American Magazine: November 2016

top picks
ILLUSTRATION BY TAYLOR CALLERY
As a senior on his high school
football team, John
Fitzpatrick, SOC/BA ’06,
weighed a waifish 125
pounds. It’s no wonder, then,
that his pigskin career ended
when he got to college. Still,
Fitzpatrick craved contact, so he
< Average NFL player 6’3”
competed on AU’s rugby club
team and played the sport into
his late 20s, when he tore his
ACL during a touch rugby game.
A marketing manager for the
National Football League
Players Association,
Fitzpatrick has attended the last
five Super Bowls, and he routinely
rubs shoulders with the NFL’s
biggest and brightest stars—as
well as its smallest ones.
“When you shake hands with
some of these guys, they’re so
strong they almost crush
your hand. Anytime you meet
an offensive lineman you’re like,
wow, this guy is massive,” says
Fitzpatrick, who stands five foot
nine inches tall and has bulked
up to 155 pounds. “Then you
meet some other guys and you
think, this guy’s not
much bigger than me,
I can’t believe he’s in the NFL.”
FITZPATRICK’S FAVORITE
PLAYERS SIX FEET OR
UNDER (from tallest to shortest)
1. DREW BREES
Despite standing “only” six feet tall, Brees
has excelled as a quarterback at every
level. In college he was a prolific passer,
but draft experts felt he was too small to
play the position in the NFL. One Super
Bowl win and multiple Pro Bowls later, he’s
proved his doubters wrong.
2. NATE EBNER
The six-foot Ebner played rugby in
college, walked onto the Ohio State
football team, and ended up becoming
a special teams stud for the Patriots.
3. DON BEEBE
At five foot eleven, Beebe makes this list
because of one memorable play; in Super
Bowl XXVII, he chased down Leon Lett
and knocked the football out of his hands
before Lett crossed the goal line. Beebe’s
Bills were hopelessly behind, but his effort
demonstrates why you never give up.
4. DOUG FLUTIE
Among the smallest quarterbacks
ever, the five-foot-ten Flutie had many
memorable moments, including his
legendary 1984 Hail Mary touchdown
pass in college and his drop kick extra
point for New England Patriots in 2006.
5. ANTONIO BROWN
He’s demonstrated that you don’t have
to be big to excel as a wide receiver.
Taken in the sixth round of the NFL draft,
the five-foot-ten Brown has tormented
defenses.
6. DARRELL GREEN
At five foot nine, this two-time Super
Bowl champion and member of the Hall
of Fame was one of the fastest players
in the game for nearly 20 seasons.
7. STEVE SMITH
He’s just plain fun to watch. Always
known for being a fierce competitor,
Smith’s had a very productive career
catching passes across the middle,
despite being five foot nine.
8. BARRY SANDERS
One of the most elusive runners in NFL
history, the five-foot-eight Sanders
averaged more than 1,500 yards a season.
9. DANNY WOODHEAD
One of the top Division II players in college,
Woodhead went undrafted in 2008, largely
because he’s five foot eight. He signed
with the Jets and has contributed for the
Patriots and Chargers.
10. DARREN SPROLES
One of the smallest players in the NFL,
the five-foot-six Sproles specializes in
catching passes out of the backfield.
6 feet
< Average man 5’10”
5 feet
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