The NFL has a legacy of high-visibility, big personality players. Outspoken, high performing wide receivers, outspoken players of the past have defined the culture and even the way business is conducted. Though player participation is as important as performance, it is now different. Touchdowns earn millions of clicks. A player’s social media account is a direct connection to potential customers and major companies, while personal media can become a podcast empire.
Players of the modern NFL know the power of building a business. Fans are becoming dedicated followers of a player even when their favorite player leaves their favorite team. Personal branding allows an athlete to have the flexibility to adapt after trades and retirement and the ability to survive injuries.
Players have greater power in making their personal fortunes as companies compete for players in endorsements. The entire entertainment business surrounding the NFL is changing, especially with personal brand power of players in mind. Professional athletes are more than athletes now.
How the NFL’s Social Media Playbook Is Changing
There was a time when all an athlete needed to promote their name was an incredible game and the grace of a sports journalist to put it on television. Most athlete’s only avenue to reach the fans was to play for a big team and hope that team made a big splash.
Now, athletes can go direct to fan and skip the sports journalist completely.
Social media has completely changed how players interact with their fans. Training sessions, milestones, fashion choices, and opinions, all can be shared directly to the fans.
This changes everything and has created commercial value. It allows the athletes who have built an audience, to attract the advertisers who have been waiting to spend money to tap into this market of customers.
The NFLPA has created an influencer hot list for 2025 in partnership with social intelligence firm Zoomph, and evaluated social media accounts for all players to determine whose ranking is best for players’ performances in regards to social media.
Ja’Marr Chase, Cooper DeJean, Bijan Robinson, Jordan Love, and Jayden Daniels made the list. This year, the list acknowledged offensive linemen and defensive backs for the first time.
The ranking system is definitely based on a player’s ability to market themselves on social media. Social media personality is the only other important factor for determining an athlete’s market value.
So it doesn’t really matter what position they play either, because this ranking system rewards players for having personality and interacting with their fan base, something many offensive linemen and defensive backs lack.
Turning attention into commercial success is a strategy that extends beyond sports. The story of how a $15 million mechanical bird became a business story shows how a distinctive idea can capture public interest and create lasting business value.
From Football Players to Digital Brands
The successful athlete brands are built around something that fans cannot get from a box score.
Take Travis Kelce. His popularity goes beyond what happens on the football field as a Kansas City Chiefs tight end. His podcast, New Heights which he co-hosts with his brother Jason Kelce has helped turn him into an entertainment figure.
The show covers football, family, culture and everyday life. That wide range of topics draws in people who might not watch every NFL game but are drawn to the stories behind the athletes.
For advertisers this is an opportunity. A traditional endorsement usually means a player appears in a commercial or shares a sponsored photo.. A podcast allows for repeated contact with an audience over time—weeks, months, years.
That constant connection helps brands grow recognition and trust. It builds a relationship, not a one-time ad.
Other athletes are going a way. Some focus on fashion and lifestyle content. Others use YouTube to share training videos behind-the-scenes clips or personal documentaries. More and more are turning to streaming and other creator-led formats.
The result is a more diverse digital marketplace. Athletes can now build identities that stand on their own of their team contracts. They become more, than players. They become personalities.
Why Brands Want More Than a Player’s Follower Count
A large social media following may attract attention. It does not automatically translate into business success.
For marketers the important question is whether athlete audience is engaged, relevant and likely to respond to product or campaign.
The NFLPA research offers indication of that influence. In a survey conducted with Morning Consult 67 percent of NFL fans and 77 percent of parents of NFL fans said athlete branded product would likely be purchased, such as product featuring athlete name, likeness or jersey number.
The survey also found that 35 percent of adults said seeing athlete branded product endorsed by NFL player made them view brand more favorably.
These findings help explain why companies are investing in marketing. Athletes can bring combination of recognition, credibility and emotional connection that traditional advertising may struggle to replicate.
The strongest partnerships are not necessarily those involving the most famous athletes.
A player with a highly engaged audience may be a better fit for a specialized product than a superstar with millions of followers. A fitness brand might value athlete training‑focused community while a fashion company may value athlete known for athlete style.
For businesses the challenge is finding the connection, between the athlete, the audience and the product.
The Money Behind the Digital Athlete Economy
I notice that the money that comes from an NFL player’s brand can come from many places.
I see posts on social media as still a key way to earn money. Companies give money to an NFL player to show products join campaigns or make posts that reach followers.
I also see podcasts and digital videos give chances to make money through ads, sponsors and deals to share content. Some NFL players also make their merchandise start new companies or put money into businesses that fit what they like.
I think the difference between an endorsement. Owning a part of a business is very important.
An endorsement means an NFL player can earn money by selling another company’s product. Ownership means an NFL player can own a part of the business itself.
I think the second way can bring value over time but it also has more risk. A sponsored post gives money away while owning part of a business depends on how well that business does later.
I see more and more the world of athlete creators is going toward owning. A study from USC Annenberg’s Norman Lear Center found that 33 athlete-owned production companies made than 370 media items showing how many NFL players are getting into making and owning content.
I understand that for an NFL player social media can give the fans that help these projects grow. It can show a product create first interest and keep customers tied to a business after it starts.
That makes an NFL player’s personal brand worth a lot, after the last game.
How Social Media Can Extend a Player’s Career
An NFL career can be surprisingly short. Injuries, team decisions and the physical toll of the game can end a player’s time in the league earlier than expected.
A digital brand lasts longer.
A retired player doesn’t have to stop when the final whistle blows. They can keep making content host a podcast work with brands or start a business. The fans they built during their playing days can become the base for what comes
That’s why athlete-owned media is getting attention. Players aren’t guests on someone else’s show anymore. They’re creating their platforms telling their own stories and connecting with fans in ways they control.
This idea isn’t limited to sports. Entrepreneurs do the thing. When someone turns a product or idea into a strong brand it can grow into something valuable. Olivantage once wrote about a $15 million bird that became a business story. It showed how a strange idea can draw attention and turn into economic value.
For athletes the goal is clear: turn their fame into something that lasts longer, than a highlight reel.
The Risks of Building a Brand Online
The benefits of media come with many risks.
A players online presence can build a reputation but social media can also hurt that reputation. A controversial post, an ill‑advised endorsement or an insensitive comment can spread fast. Hurt relationships with sponsors.
The challenge of staying authentic is also real.
Fans follow athletes because they feel close to their personalities. If every post turns into a scripted ad that connection can become weak. Audiences may start to see the player as a marketing channel instead of a person.
Brands have a challenge. Much control over an athletes content can make a partnership feel fake while too little control can expose a company to bad reputation problems.
Contract terms matter too. Athletes and their representatives must think about how sponsorship agreements affect partnerships, who owns the content whether exclusivity is required and how a players name and image can be used in the future.
A social media presence is valuable. It is not a replacement, for good business management.
What Comes Next for NFL Athletes as Digital Brands?
The next stage of the NFL social media playbook will likely involve a connection between sports, entertainment and entrepreneurship.
Athletes are already experimenting with podcasts, livestreams, digital video and direct-to-fan content. As these formats develop athletes may find ways to monetize audiences without relying exclusively on traditional endorsement deals.
Brands meanwhile will need to evaluate athletes using more than follower counts. Engagement, audience demographics, credibility and the quality of the relationship between athletes and fans will become increasingly important.
The NFL itself has an opportunity to benefit from this evolution. Athletes who attract audiences outside football coverage can introduce the sport to new consumers and help maintain interest, between games.
Still the valuable digital brands will not necessarily belong to athletes who post the most frequently. The valuable digital brands will belong to athletes who understand audiences communicate consistently and build partnerships that make sense for identities.
The business of football is no longer confined to the stadium. For NFL athletes the next major opportunity may be what happens after the whistle—and how effectively NFL athletes turn influence into a lasting business.
The shift toward athlete-driven digital brands is also reaching college sports, where universities are finding new ways to connect athletes with online audiences. How UC Berkeley is turning student athletes into Twitch stars explores how gaming and livestreaming are creating new opportunities for athletes to build personal brands beyond the playing field.
