Things to Know about the NFLPA x Opendorse Influencer Hot List - Special Edition
A look at the top 10 active NFL players in Total Engagements, Growth Rate and Most Consistently Active.
The special edition of the Influencer Hot List from the NFLPA and its social media activation partner, Opendorse, evaluates the social media activity of NFL players and ranks the most influential player voices for brands as well as this season’s most engaging Twitter and Instagram posts. Through this annual list, the NFLPA provides its partners with valuable insights into how the power of social media activity can influence marketing campaigns.
This edition includes data measuring consistent engagement, growth rate and overall activity across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook from June 1, 2020, through the regular season to January 3, 2021.
Social media provides a place for the whole roster to have unique voices and build personal brands that can make all players as marketable as the game’s most popular names. Among the fastest growing and most consistently active are a diverse mix of names and positions including kicker Younghoe Koo, offensive tackle Trenton Brown, linebacker Will Compton, a pair of tight ends in Robert Tonyan and Darren Waller and seven defensive backs led by Taylor Rapp and Tyrann Mathieu.
We’ve also identified the top five most engaging player tweets and Instagram posts to offer a look into who the players are -- and how they choose to interact with their followers. From Patrick Mahomes announcing his first child to Odell Beckham Jr. taking fans along his injury journey to Kyler Murray celebrating his biggest pro moment, brands can benefit from this type of authentic engagement and look to align their own values with the players and their lifestyles.
Total Overall Engagements
This list reflects total overall engagements on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook:
- Patrick Mahomes II, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
- Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks
- Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns
- Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Cam Newton, QB, New England Patriots
- J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
- Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots
- Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
- Jamal Adams, SS, Seattle Seahawks
Top Growth Rate (min. 100K followers)
This list reflects players with rapidly growing followers:
- Chase Claypool, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Robert Tonyan Jr., TE, Green Bay Packers
- Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
- Younghoe Koo, K, Atlanta Falcons
- Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers
- Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
- Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
- Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Taylor Rapp, SS, Los Angeles Rams
- AJ Dillon, RB, Green Bay Packers
Most Consistently Active (min. 100K followers)
Consistent activity is a leading indicator for marketability on social. It keeps players engaged with their audience, while providing marketers with actionable, predictable data with which to build effective campaigns. We rank the most active players who also met audience (top 50%) and engagement (+0.5%) thresholds.
- Will Compton, LB, Tennessee Titans
- Tarik Cohen, RB, Chicago Bears
- Tyrann Mathieu, DB, Kansas City Chiefs
- Trent Brown, OT, Las Vegas Raiders
- Marlon Humphrey, CB, Baltimore Ravens
- Kenny Vaccaro, DB, Tennessee Titans
- Quandre Diggs, CB, Seattle Seahawks
- Darius Slay, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
- Cam Jordan, DE, New Orleans Saints
- Tre Boston, FS, Carolina Panthers
Top 5 Most Engaging Twitter Posts
- Joe Burrow message to fans after season ending injury
- Tom Brady congratulates LeBron James on NBA championship
- Kyler Murray celebrating his game winning Hail Mary pass to DeAndre Hopkins
- DeAndre Hopkins sharing video of his game winning Hail Mary catch
- Joe Burrow celebrates first win of the season
Top 5 Most Engaging Instagram Posts