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Since hand sizes may seem important in football, I bet you’re wondering what the G.O.A.T Tom Brady’s hand size is. Tom Brady’s handspan measures 9.38 inches, which is just the average hand size for his height.
Being the position of Quarterback from Michigan, Draft Class 2000, Draft age of 22.8—he has a height of 76.4 inches, a weight of 211 pounds, a BMI of 26.03, and an arm’s length of 32.75 inches.
Though Brady’s hands are not the largest ever brought in by the Patriots through a rookie signing, they are still noticeably bigger than others—like Kingsbury’s or O’Connell’s.
“You look at the pictures of Tommy holding a football, part of his accuracy is based on his hand size. So things like that, in terms of measurements, they have value.”
– Pioli
Key Takeaways
- Tom Brady’s handspan measures 9.38 inches, which is just the average hand size for his height.
- Tom Brady’s hands are not the largest ever among the Patriots’ rookie signings, they are still noticeably bigger than others—like Kingsbury’s or O’Connell’s.
Does Hand Size Matter for Quarterbacks in the NFL?
There has been ongoing controversy over the importance of having a large hand size for the NFL. This is due to the existing belief that players with larger hand sizes will have a better ball grip, especially when playing in inclement weather.
Each NFL combine quarterback will take a hand size measurement in the lead-up to the draft. NFL quarterbacks will outstretch their hands for the measure. And the hand size is determined by a tape calculating the distance from the thumb tip to the pinky finger.
Most quarterbacks in the history of the NFL have an average hand size measurement of at least over nine inches. And most NFL coaches also prefer having quarterbacks with handspans of at least 9.5 inches. Some coaches are also extremely specific about this particular issue. Browns coach Hue Jackson, for example, was fond of quarterbacks with handspans of 10 inches or wider.
However, there are still cases where quarterbacks with small hand sizes rock succeed in their football careers. The famous quarterback Patrick Mahomes with a hand size of only 9.25 inches is the best proof against all existing doubt. He has made a reputation for his long throw, pressure, and arm strength. He is also famous for his excellent ability to change his arm angles, drop his arms, and swing the ball sideways whenever the pocket gets too messy.
Nevertheless, the 9.25-inch hand size of Patrick Mahomes ain’t the smallest record in NFL history. We’ll take a look at the smallest and largest hands ever measured!
NFL Quarterback Players With the Smallest Hands Ever Measured
Below is a list of some of the NFL quarterbacks with the smallest hands:
Doug Hudson; Hand Size: 7.25 inches
Former Kansas City Chiefs player Doug Hudson is known to have the smallest hands measured of any NFL quarterback. Even though he stands at 6’2”, his hands are surprisingly small with a measurement of 7.25 inches. More so when compared to Russell Wilson who stands three inches shorter than Doug Hudson, who has a handspan of 10.25 inches.
Find out who is the tallest quarterback in the NFL in our latest article.
Michael Vick; Hand Size: 8.50 inches
Michael Vick—former Virginia Tech, Atlanta Falcons, and Philadelphia Eagles star—is the only top quarterback taken since 2000 with a hand size smaller than the Tigers’ National Champion, Joe Burrow. Vick also won an ESPY award for best NFL Player in 2003 from ESPN voters. His success would be greatly rewarded with a ten-year, $130 million dollar contract in January of 2005. Who says having small hands can’t get you big money?
Joe Burrow; Hand Size: 9 inches
When the Tigers went 15-0—in his historic 2019 season at LSU—and dominated en route to the College Football Playoff national championship, it was known to be Burrow’s historic 2019 season at LSU.[1] It’s a telltale of why he is considered the likely choice for the Cincinnati Bengals with the No. 1 overall pick.
- Brandon Allen has a handspan of 8.88”, while standing 6’2”.
- Charlie Frye stands at 6’4″ with a handspan of 8.88”.
- Tommy Hodson has a handspan of 8.88” with a height of 6’3”.
- Shane Matthews also has a handspan of 8.88”, while having a height of 6’3”.
- Steve Matthews, same with Tommy Hodson and Shane Matthews, stands at 6’3” with a handspan of 8.88”.
- Kevin O’Connell, with a height of 6’5”, has a handspan of 8.88”.
- John Friesz has a handspan of 8.75” while standing 6’4”.
- Mike Perez, standing 6’1”, has a handspan of 8.75”.
- T.J. Rubley has a handspan of 8.75” while having a height of 6’3”.
- Tonny Sacca is 6’5” in height, with an 8.75” handspan.
- Tyler Wilson is standing 6’2” with a hand measurement of 8.68”.
- Jeff Blake stands at 6’1” with a handspan of 8.50”.
- John David Booty has a hand measurement of 8.50” while having a height of 6’2”.
- Kliff Kingsbury stands at 6’3” with a handspan of 8.50”.
Players in quarterback that have small hands don’t mean they can’t be great. For instance, Michael Vick has shown that despite having small hands, one can do great in the NFL.
And speaking of quarterbacks, some offense-exclusive articles talk about wishbone formation, pistol formation offense, and triple-option.
NFL Quarterback Players With the Largest Hands Ever Measured
Below is a list of NFL quarterbacks with the largest hands ever measured:
- Andrew Luck; Hand Size: 10.00 inches
- Matthew Stafford; Hand Size: 10.00 inches
- Carson Wentz; Hand Size: 10.00 inches
- Peyton Manning; Hand Size: 10.13 inches
- Gardner Minshew; Hand Size: 10.13 inches
- Tim Tebow; Hand Size: 10.13 inches
- Drew Brees; Hand Size: 10.25 inches
- Russell Wilson; Hand Size: 10.25 inches
- Brett Favre; Hand Size: 10.38 inches
- Steve McNair; Hand Size: 10.50 inches
- Mark Sanchez; Hand Size: 10.50 inches
- Nick Foles; Hand Size: 10.63 inches
- Heath Shuler; Hand Size: 10.63 inches
- Ryan Fitzpatrick; Hand Size: 10.75 inches
- Cody Kessler; Hand Size: 10.88 inches
- Dak Prescott; Hand Size: 10.88 inches
- Jim Druckenmiller; Hand Size: 11.25 inches
For more NFL stats, check this out.
Final Words
Hand size has recently become one of the most considered factors when it comes to comparing draft prospects.[2] This measurement is often discussed, especially when it comes to choosing players for the quarterback position. For Tom Brady, he has a decent hand size and his hand size is among the average measurement of quarterbacks playing in the NFL.
Although there appears to be a significantly better chance for a quarterback with large hands to succeed in the NFL, players with small hands still have an equal potential to succeed if they put in a lot of extra hard work.
What do you think? Does hand size really matter to make a name in this sport? We’d love to hear your thoughts and comment on this article.
Are you a Tom Brady fan? Check out this article on why he is considered the greatest football player of all time.
References:
- Retrieved from https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/redskins/joe-burrow-has-small-hands-and-big-sense-humor
- Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/feb/25/joe-burrow-hand-size-nfl-quarterbacks
