Some of the greatest players in NFL history have been immortalized in statue form. From Peyton Manning to Ray Lewis, big-name players have been crafted in bronze at their team’s stadiums. Tom Brady is the latest to be given that honor, as well, with the Patriots recently announcing a forthcoming statue in New England for their historic longtime quarterback.
What current players deserve that honor? While statues are unlikely to be built for players whose careers are still ongoing, there are some NFL players who have already shown that once they retire, they deserve this greatest of honors.
Here are eight NFL players who’ve already done enough to earn a statue.
Patrick Mahomes – Kansas City Chiefs
There’s no doubt that Patrick Mahomes already deserves a statue in Kansas City, as he’s led the team in three Super Bowl titles since joining the team in 2017.
Mahomes is probably the one active player who should already have a statue. He took a franchise that hadn’t won a Super Bowl in five decades and turned them into a dynasty. The Chiefs have been the AFC representative in three consecutive Super Bowls and five of the past six overall.
No current NFL player has transformed his franchise in the way Mahomes has.
Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers
The end of Aaron Rodgers’ tenure in Green Bay was rocky, but that shouldn’t erase everything he did for that franchise.
A first-round pick in 2005, Rodgers waited patiently to take over for Brett Favre, spending three seasons on the bench before taking over as the starter in 2008.
In 18 seasons with the Packers — 15 of those as a starter — Rodgers led the team to a Super Bowl title in 2010 and won four MVP awards. Improbably, Rodgers replaced a franchise legend and went on to have an arguably better career.
Jalen Hurts – Philadelphia Eagles
One caveat here: the Jalen Hurts statue has to feature the offensive line doing the Tush Push.
Imagine: The move that every other NFL franchise despises because of how well the Eagles use it, the move that helped the team win Super Bowl LIX, immortalized forever in bronze in Philadelphia.
I’d bet money that one day, we’ll see just that. I mean, we’re talking about Philadelphia, a city with a statue for a fictional boxer, a city that already has a Philly Special statue for Nick Foles. They’re going to have one for Hurts and the Tush Push someday.
Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills
But, you might be saying, Josh Allen hasn’t led the Bills to a title! Why would he deserve a statue?
To which I have one very simple reply: the Bills need to build some statues. They have a new stadium opening in 2026 and right now, the plan appears to be to have some buffalo statues?
Nah. The two best quarterbacks in franchise history — Allen and Jim Kelly — are the players who need statues. The Bills might have never won a Super Bowl, but they’ve had a couple of truly transcendent passers who both deserve recognition.
Lamar Jackson – Baltimore Ravens
This might frustrate some people since Lamar Jackson’s Ravens haven’t made the Super Bowl yet, much less won one, but everything else about Jackson’s career makes him statue-worthy.
Jackson is a two-time MVP and a three-time First Team All-Pro. He’s revolutionized the quarterback position with his rushing skills, already ranking as one of the best rushing quarterbacks of all time while also being one of the best passers of his generation as well.
Maybe Jackson’s on the fence right now as far as getting a statue goes, but there’s no reason to think he slows down anytime soon. If all his argument is really missing is a Super Bowl win, there should be a good chance that comes at some point.
Stefon Diggs – Minnesota Vikings
Sometimes, you just have to recognize a very cool moment. That’s why we need a Minneapolis Miracle statue.
If you need a refresher, it was the NFC divisional round game between the Vikings and Saints in 2018. The Vikings trailed late when Case Keenum connected with Stefon Diggs on a pass. Saints safety Marcus Williams zoomed in for the tackle, but he missed! Diggs suddenly had an open field in front of him, and he ran ahead for the 61-yard touchdown as time expired.
The statue could capture one of two moments. We could have the catch itself, Diggs suspended in the air, the missed tackler beside him, or he could have his arms outstretched in the end zone after scoring. Either way, build it!
Travis Kelce – Kansas City Chiefs
Travis Kelce has an argument for being the best tight end of all time. He’s also been the No. 1 weapon for quarterback Patrick Mahomes during an era where the Chiefs won three Super Bowls.
Kelce has made 10 Pro Bowl appearances with the Chiefs, and he currently ranks third among all tight ends in career receptions and yards, behind only Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten.
Plus, a Kelce statue would draw non-football fans for one important reason. No, not Taylor Swift! People would make the pilgrimage to Kansas City because they’d want to see a statue representing the star of the greatest celebrity dating show ever: Catching Kelce.
T.J. Watt – Pittsburgh Steelers
This is probably the most controversial pick in this article, but defensive players don’t get enough shine, and since Aaron Donald and J.J. Watt are retired, the next best option is to build a statue for a different Watt brother: T.J.
Watt has only played eight NFL seasons, but he’s made a huge impact. He’s led the NFL in sacks three times, including posting 22.5 sacks in 2021 on his way to winning Defensive Player of the Year. He’s only won that award once, but has finished top five in the voting four other times.
