Shortest ever NFL player

The shortest-ever NFL player is Jack Shapiro (USA), who measured 5 feet ½ inch (1.53 m) tall and played halfback for the Staten Island Stapletons in 1929.

Shapiro played in just one NFL game, against the Minneapolis Red Jackets on 24 November 1929. He rushed for 7 yards (two attempts) and returned a punt 12 yards.

Early Life and Background 

In a sport that has always prized physicality and explosive power, Jack Shapiro’s diminutive stature makes him one of the NFL’s most eye-catching players. He was born in 1907 in New York City, USA, the son of Russian immigrants. Jack played high-school football against the wishes of his father, who had seen two of his other sons break their legs playing sports. At New York University, Jack played college football for the Violets. In 1927, they went 7–1–2, losing only their final game of the season.

Entry into the NFL 

Jack was still at college when he tried out for the Staten Island Stapletons, who played in the National Football League between 1929 and 1932. His league career officially lasted just one game, against the Minneapolis Red Jackets on 24 November 1929. The tie, which played out in front of 2,000 fans at Thompson’s Stadium on Staten Island, saw the Stapes cruise to a 34-0 win. Jack later claimed that he had in fact played two regular-seasons games and an exhibition match, scoring a touchdown in the latter. But the end of his first NFL season was also the end of his last – he returned to college, and graduated in 1931.

Legacy and Impact on the NFL 

Jack’s NFL career might have been brief, but his status as its shortest-ever player ensures that it will never be forgotten. In 1995, Jack – who lived to the age of 93 – was presented with the Norm Van Brocklin Award for Outstanding Achievement by the NFL Alumni. His record stands to this day, and might never be broken.

Notable shorter NFL players

1. Trindon Holliday (5 ft 5 in; 1.65 m)

   The jet-heeled wide receiver clocked 10.07 sec for the 100 metres and qualified for the 2007 Athletics World Championship, but he chose to focus on his college football career. Holliday was signed by six NFL teams between 2010 and 2015. During the Denver Broncos’ divisional-round tie against the Baltimore Ravens in 2013, he returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns – the first time two kicks had been returned for TDs in a playoff game.
   
   

2. Bob Sanders (5 ft 8 in; 1.72 m)

   Despite battling injuries for much of his career, Bob Sanders left his mark on the NFL. A safety for the Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers, his speed and brutal hits earned him the nicknames “the Eraser” and “the Hitman”. Sanders won a championship ring at Super Bowl XLI and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year the following year.
   
   

3. Barry Sanders (5 ft 8 in; 1.72 m)

   One of the all-time great running backs, Barry Sanders spent 10 seasons in the NFL for the Detroit Lions. He led the league in rushing yards for four seasons and shared the 1997 NFL MVP award with Green Bay Packers’ QB Brett Favre. Sanders retired in 1999 having amassed 15,269 rushing yards – just 1,457 short of the then record, by Walter Payton.

The tallest NFL players

At the other end of the scale is defensive tackle Richard Sligh (USA), who played for eight games for the Oakland Raiders in 1967. Sligh stood exactly 7 ft (2.13 m) and remains the tallest-ever NFL player.

As of 2024, the tallest active player is Dan Skipper, offensive tackle for the Detroit Lions, who measures 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m). This is the same height as Morris Stroud, who spent six seasons at the Kansas City Chiefs between 1969 and 1974. The towering tight end became famous for his attempts to knock away field-goal attempts by jumping up by the goalposts as the ball passed over the crossbar. The NFL brought in a new regulation, informally known as the “Stroud rule”, to stop players from this kind of goal tending.