Most football fans are used to seeing their favorite players dressed in jerseys, game pants and helmets. But as fashion evolves so do these players’ pregame outfits, red carpet looks and street style. The NFL’s partnership with GQ Sports is giving fans an inside scoop of players’ fashion creativity and style during pregame.
Over the past few years, NFL pregame fashion has shifted from simple dress suits to avant-garde and high-fashion looks. This is due to players investing in personal stylists and some even working to curate their own personal style.
Players such as Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow are making the “NFL Tunnel” their own fashion show before each game. Instead of focusing on traditional menswear, these players are embracing high-fashion and experimentation when it comes to style off the field.
“NFL fashion has definitely elevated from previous years, given that a lot of the football players now have their own stylists to put outfits together solely for their games,” junior journalism major Genna Sobiech said.
One of Sobiech’s most admired players, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman, is styled by Marisa Ripepi. Sobiech’s favorite look of his consists of textured brown denim, a white tank top and a black and white Rotten Dynasty letterman jacket.
“I like Rashod Bateman because you can see throughout the past few seasons how his style continues to elevate with the help of a stylist,” Sobiech said.
In comparison, Kelce and Burrow are proclaimed self-stylists, making their most viral outfits even more reflective of their personality. Kelce has gone viral for many of his looks, but his most recognized pregame outfit to date would be a blue and white matching denim set from KidSuper. Burrow’s most memorable outfit would be his colorful patchwork sweater designed by a friend from high school.
NFL stars are also integrating their culture into pregame fashion statements. Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah wears traditional African clothing to each football pregame. Owusu-Koramoah proudly represents his Ghanaian culture, dressed in cloth wraps and African suits.
In an article by Women’s Wear Daily, the NFL’s fashion content strategist, Kyle Smith, and vice president of influencer marketing at the NFL, Eddie Capobianco, talk about how younger generations are influencing players to craft their own style and converge both fashion and sports. Millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha have an increasing interest in fashion, giving NFL players a new outlet for influencing.
“I think players are realizing that fashion is a tool they can use to be expressive of themselves now more than ever,” Sobiech said. “It’s gaining more respect, they are learning more and appreciating fashion as an art.”
NFL fashion will grow and evolve as players continue to partner with more fashion brands such as Boss, Born x Raised, Kith, Nike and many more. Even though Taylor Swift’s newfound interest in the sport has drawn attention to certain players, the fashion industry has become a vital part of NFL players’ lives on gameday.
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Hi! I’m Annie Gleydura, A Magazine’s editor-in-chief. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.
