Top 10 Biggest NFL Players Ever – Who Are The Heaviest Of All Time?

Being one of the biggest NFL players is a tall task. But it makes one of the hardest sports to compete in, a lot more manageable.

That’s because features such as size, flexibility, and athleticism play a big role in the players’ success. The fastest soccer players can fit anywhere on the pitch. But in the NFL, speed is required mostly for the skill positions.

Instead, the main battle on an NFL field is done in the trenches. Similarly to the best NBA rebounders, the dirty work in the NFL is done by the linemen. And to succeed there you need to physically dominate your opponent.

Most football fans might not know that the heaviest NFL player ever is Aaron Gibson. At one point in his career, he had weighed over 410 lbs (186). With this much mass on his 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) frame, he was a force to be reckoned with.

But do you know who are the other biggest NFL players ever? Well, below we break down the top 10 heaviest NFL players of all time.

10. Robert Griffin

Weight: 361 lbs (164.2 kg)
NFL teams: New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts
NFL career: 2012

At number 10 on our list of the biggest NFL players ever is Rober Griffin. But don’t confuse him with the former Washington quarterback of the same name. While Robert Griffin III won the Heisman award and became the NFL ROY, this Robert had a tough time getting on the field. Griffin was drafted in 2012 by the New York Jets in the sixth round. Unfortunately, he did not make the regular season roster.

The 361 lbs offensive lineman was then traded to the Indianapolis Colts. But he once again failed to become a part of the regular season roster. Had he earned a roster spot, he would have been a teammate of one of the best kick returners of all time in Josh Cribbs.

After parting ways with the Colts in 2013, he realized that the chances of him making a roster of an NFL team are low. So he started looking at other career options. At the moment he is playing in the Champions Indoor Football League.

9. Mekhi Becton

Weight: 364 lbs (165.1 kg)
NFL teams: New York Jets
NFL career: 2020-present

Next on our list is the offensive tackle for the New York Jets, Mekhi Becton. He’s also one of the most popular players on this list. Becton is an ex-University of Louisville player who was drafted as the 11th overall pick in the 2020 draft by the Jets.

He became well-known in the league after his pre-draft combine workout. There he impressed scouts by running the 40-yard dash in 5.10. For comparison, Tom Brady ran the same distance in 5.26. But then again, he didn’t need speed to become the oldest SuperBowl winning QB.

Thanks to his size and speed, Becton has what it takes to become a solid NFL player, however, this goal is becoming more distant because of his injuries. Although he has been in the league for less than three years, he has already had two serious knee injuries, each of them sidelining him for a considerable period.

8. T.J. Barnes

Weight: 364 lbs (165.1 kg)
NFL teams: New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina
NFL career: 2013-2019

T.J. Barnes is an ex-Georgia Tech student who went undrafted. Fortunately for him, at 6’7″ and 364 lbs he sparked interest from a lot of teams who did not want to risk a draft pick but were willing to give him a chance if he went undrafted.

In the end, Barnes played in the NFL for seven years, playing for five teams as well as for practice squads. In 2015 while he was a member of the Buffalo Bills he had his only start in his career.

During his career, he played in 21 games and had 9 tackles. Maybe if he stuck around the Kansas City Chiefs alongside Andry Reid, one of the winningest NFL coaches ever, he would still have a career.

7. Michael Jasper

Weight: 375 lbs (170.1 kg)
NFL teams: Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers
NFL career: 2011-2014

At 375 lbs, Michael Jasper is the 7th heaviest NFL player ever. However, the interesting thing is that he lost a lot of weight to fight for his spot in the NFL. During his days at Bethel University, Jasper’s peak weight was 450 lbs.

The Buffalo Bills selected the defensive tackle in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft, however, he has never played in an official NFL game. At the moment he is working as the head coach of the Bethel University football team.

6. Trent Brown

Weight: 380 lbs (172.4 kg)
NFL teams: San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots, Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders
NFL career: 2015-present

The Offensive tackle for the New England Patriots, Trent Brown is probably the best in utilizing his size of all the players on this list. Brown attended the University of Florida before being picked in the 7th round of the 2015 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

In 2019 he had the best season of his life, he first won the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots and then made the Pro Bowl after being traded to the Raiders. At 380 lbs, Brown is the heaviest active player in the NFL.

5. William Perry

Weight: 382 lbs (173.3 kg)
NFL teams: Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles
NFL career: 1985-1994

William Perry was drafted in the 1985 draft as the 22nd overall pick by the Chicago Bears. In his rookie season, he would go on to start 9 regular season games. He would also start 3 postseason games and help the Bears finish with a 15-1 regular season record. They would later go on to capture the Super Bowl title against the New England Patriots.

“The Refrigerator” as he is also known, is best known for his touchdown in the Super Bowl. There he ran for his 1-yard before scoring and securing the championship for the Bears. Making him one of the more successful biggest NFL players ever.

During his career, Perry had 8 carries, 2 touchdowns, and 29.5 sacks and was a vital piece of Buddy Ryan’s “46” plan. Playing with NFL all-time sacks leader Reggie White certainly helped.

4. Bryant McKinnie

Weight: 386 lbs (175.1 kg)
NFL teams: Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins
NFL career: 2002-2013

Bryant McKinnie is another huge player that made the best of his size. The 386 lbs lineman won a national championship while playing for the University of Miami in 2001 and this proved to be his ticket to the NFL.

In the 2002 NFL draft, he was selected by the Minnesota Vikings as the 7th overall pick. He would go on to start in 162 games and make the Pro Bowl in 2009 while he played for the Vikings.

Before retiring in 2013, McKinnie also played for the Baltimore Ravens and the Miami Dolphins. However, during this later period of his career, his weight was significantly lower. I guess suiting up for one of the worst NFL teams ever does hurt your appetite.

3. Nate Newton

Weight: 401 lbs (181.9 kg)
NFL teams: Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers
NFL career: 1986-1999

In the 1990s, Nate Newton played for the Dallas Cowboys and he was a part of one of the arguably best offensive units in the history of the NFL. During his stay in Dallas, he was instrumental in helping the Cowboys bring home 3 Super Bowls.

Since Newton played in the same era as Perry (number 5 on our list) he earned the nickname “The Kitchen” for being bigger than Perry. In addition to 2 Super Bowl rings, The Kitchen made 6 Pro Bowls and had 2 First Team All-Pro selections in his career.

2. Terrell Brown

Weight: 403 lbs (182.8 kg)
NFL teams: St. Louis Rams
NFL career: 2013

Terrel Brown never played in a regular-season NFL game. However, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams in the 2013 season, which made him eligible for this list.

Although his size and strength should have in theory helped him in becoming an NFL player, this did not work out in practice. His lateral quickness was subpar for his position and didn’t allow him to earn more snaps.

Terrel Brown is another example of how dominance in one area doesn’t guarantee success. Just as the fastest NFL players need complementary skills, so do the heaviest.

1. Aaron Gibson

Weight: 410 lbs (186 kg)
NFL teams: Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears
NFL career: 1999-2004

The heaviest NFL player of all time is Aaron Gibson, his peak weight while playing in the NFL was 410 lbs. But the interesting thing is that during his college days, he peaked at 440 lbs.

While playing at Wisconsin, he was an All-American, however, he could not find the same success at the professional level. He was selected by the Detroit Lions in the 1999 NFL draft as the 27th overall pick and played in the NFL for five years.

During his NFL career, he started in 34 games playing for the Lions, the Cowboys, and the Bears. After retiring, he played in the Arena Football League.

And while his NFL career was pretty underwhelming, Aaron Gibson will at least for now be known as the biggest NFL player of all time.