Do You Know These NFL Players' Nicknames? Take The Test!

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What's in a nickname, you ask? I can tell you: not being boring.

Maybe it's because I'm a spoiled New York Yankees fan that grew up with John Sterling's legendary home run calls, but I'm so tired of every player's nickname being something like J-Rod or G-Man in whatever sport we're talking about. Whatever happened to nicknames like "White Chocolate" that made you grin?

Today, we're going to look at some of the NFL's best nicknames - and no, that does not include whatever insult you have for Roger Goodell. Believe it or not, there are actually some basic ground rules for a quiz like this that we should go over.

Unoriginal nicknames that feature things like initials (such as A-Train for Mike Alstott) or a player's first name being turned into something boring (i.e. Matty for Matt Ryan - not Matty Ice, but Matty) do not count. Shame on you for asking.

For clues, we're going to give you a literal picture of the nickname or a player that the nickname hails from (i.e. if a quarterback is called "Big Ben Jr." we'd show a picture of Ben Roethlisberger) and a description that most likely won't help you. We don't want to spoil too much!

No team nicknames. Don't expect to see "The Greatest Show on Turf" or the "Cardiac Cats" on here, though individual units (i.e. Earth, Wind, and Fire to represent the 2008 New York Giants running back trio of Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, and Ahmad Bradshaw) would be eligible.

If that's good and all, let's go into the fun world of nicknames!

Question 1

The "Amish Rifle" is hilarious AND ironic

Everything considered, I'm pretty indifferent on the Amish. There is a part of me, the Suburbia New York part, that thinks maybe they should put an end to tradition and modernize, but they adhere to a tradition that doesn't really hurt anyone and is fairly benign. I'd rather it be that than them sticking to traditions that limit and hurt others, you know? What makes this nickname ironic is that the quarterback mentioned gets it from his beard, but didn't quite have a rifle for an arm. Yeah, I read too much into the joke. Just answer the question.

Question 2

They called this Dallas Cowboys receiver NOT named Dez Bryant "The Playmaker"

Say what you want about Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant and his love for throwing up the X when the Cowboys have mostly been 'meh' during his time there - things do look to be on the way up, even with Ezekiel Elliott's suspension - but you have to admit his touchdown celebration is neat. In fact, it's even neater than this generic nickname of "The Playmaker." Aren't all big-time NFL receivers technically playmakers if they've impressed that much? Who earned this nickname?

Question 3

"The Honey Badger" nearly won the Heisman Trophy

Probably one of the easier ones on this list, America fell in love with the "Honey Badger" back in his college days - although now, we don't cal him by the nickname he left behind once he reached the NFL. Because I'm young enough to have been influenced by how dominant the "Honey Badger" was in college, you're damn right I want to see him bring the moniker back one day. If you can't get this one right, this may be the wrong quiz for you.

Question 4

Like Rick Grimes, you can always count on "The Sheriff"

I can't imagine Rick Grimes playing a sport, let alone football. Sure, he has the playoff beard in later seasons that would work in baseball or hockey, but I don't see it. Shane Walsh, on the other hand? Remember, his #22 necklace comes from his football days, where he most likely played linebacker based on his size and eventual love for the kill. Would I take Rick Grimes in a fight over this quarterback, though? Without a doubt. Do you know the answer? Without a doubt.

Question 5

This defensive lineman's nickname is "Snacks"

Now interestingly, this defensive lineman being nicknamed "Snacks" actually comes from his refusal to eat granola bars as a snack. What's the correlation, then? Had the guy been caught with the munchies one night during training camp or took his unit to a 7-11 and bought out the entire snack section (just save the Gatorade and taquitos) I'd understand, but for refusing granola bars of all things? What would he be called if he was an offensive lineman? More importantly, what's the answer here?

Question 6

The "Meast" was half man, half beast

What kind of fans would be if for an entry literally about men that are half-human and half-beast, we didn't put A-Rod as a centaur? If you don't remember this joke, there was a report in October 2009 that Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez had a framed painting of himself as a centaur because...why? Because he was a narcissist? Anyways, while this defensive back wasn't quite a centaur, he certainly lived up to the "Meast" nickname during his career. Who was the legendary "Meast?"

Question 7

It was "Lights Out" when he got to the quarterback

When Rick Grimes recounts the tale of him awakening in an abandoned Harrison Memorial Hospital roughly two months into the zombie outbreak, he describes it as "disorienting." I'd have to imagine that being a quarterback and getting drilled by this Pro Bowler would feel the exact same way, especially if you lost a tooth or two on the way down. Seriously, go back and watch him in his prime and tell me you wouldn't be afraid staring him down at the line. Who are we talking about?

Question 8

This current NFL running back - and it's not Adrian Peterson - goes by "Sweet Feet"

Speaking of Adrian Peterson, who now is with the New Orleans Saints, am I the only one who likes (liked?) his "All Day' nickname? It's certainly not as original as some of the others on this list, but the guy did run "All Day" during his prime and probably will in New Orleans if the Saints are fine using him as their lead back. I doubt we'll look back on this running back the same way we will Peterson, but he's got a lot of gas left in the tank.

Question 9

This tight end, for some reason, went by "Captain Chaos"

No, we're not talking about Rob Gronkowski here, but the fight between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks at the end of Super Bowl XLIX makes for a good picture here. Why were they fighting again? I'd complain about the sportsmanship here, but the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals recently lined up to give each other high-fives at the Little League Classic. You're in the middle of a division race and you're doing that to a rival just to look good in front of little kids? Just answer this before I go crazy.

Question 10

Unlike Calvin Johnson, this receiver is "Minitron"

I'm at the point now where I really want to see Calvin Johnson Jr. make a comeback if only because I think he could still play at the top of his game. By the way, those who keep saying that the Oakland Raiders should have drafted Johnson in 2007 instead of JaMarcus Russell now have an answer from then-Raiders coach and current FAU coach Lane Kiffin. As he told media after Johnson hung out with FAU players, "you're setting me up for the thing about why we could’ve drafted him (instead of) JaMarcus.” Lane then ended our interview. Who is Minitron?

Question 11

This retired quarterback was nicknamed "Uncle Rico"

Am I the only one person that doesn't think Napoleon Dynamite is as funny as it was when I was a kid? Maybe part of that is because the movie is so out there and never was expected to get the attention it did - ligers!!! - but the last couple times I've watched it, so much of it just feels bland. Maybe I'm just getting old, kind of like this retired quarterback who shared a nickname with Napoleon's Uncle Rico.

Question 12

This linebacker's nickname "Deebo" comes from the Friday character

There are so many great things about Friday that I can go on for a couple hours about the brilliance of Ice Cube's character and Fazion Love as Sweet Johnson - I mean, Big Worm. The irony of the actor who would later play an anti-drug gang leader in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas playing a drug dealer in Friday - and granted, weed isn't a drug the way crack or heroin is - isn't lost on me. What linebacker, who looks a lot like Tom Lister Jr.'s character from Friday, is nicknamed "Deebo?"

Question 13

This Pro Bowl running back had the "Edge"

Seriously, you should not have any problems getting this one right even if the only running back you know is Clinton Portis and that's only because of the recent Sports Illustrated story. There are some extremely hard ones and I seriously doubt anyone is going to get over an 80 percent without cheating, so we'll sprinkle in an easy one here and there for you. And yes, this technically violates one of my ground rules, but it also doesn't. Make the (easy) call!

Question 14

"The Face Cleaver" is what I'd call James Earl Cash

If you're unfamiliar with James Earl Cash, I recommend checking out Manhunt and Manhunt 2, games released by Rockstar that involve a serial killer finding various, graphic ways to murder people. I know Grand Theft Auto gets a reputation for being violent, but the majority of those deaths are fairly tame compared to the ones Cash provides in Manhunt. While none of these NFL players were quite serial killers (we hope not), one of them was known as "The Face Cleaver." Who was it?

Question 15

Nobody would ever fear "The Deacon"

One of the easier ones on this list, you likely already know which defensive lineman still goes by "The Deacon." Having experienced racism growing up, he once said "Unlike many black people then, I was determined not to be what society said I was. Thank God I had the ability to play a violent game like football. It gave me an outlet for the anger in my heart." If that doesn't give you the answer, I don't know what will. Any ideas?

Question 16

This speedy defensive back lives up to his "Jackrabbit" nickname

Again, it's another basic nickname that may not sound too interesting because it's so simple - a Jackrabbit is fast and the player in question is fast as well - but we like it. Simple is good! Would you rather have a simple nickname that makes people say, "oh, I get what that means" or would you rather have one that no one can figure out? And hey, it's not J-Man, so this one gets a thumbs up from us. Who is "Jackrabbit?"

Question 17

This Seahawk never was part of the Legion of Boom

Is it possible the "Legion of Boom" is the greatest defensive unit in NFL history when it comes to a single nicknamed unit? I mean, the Fearsome Four from the Los Angeles Rams are certainly up there, but what Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas III, and friends have done this decade in such a pass-heavy league remains amazing. Obviously, we know those two as the CEOs of the LOB along with Kam Chancellor, but who of the below players was NOT in the Legion?

Question 18

This wide reciever could score "Anytime"

If you find yourself thinking "Anytime" is a boring and bland nickname, you're not alone. Like with "The Playmaker" and other nicknames on this list that refer to scoring or being at the top of their game, isn't that what you expect from people in the NFL? Even if you're an undrafted rookie, you're still one of the best players in the world at the sport so you're expected to do those things! Maybe I'm just being too cynical. Who went by the nickname "Anytime?"

Question 19

"The Minister of Defense" gave his blessing for sacks

See, why can't more nicknames be like this one? Not only do we get the immediate meaning with defense being in the title, but there's a layer of awesomeness and even mystery to it. "The Minister of Defense." Tell me that doesn't sound like the name of a villain from The Defenders or Die Hard. Yes, we're referencing the Die Hard series in 2017. Isn't the internet a wonderful place? You should have no problems getting this right if you know football.

Question 20

This current quarterback is called "The Kid" for his youthful appearence

No, we're not talking about Ken Griffey Jr. when we mention the kid. While this is certainly a bland nickname that will be forgotten if this quarterback is playing in three or four years (Roger Goodell can say whatever he wants about this being the safest time to play football, but these injuries are no joke), but it applies now so it makes the list. Hooray? Which one of these quarterbacks, at least for the time being, is nicknamed "The Kid?"

Question 21

Just what is a "Muscle Hamster" and is it scary?

One of the more nonsensical nicknames on this list, it's also extremely hated by the player who carries it. "Stop calling me Muscle Hamster. I’m just telling everybody right now: Stop calling me Muscle Hamster," the player said in 2015. "Muscle & Hustle, any of those are fine. But Muscle Hamster has to stop. *name removed* is fine, also. The Muscle Hamster has to stop. Stop it." If that's not enough to answer this question, I don't know why you're taking this quiz.

Question 22

Like the pacifier, "Nuk" does its job in keeping the annoying ones quiet

Perhaps the strangest nickname in the entire quiz, this receiver's nickname of "Nuk" apparently comes from his refusal to use any pacifier not of that brand. How does that remain his nickname 20-25 years later? If his middle name was Nicholas and he spelled it Nuk as a kid, that I could understand, but after the pacifiers? I'd be very interested to see what their stock is like with how this receiver has played in recent years. Who has this nickname?

Question 23

I guess calling this fullback "Sausage" makes sense?

When I think of sausage and its connection to football, two things immediately come to mind: tailgating and some sort of sick joke about props for locker room hazing. On second thought, maybe we should try to just focus on the - no, I can't. I don't know how sausage comes up as a nickname and I'm not sure I even want to know, so let's do our best to forget about this and just answer the question. Please? For my sanity?

Question 24

Like Wolverine, this future Hall of Famer went by "Weapon X"

For those of you unfamiliar with the Weapon X project, it's a government project that gave Wolverine, Leech, Deadpool, and others their respective powers - and no, X does not come from X-Men or extraordinary. It's actually X as in the Roman numeral for the number 10, with the Super Soldier Project most associated with Captain America being Weapon I. There's a fun fact for you and I'm not sure how that ties to this future Hall of Famer, but at least it's a cool nickname. Who was Weapon X?

Question 25

Like Eminem, this quarterback was known as the "Blonde Bomber"

Alright, Eminem called himself the "Blonde Bomber" only a few times, but it still applies and if I'm going to mention Rick Grimes and other shows in here, I may as well use the Rap God too. Besides, I have to give you guys SOME entertainment, right? We don't tend to think of this quarterback having a nickname other than what his co-announcers call him, I agree, but he did indeed go by the "Blonde Bomber" in his career. Who was this?

Question 26

And like Eminem, this Pro Bowler calls himself "Shady"

With all of the harder questions this quiz features, we have to make sure you get an easy one here and there...so please, don't get this wrong. Chances are, you know this player more by "Shady" than you do his actual first name, which is a sign of not only how efficient the nickname is, but how solid he is as a player. At this point, if you're still reading and you haven't answered the question, I don't know what to tell you.

Question 27

People have likened this linebacker to a "Silverback" gorilla

I'm genuinely certain that someone is going to read this entry, see that all of the players below are black, and hate on myself and whoever coined this nickname for being racist. And I'll admit, even I'm surprised that a black player was nicknamed "Silverback" after the gorilla, but stranger things have happened. Besides, it's not a slur or anything direct (i.e. monkey) so I'll shut up now and let you answer the question. Let's pretend we never had this conversation, yeah?

Question 28

This Super Bowl-winning coach went by "Tuna"

Are we cheating by including a coach on this list? Maybe, but how can you deny a nickname like "Tuna" from appearing on this list? When I hear "Tuna" as a nickname, I imagine some rented Italian mobster, kind of like the one from Grand Theft Auto IV that Niko kills in Middle Park, or a janitor from a bygone era. But a coach that wound up winning the Super Bowl? At least they didn't call him loser. Who had this nickname?

Question 29

"Nigerian Nightmare" sounds like the next Marvel superhero

Maybe I have Marvel superheroes on the mind because I just watched The Defenders and it was better than I thought it'd be. Given that they only had eight episodes to work with, I thought every plot decision made sense (unlike Jessica Jones and Iron Fist where they did stupid things to prolong the plot) and it opens the door for many plots in their own respective shows. But, was The Defenders as awesome as this former NFL running back? I'll let you decide that.

Question 30

"Spider-Man" became this backup quarterback's nickname

Well, Tom Holland is pretty attractive underneath the Spider-Man mask, so I guess this isn't that bad of a nickname. Sure, the writing for Spider-Man: Homecoming may not exactly have been the best at times, especially for a Marvel movie, but Holland did a fine job and his performance was boosted by his boyish looks. What? Oh, right, football. So this backup quarterback is nicknamed Spider-Man even if he's not named Peter Parker. I know, not funny. Can you figure out who "Spider-Man" is?

Question 31

This running back, like a "Cadillac," was only good in short bursts

I have nothing against Cadillacs, although I'm much more of a German car guy, but every person I've talked to that has owned a Caddy has called them unreliable. Parts will break, the interior will wear down, and it's just not a reliable car anymore. If anything, they say, go for the Nissan sedans and regular four-door cars instead of the Cadillacs, but what do I know? My first car was a 2002 Saab I nicknamed "Coraline." What running back was nicknamed "Cadillac?"

Question 32

"Zeus" is this tight end's nickname...despite him not being Samuel L. Jackson

Or, you know, the Greek God, but we wanted to go with Zeus Carver here. Seriously, you want to talk about one of Samuel L. Jackson's best but somehow forgotten roles? I get that most people know him for playing Nick Fury, Mace Windu, or Jules, but make sure to go back and watch Die Hard with a Vengeance to see how electric Jackson was even 20 years ago. If you don't, you're going to have a very bad day in Harlem. Oh, yeah, the question.

Question 33

This defensive tackle was known as "The Freezer"

Chances are that a good chunk of you saw "this defensive tackle" and the picture of the fridge and immediately went to look for William Perry. Hell, you probably accidentally clicked on Albert Haynesworth in the process. No, we're not talking about "The Fridge" here, but "The Freezer", a more recent defensive tackle that earned his nickname from playing in a cold-weather area. Were you hoping to see Calais Campbell make this entry as an option? Who went by "The Freezer?"

Question 34

Is "Big Snack" the equivalent of "Big Jaws? from Family Guy?

Of all the one-time, minor gags on Family Guy, "Big Jaws" has to be up there because it's exactly the older charm missing from today's episodes. When Brian finds a script he wrote about a father that returns to college, Peter mentions once writing a script for "Big Jaws" where the original Jaws teams up with fishermen to combat "a common enemy." At the end of the episode, we not only find out that the show got a pilot, but that "Way Bigger Jaws" is on the way. Who was the NFL's "Big Snack?"

Question 35

This defensive lineman was NOT a member of the Fearsome Foursome

While the "Fearsome Foursome" may sound like a group from Batman's Rogues Gallery - and while it technically does violate our players only rule - how can we not mention this group? While several members have unfortunately left us way too early, the Fearsome Foursome remains one of the most influential and talked about defensive units this league has ever seen; they were the Legion of Boom but for the defensive line. Which of the below players was NOT in that group?

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