In the NFL, there are two types of cold weather. Regular cold and Vaseline cold.
Regular cold is the moment most reasonable humans opt for coats and warm hats. On Sundays, those 30-degree days fail to register more than a shrug as wind-nipped bare arms glow Kool-Aid red by the fourth quarter.
Vaseline cold is different. Vaseline cold forces some of the toughest athletes in the world to consider sleeves and gloves and, yep, a thick coating of petroleum jelly to ensure they still look tough, even as the temperature whisks the breath from their lungs and freezes snot and spittle where it lands.
But just how cold does it have to be to send veterans who’ve spent their whole lives between the hashmarks in November and December — and, with any luck, January — scrambling to their lockers for extra gear? What does that wind chill have to hit before they go full Michael Irvin?
MAN WHEN WE PLAYED IN THAT COLD WEATHER WE WAS COLD.
— Michael Irvin (@michaelirvin88) January 5, 2014
Different players react to the cold in different ways. Fortunately, I got the chance to conduct an informal survey when For The Win was making the rounds at Radio Row in the run-up to Super Bowl 57. Over the course of several interviews with NFL veterans past and present, I was able to separate “cold” from “Vaseline cold.” Sort of.
So how cold does it need to be for stars to start bundling up? Well, sometimes the limit does not exist.
Keyshawn Johnson, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers
“After my rookie year, I didn’t worry about the cold. My first year, I played in New York, and I had to get used to the cold coming from Southern California. The coldest game I played in was probably Washington State – a snow game, but it wasn’t that cold. Then I went to Buffalo, where it’s really cold. My rookie year, I didn’t even wear gloves.
“At some point I had to get used to it. So I just got used to it…
“I was a sleeves guy because I didn’t want to tear up my skin. Not because of the cold weather. It’s all in the mind. The cold weather? It’s all in the mind.”
Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions
“I think living in Detroit definitely helps get ready for it. But we play indoors. So you know, we don’t always play outside. But no, during the week you prep, prep accordingly. And during that game, specifically, I wear gloves. It’s something I’ll do sometimes when it’s cold, and it helps me. But yeah, it changes every week, depending on the weather…
“I think [wearing gloves] helps me for sure. I’ve been doing it a little bit since college. If it’s ever super cold or super wet. It allows me to get a little bit better grip on the ball and feel good about it…
“I go sleeves. I don’t need to be a tough guy. A lot of those guys with no sleeves on got the Vaseline on their arms; keeps them nice and warm. I can’t afford to do that with a grip on the ball. I don’t think it’s an intimidation factor. At this point, I think it’s just comfortability. Some guys like doing it. Some guys like wearing sleeves.”
DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
“I’m never going out in long sleeves and playing the game. We always come out in long sleeves for warmups but most definitely not a game situation.
“I can’t think about that. No, no, I’m playing.”
Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
“I’ve never been a sleeve guy. I just don’t believe in it if you’re a ball carrier. I don’t think you should be wearing sleeves. I just think you increase your chances of fumbles and things like that.
“That’s never been me; I’ve played [in] negative 15 at Eastern [Washington University], and you know, you just don’t wear sleeves. It’s an outside factor. Can’t let it affect your game.”
Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills
“We played Chicago, I think it was a negative something this year in Chicago. [Editor’s note: It was seven degrees at kickoff with a 17 mph wind.] I didn’t have sleeves in one of the coldest games in history in Minnesota [a 2016 wild-card loss to the Seattle Seahawks where it was six below at kickoff], so I’m not a huge sleeve guy. I feel like I wear a sleeve now, but I used to just wear nothing and rock out because I try not to think too much about the cold.
“I still hate the cold. I mean, people still get used to it because you’ve been going a long time. I still think about being cold as hell, and being like, ‘Yeah, I hate this…’
“Vaseline? I’m willing to try anything once when it comes to the cold.
[pauses]
“Almost anything once.”
Tedy Bruschi, New England Patriots
“Not until single digits, man [does he start to worry]. There’s always the heated benches and the turbo heaters there. It had to be super cold with wind chill for me to really put on too many clothes…
“They [the players without sleeves] weren’t any tougher than me. That’s what I always knew. But I knew I had a D-lineman who would handle [sleeveless offensive linemen], you know what I mean? Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork, Ty Warren, Anthony Pleasant — all those guys.”
Brian Dawkins, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos
“If you start doing that [looking at the weather and planning ahead] that’s a problem. Playing in Philadelphia, I didn’t wear any sleeves. Only reason I wore sleeves the first couple years were because my arms were little. I didn’t want people to see my little baby arms.
“When I got my guns, well, sun’s out, guns out, right? Vaseline? Absolutely. Gotta shine them up.”
Darren Waller, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants
“I would say [temperatures in the] 20s. When we played in Cincinnati in the playoffs after the 2021 season, that was like 20-something, and it was brisk. They’re right on the river. Twenties is when I’ll say, ‘Yeah, OK, you’ve got my attention for real…’
“I’m no sleeves, man. I had a coach back in the day that was like, ‘The sleeves make it easier for the ball to get punched out.’ You’ve just got to thug it out.”
Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers
“I’ve been in L.A. six years now. I’m not gonna say I got soft, but you’re definitely not used to the negative-20s of Gunnison, Colorado [where he played at what’s now Western Colorado University], where you have to scrape the inside of your windshield because the water vapor’s [frozen] to it. It’s that damn cold.
“So yeah, it’s not going to be that cold so I don’t have to worry about it…
“Ten degrees, I’m definitely getting sleeves on. Vaseline? No. I’m holding the ball.”
Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals
“I really didn’t layer up. I came into the league in Cincinnati, right on the Ohio River where the wind just comes right up and it was always cold. So I got really used to cold weather. I wasn’t a big sweatshirt, long sleeve guy.
“I only had the glove thing come up once or twice. Once in a playoff game against the Jets where pregame it was really cold, really windy — and the colder it gets, the harder it is to spin the ball. The one thing a glove does is it creates a little more tackiness on your fingers as they’re leaving the football. It creates that spin, and that spin is what you need to cut through a windy environment.
“But I don’t think I ever actually in a game situation wore a glove on my throwing hand. I practiced with it, I tried it, I just didn’t like to lose a lot of the touch. But if you catch a negative-10, 30-mile-per-hour wind game, it’s one of those situations where you may need to put a glove on.”
Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders
“To me, it really depends on the elements. I’m good with the cold, but the wet cold is a totally different thing…
“I ain’t gonna lie. I do the Vaseline [on his arms]. I’ll put two layers on. I coat myself.”
