The NFL Combine will spark debate across the football world, especially when it comes to measurements. And no measurement creates more controversy than a quarterback’s hand size.
We examine why quarterbacks have their hand size measured at the NFL Combine and ask if it matters.
Why Are Quarerbacks’ Hand Sizes Measured at the NFL Combine?
Getting measured is a crucial part of the NFL Combine. Each measurement holds varying significance depending on the position, from height and weight to wingspan and hand size. For quarterbacks, however, hand size often receives particular attention.
The measurement is taken with the hand fully extended, measuring the distance from the tip of the pinky finger to the tip of the thumb.
Each team has its own measurement thresholds, and the consensus appears to be teams need a quarterback’s hand size to be a minimum of 9 inches. This is because an NFL football is 21 inches in circumference, and larger hands theoretically offer a better grip.
That, in turn, should mean a prospect is able to throw with more control, have better velocity, and have better arm strength.
Does Hand Size Really Matter?
The internet has become infatuated with quarterback hand size. Fans of the NFL Draft will recall how Kenny Pickett’s hand size went viral before the 2022 NFL Draft.
Some fans, journalists, and commentators actively mocked the former Pittsburgh Panthers passer’s hand size with memes and gifs being shared across the internet.
The Pittsburgh Steelers still selected Pickett in the first round, but his 8.5-inch hands caused a lot of debate in scouting circles. For context, the average human man is 7.4 inches, putting the now Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback in the well above-average category for adult males.
However, it was the third smallest hand size measurement recorded, with Pickett only just coming ahead of Kevin Davidson (2020) and Connor Halliday (2015).
KEEP READING: Scouting Reports on the Top 100 Prospects
ESPN reports that the average hand size of the 39 quarterbacks drafted in the first round between 2008 and 2020 was 9.7 inches. But do small hands really mean you can’t be a successful NFL quarterback? Simply, no.
Another example of small-hand discussion plaguing the discussion of a quarterback is Joe Burrow. Burrow had one of the best single seasons we have ever seen from a passer with the LSU Tigers. However, his hand measurement was 9 inches exactly, with many people again joking he had small hands.
It hasn’t stopped the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback from becoming one of the best in the NFL. Subsequently, Patrick Mahomes (9 1/4”) and Aaron Rodgers (9 3/8”) also showcase that you can be great with below-average hand size.
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