NFL players have long been judged by touchdowns, tackles and championships. Now, another part of their public image is attracting almost as much attention: what they wear when they are not playing football.
Across the NFL, game-day arrivals, tunnel outfits, designer collaborations and appearances at major fashion events have turned players into increasingly influential figures in the fashion industry.
The shift is more than a social-media trend. It has created a growing commercial relationship between football, luxury fashion and popular culture — and the NFL is actively embracing it.
At the center of that transformation is Kyle Smith, the NFL’s first fashion editor. His role goes beyond helping players choose clothes. Smith also helps athletes understand how fashion can strengthen their personal brands and open doors into an industry far beyond the football field.
From tunnel walks to fashion week
One of the biggest changes has been the rise of the NFL “tunnel fit” — the outfit players wear when arriving at the stadium.
What was once simply a walk into work has become a highly photographed fashion moment. Social-media accounts, sports broadcasters and fans now analyze players’ suits, jackets, shoes, accessories and designer pieces almost as closely as they analyze the game itself.
That visibility has helped players turn their personalities into recognizable brands.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, for example, have taken their interest in fashion beyond the stadium and into Paris Fashion Week. NFL players have also appeared at major fashion events and collaborated with designers, demonstrating how the boundaries between professional sports and high fashion are becoming increasingly blurred.
The phenomenon has become so significant that the NFL created a dedicated fashion role — an indication that the league sees style as part of its broader cultural and marketing strategy.
Why fashion matters to the NFL
For the league, fashion offers something traditional football coverage cannot always provide: a way to connect with people who may not initially be interested in the sport.
Smith has argued that clothing can reveal the interests, personalities and backgrounds of athletes beyond their positions and statistics.
A player wearing a particular designer, embracing a distinctive style or even sporting a band T-shirt can create a connection with an entirely different audience.
That matters as the NFL continues its international expansion. The league is looking for ways to attract younger and overseas audiences, and fashion gives it another cultural entry point.
The strategy also fits the NFL’s broader effort to reach younger consumers through entertainment, music, gaming and fashion.
Brands are seeing the opportunity
Fashion companies have noticed the influence of NFL players as well.
The league has official relationships with brands including Swiss luxury watchmaker Breitling and Abercrombie & Fitch. In 2026, Abercrombie expanded its NFL partnership with collections representing all 32 teams and featured players including Justin Jefferson, Drake Maye, CeeDee Lamb and others in its campaign.
The growing relationship is mutually beneficial.
Brands gain access to athletes with enormous followings and strong cultural influence, while players gain opportunities to work with designers, appear in campaigns and develop businesses outside football.
That ecosystem is becoming increasingly sophisticated. ESPN reported that Smith’s role has evolved into helping players navigate fashion partnerships, styling, personal branding and appearances at major industry events.
NFL players are challenging old ideas about men’s fashion
Perhaps the most interesting part of the movement is how NFL players are helping redefine what men’s fashion can look like.
JuJu Smith-Schuster made headlines at Super Bowl LVII in 2023 when he arrived wearing a pleated Thom Browne skirt, paired with other luxury pieces. The outfit became another example of professional athletes challenging traditional assumptions about what men “should” wear.
NFL fashion editor Kyle Smith says athletes often approach clothing differently from traditional fashion consumers. If they like something, they are increasingly willing to wear it without worrying about whether it fits conventional ideas of menswear.
That attitude is particularly significant among younger fans, who increasingly view athletes as style references as well as sports stars.
The runway is becoming another playing field
The crossover reached another level during the 2026 GQ Bowl, where designer Thom Browne presented his Fall 2026 collection during football’s biggest weekend.
NFL stars including Justin Jefferson and DeAndre Hopkins were part of the fashion spectacle in San Francisco, further illustrating how football personalities are becoming part of the fashion industry’s visual landscape.
The NFL’s fashion evolution is therefore no longer limited to players wearing expensive clothes before games. It now includes runway appearances, brand campaigns, designer relationships, social-media storytelling and opportunities to build businesses.
A new kind of athlete brand
The bigger story is what this means for the modern professional athlete.
An NFL player’s value is no longer determined solely by what happens between the sidelines. Personality, social-media presence, fashion sense and cultural relevance can all contribute to an athlete’s brand.
That is why fashion has become increasingly important to the league itself.
The NFL is not simply selling football. It is selling the personalities surrounding the sport — and clothing provides one of the most visible ways to tell those stories.
As the league searches for new audiences around the world, its players may increasingly serve as ambassadors not only for football, but for music, culture, entertainment and fashion.
And that could make the NFL’s next big breakthrough happen somewhere completely unexpected: not on the field, but on the runway.
WWC ONE MEDIA MJE
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