clark was lovinâ himself some Frank Clark this summer. Hope he knows a cease and desist letter from Camâs fleet of lawyers will be arriving in approximately five minutes.
Jalen Mills
Something tells me Jalen Mills would have green hair even if he didnât play for the Eagles. The guy flat-out loves green and very likely some other green not pictured. No clue as to whatâs going on with those mini Travis Scott AJ1s on the hood â maybe itâs a keychain? â but the Off-White AJ IVs serve as an emphatic exclamation point to a loaded photo.
The man who calls himself the Green Goblin also has a green Lamborghini because why wouldnât he?
Phillip Lindsay
Not a recent photo but itâs incredible and for sure a preview of whatâs to come. This is some pimp shit right here.
Travis Homer?
Yup, Travis Homer wearing nine gold chains and sporting a âhow yaâ like me now, gold teeth when I smileâ look lands him on the official watch list heading into the season. #HoodyHoo
Bill Belichick
The simple addition of a neck gaiter is making Bill Belichick look like an unpredictable wildman. pic.twitter.com/uSc4qIpMsH
â Tim Ryan (@TheSportsHernia) August 24, 2020
Lots and lots of changes in New England this offseason.