Rarely do you see athletes who stand around seven feet tall getting suited up to take on the football field. Most of these guys are usually found dunking on a basketball court.
But when it comes to American football, bigger is better. You may know about some of the more well-known players not known for their height, but who was the tallest NFL player? These athletes have gained fame for their height and other impressive feats.
Let’s take a closer look at a few of the tallest NFL players that have played for some of the top teams since the NFL first started.
Who Is the Tallest NFL Player?
Like so many others, this is a question that gets asked online, and we hope to help answer it for you. Although the tallest NFL player played as a wide receiver, several positions have housed notoriously tall athletes.
Tallest Kicker
This goes to a guy from Dublin, Ireland, who came to the USA in the 1970s to play college football at St. Bernard College in New York before transferring to Auburn University in Alabama.
Once at Auburn, Neil Donoghue, who stood 6 feet 6 inches tall, became a kicker for the university team. He still holds the record with another kicker for the longest field goal in the university’s history from a distance of 57 yards away.
As a professional football player during the 1970s and 1980s, he got the opportunity to play for the St. Louis Cardinals in Missouri, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Bills.
Tallest Quarterback
This title goes to Dan McGwire, born in 1967 and the tallest quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks from 1991 until 1994. He then played for the Miami Dolphins from 1994 until 1995, when his career ended.
He is considered by many a “first-round bust” because he was the first quarterback to get drafted in 1991. Standing at 6 feet 8 inches tall, he is considered even now to be the tallest person ever to play as a quarterback in the NFL.
Tallest Tight End
Morris Stroud is the tallest person in NFL history to play tight end. He stood at 6 feet 10 inches tall. Throughout his professional career, which lasted from 1969 until 1974, he was the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Even though he had little experience playing football, Morris Stroud was chosen by the Kansas City Chiefs coach as the first-round draft pick.
During his entire career at Kansas City Chiefs, Morris Stroud was part of the Super Bowl Championship team. He also participated in games that led to the Kansas City Chiefs becoming the AFL champions in 1969.
Tallest Offensive Tackle
Born in 1974, Jonathan Ogden, 6 feet 9 inches tall, spent his entire time as a professional football player with the Baltimore Ravens. Before taking up football professionally, he played college football for the UCLA Bruins.
Jonathan Ogden was one of the first 1996 NFL drafts chosen by the Baltimore Ravens. Throughout his debut year as an American football player in the left tackle position, he received numerous prizes that consisted of trips to Hawaii due to this exceptional work.
He was also considered one of the most outstanding offensive tackles during his time as an NFL player. Along with being named a Super Bowl Champion, he was also awarded the title of UPI Lineman in 1995. Furthermore, in 1995 he was also presented with the Jim Parker Trophy for being the best offensive lineman for the University of California.
Tallest Outside Linebacker
The guy who is considered the tallest outside linebacker in the history of the NFL is Ted Hendricks. Born in 1947, he stands 6 feet 7 inches tall, and his professional career began in 1969.
He was selected as a linebacker for the Baltimore Colts during the second round of the NFL draft in 1969. However, his career started with the Baltimore Colts, who moved cities and became known as the Indianapolis Colts in 1984. During his illustrious career as an NFL player, he also spent time playing for the LA Raiders, Green Bay Packers, and Oakland Raiders.
As an American football special teams player, his statistics while playing for the Baltimore Colts are impressive. As an offensive lineman, he achieved 26 interceptions and 60.5 quarterback sacks. He also broke the record during his time with four safeties.
As a professional football player, he played on four teams that won the Super Bowl Championship. He also was a Pro Bowl champion eight times. Plus, in 1990, at the age of 43, he was selected to be included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Tallest Guard Tackle
Robert Gallery, who is 6 feet 7 inches tall, spent his career as a professional footballer playing for the Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, and New England Patriots.
His professional career began in 2004 when he was selected in the NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders. During his first 16 games for the team, he played as a right tackle before becoming a defensive lineman, where he played in the positions of left tackle and then left guard.
His move to the Seattle Seahawks took place in 2011, where he signed a deal worth over $15 million over three years. But his time as a player with this NFL team was brief, and in 2012 he signed for the New England Patriots.
But his experience in football was short-lived, and he announced his retirement from the sport at the end of the season.
Tallest Safety
Pat Watkins began playing American football professionally in 2006 and measures 6 feet 5 inches in height. His career started with the Dallas Cowboys before playing for the San Diego Chargers. He also spent the last few years playing in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Toronto Argonauts and the Edmonton Eskimos.
During the 2006 NFL scouting combine, he ran 40 yards in 4.42 seconds. At this time, the Dallas Cowboys chose him for the NFL draft. During his first year as a professional player, he started in 9 out of 14 games for the Cowboys.
He continued playing for the Cowboys until 2010 when he moved to the San Diego Chargers. Unfortunately, his time with this team as an essential team player lasted just one season due to injuries.
After a year away from the NFL, Pat Watkins decided to start his new career as a professional football player in the Canadian Football League. He played in this league from 2012 until 2016. In 2016, the Edmonton Eskimos decided not to renew Pat Watkins’ contract.
Tallest Defensive Tackle
As well as being the tallest defensive tackle, Richard Sligh is considered the tallest NFL player ever. Standing at 7 feet 7 inches tall, he played for North Carolina Central University.
His first season as a professional football player was in the AFL, where he played as a defensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders in 1967. Richard Sligh was drafted into the team during the 10th round. He participated in just eight games for this team and was even on the bench during the Super Bowl II game when they played against the Green Bay Packers.
The following season in 1968, he moved to play for the Cincinnati Bengals but chose to retire at the end of it. After this, he led a tranquil life before dying in 2008 at 64.
Tallest Defensive End
Born in 1951, Ed “Too Tall” Jones led a remarkable career as an NFL player. His time began in 1974 and lasted until 1989.
Before turning professional, Ed Jones started playing football for Tennessee State University. Then in 1974, his professional career as an American Football Player took off due to his physical attributes after being picked in the NFL draft of that year to join the Dallas Cowboys.
Tallest Wide Receiver
The player considered the tallest wide receiver is Harold Carmichael, who measures 6 feet 8 inches tall. His career as an NFL player lasted for over 13 years. The first 12 years of his career were spent playing in the NFL as a wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles.
He was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1971 until 1983. Then in 1984, he moved to play for the Dallas Cowboys. While playing for the Eagles, he was recognized as the NFL’s Man of the Year in 1980.
But before becoming a professional American football player, he started playing basketball as a center at Southern University, Louisiana. He was also part of the university’s track and field team, and he participated in both javelin and discus competitions.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that many of the guys we’ve listed above would have made it as college basketball players due to their certain physical traits.
Yes, height is vital to the NBA, but it isn’t so much to the NFL.
Along with those we’ve discussed above, there are plenty of others we could list as the tallest NFL player. This includes players like Jared Veldheer, Alejandro Villanueva, Brandon Parker, and Diontae Spencer.
