What Is The Average Weight And Height Of Football Players?
Last updated on November 14th, 2023 at 08:16 pm
Most people know that football players are large, strong people, but most might not know just how big a football player is.
Learning about the size of football players, and what this means for the sport, can be eye-opening.

How big is the average football player?
Football players do vary in size, but because size is so important to the sport, most football players are close to the average. The average height of a football player is about 6 feet 2 inches, and most football players weigh between 216 and 246 pounds. Some football players, however, can weigh up to 400 pounds.

Why are quarterbacks smaller?
Quarterbacks are traditionally smaller than the other players on a football team, but they’re not necessarily shorter.
An average quarterback generally weighs about 225 pounds, but quarterbacks are usually about 6 feet 3 inches tall.
This additional height helps them see over the tallest players in front of them.
Quarterbacks are required to do more running and to move more quickly, dodging in and around other players.
For this reason, a smaller weight can help them, as it can increase maneuverability on the field.
Less bulk also means faster speed, so they can more easily maneuver and dart their way to the end zone.

Why is size important in football?
Football isn’t a gentle sport, so having extra muscle and weight can help a football player maneuver on the field.
If the player is large and strong, they can fend off other players, pushing themselves and their team into a better position for scoring.
Just how big a football player needs to be depends on their position. Defensive linemen, for example, use their size to stop the other team from advancing. Their job is to hold strong, even when they’re pushed.
Offensive linemen, on the other hand, are the ones doing the pushing, and they need to be able to rush against the defensive linemen to advance their position.

How do football players put on muscle?
Football players condition their bodies and put on muscle in two ways. First, they exercise and follow a strength training regimen. This training includes many muscle-building exercises, such as lifting weights.
These athletes also work on their stamina and maneuverability during their training and, depending on what their position on the team is, each football player will tailor his workout to fit his position’s needs.
This training regimen also includes plenty of time for recovery, which allows the muscles to relax and grow. Sleep is incredibly important when it comes to gaining muscle, and it’s also important to stretch and massage the muscles during downtimes.

The second part of putting on muscle and conditioning the body has to do with what football players eat.
Professional football players have very specific diets. Most foods must be high in protein, which helps to grow bigger, stronger muscles. Protein can also help to repair muscle when it’s damaged.
Football players should ensure that at least 10% of their total calories are made up of protein. Foods with high concentrations of vitamins and minerals are also an essential part of the diet, and complex carbohydrates help to give athletes long-lasting energy.
In fact, carbohydrates should make up about half of a football player’s diet.
Muscles require a large number of calories in order to maintain themselves, so many football players must eat throughout the day in order to take in enough calories.
In general, a football player needs to eat about 50 calories for every 2.2 pounds of body weight. This means an average football player needs to eat between 4,909 and 5,590 calories every day.

Are football players bigger than other athletes?
Football players generally weigh more than most athletes, but many athletes need to put on large amounts of muscle in order to excel at their sports.
Bobsledders, for example, are usually quite muscular so that they can push the sled down the ice before jumping in. It also requires a great amount of strength to steer or brake the sled while it’s in motion.

Shot put and discus throwers also tend to be built bigger, as they need their muscles to throw either the discus or shot put as far as possible. Any additional weight helps to add force to their throw.
Basketball players might not be heavier than football players, but they are, on average, much taller.
The average professional basketball player is about 6 feet 6 inches. Basketball players average only about 217 pounds in weight, but they often look much thinner than football players because their weight is distributed over a much taller frame.
Rugby, a game that blends some football and soccer rules, also features tall players. Rugby players usually average about 6 feet 2 inches tall, although their lock forward position players average about 6 feet 6 inches.
The average rugby player’s weight is about 225 pounds.
