Picture These Nicknames! Trivia Quiz

Jerome Bettis earned the nickname "The Bus" during his college years at Notre Dame, when a student reporter for the campus newspaper wrote that he looked like a bus taking students to class. This was because of his massive size and ability to carry multiple defenders on his back. Standing almost 6 ft (1.8m) tall and weighing over 250 pounds (113kg), he looked like a bus charging down the field.

Bettis played in the NFL from 1993 to 2005, spending his first three seasons with the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams before being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he played the final ten years of his career. "The Bus" is considered one of the best backs in football history, finishing his career with 13,662 rushing yards and 91 touchdowns and leading the Steelers to a victory in Super Bowl XL.

Tyrann Mathieu earned the nickname "The Honey Badger" during his sophomore year at LSU (Louisiana State University). It was given to him by his defensive coordinator who was inspired by a video about the animal's relentless and fearless nature called "Honey Badger Don't Care". The name stuck because Mathieu played with a vicious intensity that ignored his smaller stature (5'9" or 1.75m).

In the 2013 NFL draft, he was chosen 69th overall by the Arizona Cardinals. He went on to play through 2024, primarily as a safety. He appeared in 180 games with not only Arizona but also the Houston Texans, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the New Orleans Saints. At his retirement in 2025, "The Honey Badger" had racked up 838 tackles and 36 interceptions.

While attending Chichester High School in Pennsylvania, Billy Johnson dyed his black football cleats white as part of a dare from a teammate and the nickname "White Shoes" stayed with him through his NFL career. In an era where black cleats were the standard, the white shoes made him instantly recognizable on the field. "White Shoes" attended a small Division III school and he was not picked up in 1973 NFL draft until the Houston Oilers got him in the 15th round with the 365th overall pick.

Johnson's amazing speed and agility as a wide receiver and return specialist kept him going 14 seasons in the NFL, with a brief one-year stint in the Canadian Football League. He played for the Oilers, several years with the Atlanta Falcons, and finished with the Washington Redskins. He was one of the rare players to be named to two different All-Decade teams for the 70s and 80s. When his career ended, "White Shoes" had accumulated 337 receptions for 4,211 yards and 25 touchdowns.

Stabler got his nickname, "Snake" in high school when his Foley, Alabama coach watched the young quarterback weave through the entire opposing defense on a long, winding touchdown run. The name would stick with him through his career because he also, being left handed, had a throwing motion that was often described as "snake-like" and he was known for being "cool as a snake" under pressure. He played for the University of Alabama under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, where he led the Crimson Tide to an undefeated season in 1966 and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the 2nd round of the 1968 NFL Draft.

He would go on to quarterback for 15 years, primarily for the Raiders but later also for the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints. In 1974, Stabler was named the league's best player after leading the NFL in touchdown passes and in 1977 he led the Raiders to their first ever Super Bowl win. When "Snake" hung up his cleats in 1984, he had 27,938 passing yards and 194 touchdowns and an amazing 59.85% completion rate.

Cornerback Darrelle Revis got his nickname "Revis Island" during his dominant 2009 season with the New York Jets. It was because he had a unique ability to play man-to-man coverage without any help from safeties. It was said that he completely isolated the opponent's best wide receiver, effectively putting he and that player on an "island" where they were cut off from the rest of their team's offense. In 2009, he held legends like Randy Moss, Andre Johnson, and Terrell Owens to some of the lowest yardage totals of their careers. After playing for the University of Pittsburgh, he was selected in the 1st round (14th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Jets.

Revis played 11 seasons in the NFL, including playing with top teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the New England Patriots, the New York Jets, and the Kansas City Chiefs. He was recognized as the best at his position in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2014 and selected to the Pro Bowls seven times. When "Revis Island" retired in 2018, he had almost 500 tackles and 29 interceptions. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2023.

The nickname "Bullet Bob" was given to Hayes because he was, quite literally, deemed the fastest human on the planet after he won the gold medal in the 100-meter dash at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, running it in 10.06 seconds. Also, in the 4x100m relay at the games, Hayes took the baton while his team was in fifth place and surged past everyone to win gold. His anchor leg was unofficially timed between 8.5 and 8.9 seconds. He was selected in the 7th round of the 1964 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys as a "future" pick while he was still in college at Florida A&M.

Hayes played 11 seasons in the NFL and revolutionized the wide receiver position. No one could cover him one-on-one. To stop him, NFL coaches were forced to develop zone defenses just to keep him from running past them for easy touchdowns. Until 1974 he played for the Cowboys and his last year in 1975 was with the San Francisco 49ers. When "Bullet Bob" retired, he had 371 receptions and 7,414 receiving yards. His career average of 20.0 yards per catch is one of the highest in NFL history for a player with over 300 receptions.

Perry got the nickname "The Refrigerator" during his freshman year at Clemson University. Perry and a fellow defensive lineman named Ray Brown were trying to squeeze into an elevator while carrying their laundry. Brown, struggling to fit into the cramped space next to the 300-plus pound (136 kg) Perry, remarked, "Man, you're about as big as a refrigerator." At Clemson, he was a three time All-American and was selected in the 1st round (22nd overall) of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.

Perry played 10 seasons in the NFL for the Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles. He was famous for not only being an extra-large defensive player but also the Bears coach famously began using Perry as a fullback in goal-line situations. His success as a lead blocker and runner paved the way for other teams to use defensive players in short-yardage offensive roles. Upon retiring, "The Refrigerator" (with a huge size 25 ring) had almost 30 sacks, 5 fumble recoveries, and those offensive touchdowns.

The nickname "Night Train" was given to Dick Lane during his rookie training camp with the Los Angeles Rams in 1952. His teammate, future Hall of Fame receiver Tom Fears, frequently played the hit R&B record "Night Train" on his phonograph. Lane would often visit Fears' room to listen and dance to the music. One day, a teammate saw him entering and blurted out, "Hey, there's Night Train!" The name stuck to this cornerback. After his military service in the U.S. Army, he was working at an aircraft factory when he decided to ask for a tryout with the Rams. He got the "job" after showing them a scrapbook of his military football highlights.

Lane played 14 seasons in the NFL including the Rams, the Chicago Cardinals, and the Detroit Lions. In his rookie season in 1952, he set an NFL record with 14 interceptions in just a 12-game season. He was famous for a brutal tackling style where he would wrap his arm around an opponent's neck and clothesline them to the ground. This became known as the "Night Train Necktie" and was so dangerous that the NFL eventually banned the practice. Upon retiring, "Night Train" had 68 interceptions and over 1,200 interception yards.

Sanders was a multi-sport athlete and got his nickname "Prime Time" on the basketball court. During his time at North Fort Myers High School in Florida, Deion had a dominant basketball game where he scored over 30 points and had back-to-back dunks. On the bus ride home that night, his friend told him, "Man, you're Prime Time." He would go on to be a superstar at Florida State University, where he lettered in three sports (football, baseball, and track) and won the Jim Thorpe Award in 1988 as the nation's best defensive back. He was selected in the 1st round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

Sanders played 14 seasons in the NFL, though his career was split by a three-year retirement (2001-2003) where he worked as a broadcaster. He played for the Falcons, the San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins, and the Baltimore Ravens. He was one of the first modern players to play significant snaps on both defense and offense (as a wide receiver). He was also considered one of the greatest punt and kickoff returners in history, known for his signature "high-step" into the end zone. When he retired for good in 2005, he had 53 interceptions, 1,331 interception yards, and 22 touchdowns.

Walter Payton, of the Chicago Bears, got his nickname "Sweetness" from his college days at Jackson State. He got it from two sources: he had a soft-spoken voice and a genuinely kind, affable personality off the field and, on the field, a "sweet" and fluid running style that balanced incredible agility with power. He was a dominant force at Jackson State, once scoring 46 points (7 touchdowns and two 2-point conversions) in a single game. He was selected in the 1st round (4th overall) of the 1975 NFL Draft. The Bears famously won a coin flip with the Cleveland Browns to earn the right to pick 4th.

He spent his entire 13 year career with the Bears, from his debut in 1975 until his retirement following the 1987 season. Despite the physical toll of his running style, he missed only one game in his entire professional career. He eventually retired as the NFL's all-time leading rusher, a record that stood for 15 years until it was broken by Emmitt Smith. In 1977, he won the MVP award after rushing for 1,852 yards in a 14-game season while battling a 101-degree fever during his record-breaking 275-yard game against the Vikings. He was also amazing off the field. Originally called the "NFL Man of the Year," it was renamed to the "Walter Payton Man of the Year Award" in his honor in 1999 to recognize his humanitarian efforts. When he retired, "Sweetness" had over 16,700 rushing yards and 125 touchdowns.