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The NFL is a league whose doors are open to players of all shapes and sizes. However, it is certainly true that there is room in the game for the biggest athletes, and we are going to look at a few of these brawny characters today in our list of the heaviest to ever appear in the NFL.
William Perry was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1985, and with an outsized personality that matched his frame he soon became a fan favorite. However, at a mere 335 pounds during his pro career, he can’t even crack the top 10 heaviest players.
So let’s start by taking a look at the five heaviest players to ever take the field:
At 5th position in our list, Daniel Faalele is the heaviest NFL player active in the game today. He is also the only person on this list born outside of the United States, as he hails from Melbourne, Australia. Faalelele played rugby union as a teen, with his 220lb bulk at age 13 giving him a certain advantage in that sport. He was drafted by the Ravens in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, after impressing while playing college ball at the University of Minnesota. At time of writing Faalele has played 45 games for Baltimore over three seasons.
Where is Daniel Faalele now? Daniel continues to play with the Baltimore Ravens, where he is the starting right guard.
Michael Jasper played college football at the University of Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State University and finally Bethel University, where reportedly his weight fluctuated between 375 and 450 pounds. The Buffalo Bills took a chance on him in the 7th round of the 2011 NFL Draft, although he would only make the practice squad for the start of that season. Jasper would go on to bounce around the league, signing for the Titans, Giants and Panthers but never making it beyond practice squads. Besides his stature, Jasper is also notable for being the most recent player drafted into the NFL from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
Where is Michael Jasper now? Jasper held the positions of Offensive and Defensive Line Assistant at Bishop Timon High School in Buffalo, New York. In January 2019 he was named Head Coach at Bethel University after working there as an assistant for the previous 3 years. As of December 2024 he is still working as Bethel’s Head Coach.
Not everyone on this list hit the heights as a player, but Nate Newton was definitely a success story in the NFL. If William Perry was ‘The Refrigerator’ then Nate Newton was known as ‘The Kitchen’. He would go on to play for 14 seasons in the NFL, making 6 Pro Bowls along the way and winning three Super Bowls for the famous Cowboys team of the 1990s. Newton played a major role in their success, using his size on the O-line to protect QB Troy Aikman and give running back Emmitt Smith room to move. Nate finished up his career with the Carolina Panthers in 1999.
Where is Nate Newton today? Nate has worked as a radio broadcaster with KESN in Dallas and appears on Dallas Cowboys podcasts. In February 2024, Newton was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame.
Terrell Brown may have been an undrafted free agent when he entered the league, but he was hard to ignore at over 400 pounds and 6 foot 10 inches. The (then) St Louis Rams took a chance on him in 2013, but it turned out that size wouldn’t be enough to make for a successful NFL career. He lives on in the record books as one of the heaviest ever players in NFL history, but his tenure with the Rams lasted barely a couple of months and he failed to make a spot on the roster or play a regular season game in the league.
Where is Terrell Brown now? There is no readily available public information on Terrell’s whereabouts today, as he has kept out of the media spotlight.
When Aarron Gibson entered the NFL in 1999 he made history as the heaviest player to ever play the game, weighing in at 410 pounds. Gibson played in college for Wisconsin and was drafted 27th overall by the Detroit Lions in ’99, with the hopes that his immense bulk would prove a difference-maker in his role as offensive tackle. It didn’t quite work out that way. Gibson made 39 appearances in the NFL, but was dogged by shoulder injuries throughout what would be a 5-year career. During that time he played for the Lions, Cowboys and Bears before quitting the NFL in 2004. After a period spent with various Arena league teams Aaron retired from all football in 2010
Where is Aaron Gibson Today? After retiring from the game Aaron set about transforming his body, and a program of diet and exercise has seen his weight drop to 290 pounds. In retirement he spends much of his time on the golf course.
Here are the 10 biggest big men to ever play for an NFL team (or teams) including their highest weight during their playing career, position and team(s):
| Player | Weight | Position | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Gibson | 410 lbs | Offensive Tackle | Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears |
| Terrell Brown | 403 lbs | Offensive Tackle | St. Louis Rams |
| Nate Newton | 401 lbs | Offensive Guard | Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers |
| Michael Jasper | 394 lbs | Offensive Guard | Buffalo Bills |
| Daniel Faalele | 384 lbs | Offensive Tackle | Baltimore Ravens |
| Trent Brown | 380 lbs | Offensive Tackle | New England Patriots |
| Ted Washington | 375 lbs | Defensive Tackle | Multiple Teams |
| T.J. Barnes | 364 lbs | Defensive Tackle | New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Mekhi Becton | 364 lbs | Offensive Tackle | New York Jets |
| Bryant McKinnie | 352lbs | Offensive Tackle | Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins |
Of course, the NFL is not only for giants – check out this article to read about some of the smallest NFL players of all time.
Ross has been writing about sports for over a decade, spcecializing in the NFL, soccer and boxing. His written work has appeared on a number of online publications over that time.