Touchdown—The Watches of the NFL

As with many elite athletes plying their trade on the biggest stages, the superstars of the NFL can quickly attain ‘money-no-object’ status. In fact, it is reported that the average annual salary across the NFL is a little under $2m, while the highest earner, Packers’ Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, pockets more than $50m a year.

So what is a young man to do when his bank account is regularly topped up with vast sums of cash? Well, he spends it, of course.

However, once the essentials are taken care of—a mansion to keep the rain off and maybe a fleet of supercars to get around town—most turn their attentions to jewellery; more specifically, watches. And, as the rest of us are all too aware, a little exposure to the world of horology can be a dangerous thing. There’s many-a player who has admitted to a severe weakness when it comes to timepieces, amassing collections of which mere mortals can only dream. More than that though, with these sportsmen performing at the very highest level, they are exactly the sort of rarefied individuals many brands want to help them showcase their wares to the general public.

Here then is a rundown on the watches worn by the NFL’s greatest.

While it is not unknown for tennis players to wear their watches on court—Serena Williams has been spotted with her AP Royal Oak on occasion, while Nadal often dons a Richard Mille—their sport is a low impact one; relatively speaking, at least.

So when wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (OBJ to his friends) played his first game for the Cleveland Browns with an RM 11-03 McLaren, also from Richard Mille, strapped to his wrist, it became something of a headline-maker. In truth, Mille is one of the only manufacture’s able to create models strong enough to withstand the incredible forces to which football players are subjected. The McLaren is made from layered Carbon TPT (Thin Ply Technology) interlaced with Orange Quartz TPT, together making the watch incredibly robust and lightweight while also conveniently mirroring the colours of OBJ’s new team. The skeletonized dial features both an annual calendar and oversized date, alongside a 12-hour chronograph with flyback.

Yet, not content with courting the initial controversy of wearing a watch costing around $325,000 on the field, a few weeks later, OBJ was at it again. Eagle-eyed viewers noticed a new model on his wrist as he warmed up for a game against the New York Jets; another Mille piece, this time the extraordinary RM 56-02 Sapphire Tourbillon worth north of $2m. Except, was it?

When questioned by reporters, Beckham claimed he preferred Daniel Wellington watches, an excellent brand but one which falls very much into the ‘affordable luxury’ category. In the end, it all turned out to be a publicity stunt. The Richard Mille was a fake and Daniel Wellington announced OBJ as their newest ambassador the following day!

There are certain athletes; the likes of Lionel Messi and Roger Federer, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods among them, whose names are universally recognised even by those with no interest in their respective sports.

The recently retired (again) Tom Brady slots neatly into that category. Considered the greatest quarterback in the history of the game, the seven-time Superbowl champion and five-time Superbowl MVP has a passion for fine watches and has been an ambassador for both TAG Heuer and IWC during his career.

He signed on with TAG in 2015 and wore a number of the brand’s finest, with a particular inclination for the Carrera.

The ‘Tom Brady Special Edition Heuer Carrera 01 Chronograph’, their first co-designed piece, was released in 2017, a 43mm version of the 45mm Carrera 01 from 2013. Featuring 30-minute and 12-hour registers, together with a running seconds sub dial and date function on the blue dial, the number 12 index (Brady’s jersey number) is picked out prominently in red.

Starting in 2019, ‘Tom Terrific’ has lent his image to IWC, which is a fittingthrowback to the start of his career. After winning his first Superbowl in 2003, Bradywandered into Tourneau in Upper Manhattan and commemorated the event by buying himself an IWC GST Chronograph.

And the brand still dominates much of his 20+ strong collection today, principallytheir pilot’s watches. The IWC Father and Son, Top Gun, Top Gun Miramar and Spitfire have all featured in his line-up at various times, along with a number of Portugiesers and Ingenieurs.

However, there are two extra special pieces which must take pride of place in the Brady watch box—and both centre around one incredible game. The New England Patriots’ 2017 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Superbowl LI (51), with Brady instrumental in turning over a 28-3 deficit, is regarded as the greatest comeback of all time. To celebrate the victory, Johann Rupert, Chairman of Richemont (owner of IWC) presented Tom with the Big Pilot ref. IW500922 Piece Unique. The 1 of 1 version of the manufacture’s bestselling Big Pilot series came with a rose gold dial and case.

If that wasn’t enough, when Brady attended the premiere of the movie based on the game, 80 for Brady, he was wearing a Portugieser Tourbillon Hand Wound Squelette ref. 5462, one of only 25 ever made. The rose gold, skeletonized dial model was released in 2015, costing a cool $100,000.

If there is one watch brand that, perhaps more than any other, signifies you have reached the pinnacle of whichever field you call your own, it is Patek Philippe.

That makes the Swiss manufacture a target for all top sportsmen and women, and not least the stars of the NFL.

Defensive tackle Malik Jackson, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns, quotes his first big purchase at the start of his career as a $150,000 Patek World Time, followed soon after by a rose gold Nautilus and a glorious white gold Moonphase ref. 5205.

And Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, although the official face of Zenith, is also a big fan. His Calatrava takes pride of place in a four-watch collection worth over $100k, alongside an Excalibur from Dubuis, a Rolex Deepsea and Zenith’s own Chronomaster Sport.