There’s no doubt that social media has transformed the NFL. Today, players aren’t judged just by what they do on the field but also by their tweets, TikToks, memes, and IG stories. The platform has turned athletes into brands and touchdowns into trending topics.
But imagine if some of the legends from the pre-Twitter, pre-Instagram, pre-podcast era had the same tools to promote themselves. These were larger-than-life personalities, highlight-reel machines, and fashion icons before going viral was even a thing.
20. Warren Sapp
Sapp was never short on swagger or soundbites. With social media, he’d be everyone’s favorite weekly hot take factory.
19. Bo Jackson
Bo knew marketing before it was cool, and he didn’t even need a phone to go viral. Imagine the Bo Knows campaign rebooted as a TikTok series—instant dominance.
18. Ickey Woods
The Ickey Shuffle would’ve been a whole dance challenge on TikTok. His fun-loving personality and signature moves would’ve kept him trending every Sunday.
17. Randy Moss
Straight cash homie on X, Instagram, and Threads? We’d never hear the end of his highlights—and we’d love every second of it.
16. Chad Johnson
Chad was practically built for the social era before it existed. From custom cleats to mid-game proposals, he’d thrive on platforms that reward boldness.
15. Joe Namath
Broadway Joe would’ve had every brand deal locked down. Between his fashion, confidence, and media magnetism, he’d have millions of followers and zero filters.
14. Deion Sanders
Prime Time in the Instagram age would’ve been dangerous. Every fit check, interception, and quote would be a social media masterclass.
13. Terrell Owens
Prepare your popcorn for his live streams, clapbacks, and workout videos. T.O. would break the internet weekly.
12. Steve Young
Clean-cut but sneaky funny and incredibly smart, Young would crush it on TikTok with storytelling and game breakdowns. He’d be a media darling for the analytics crowd and the memes.
11. Jerome Bettis
The Bus would’ve had a brand as big as his frame. He’d be everywhere between food content, wholesome vibes, and Pittsburgh pride.
10. Michael Irvin
Irvin’s energy alone would fuel half of football Twitter. His behind-the-scenes stories and pregame hype videos would be appointment content.
9. Jim McMahon
The original anti-hero QB, McMahon, thrived on controversy and chaos. He’d be a legend for unfiltered IG Lives and trolling opposing fans.
8. Barry Sanders
Mysterious, modest, and magical—Barry would be football’s ultimate “quiet killer” on social media. The highlight clips would get billions of views, and he’d say nothing about it, which only adds to the legend.
7. Brian Bosworth
The Boz was a walking marketing campaign in an era when people didn’t know what to do with him. In today’s world, he’d be an influencer-slash-linebacker with his streetwear line.
6. Shannon Sharpe
Yes, he’s huge now, but imagine Peak Bronco Sharpe with Twitter fingers and podcast access in real-time. He’d be Skip-less and still undefeated in internet beefs.
5. Mike Ditka
Coach, commentator, icon—Ditka was never afraid to speak his mind. In today’s culture, he’d be the most meme-able coach in NFL history.
4. Ray Lewis
The speeches, the dances, the intensity—Ray Lewis was a content goldmine before content was a thing. Every pregame speech would be a viral monologue.
3. Lawrence Taylor
No one played like LT, and no one partied like LT. He’d be legendary on and off the field—and that feed would be wild.
2. Reggie White
White’s dominance and leadership would have a massive online following. Faith, football, and ferocity? That’s influencer-level brand power.
Read More: 15 NFL Stars Who Loved Themselves Almost as Much as Winning
1. Peyton Manning
Peyton was already hilarious in commercials and interviews—give him Instagram and TikTok and we’d have daily comedic gold. He’d be everyone’s favorite follow between behind-the-scenes film study and awkwardly perfect dad humor.
Read More: 20 Athletes Who’d Be Social Media Superstars Today
