Turns out it’s not just middle schoolers comparing hand sizes—grown men in the NFL are in on it too. Those measurements aren’t just a joke—they have real consequences. If your small hands—8 ⅝ inches, in this case, can’t grip the ball, forget about throwing it 40 yards downfield. That pass won’t leave the pocket clean. Instead, you’ll become a viral meme—like Kenny Pickett’s wobbler in Week 17 of 2024 against the Cowboys. It’s not just a stat—it’s a scouting report. Veterans know this, which is why hand size became a rite of passage. Now, they’re sharing wisdom on social media through X posts and YouTube breakdowns. Rookies shouldn’t take it to heart. Loop it up and learn. Class is in session.

“Gross.” That was Kurt Benkert’s gut reaction—and he didn’t hold back. The retired 49ers quarterback spotted something off in a photo collage shared by the Cleveland Browns on X, captioned “Football things are happening.” The image featured Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco, each mid-grip on a football. To most fans, it looked like just another offseason post. But to Benkert, one detail stuck out like a sore thumb: how Pickett held the ball. He shared the picture with the caption, “No wonder Kenny can’t hold the ball look at how he’s holding it. Holding the middle of the ball like that is GROSS. Look at where Flacco holds it.“

At first glance, Benkert’s comment came off like a shot—harsh, maybe even personal. But in the replies, he broke it down. “It’s not about the laces that he’s holding,” he clarified, “it’s about most of his hand being around the fattest part of the football.” That, he says, is the real issue. The criticism wasn’t about hate. It was about mechanics—how grip affects control and throw. Especially for quarterbacks like Kenny Pickett, who deal with size or strength disadvantages in their hands.

Benkert went on: “If you have small hands or have a hard time gripping the football, you should hold it more towards the top of the football.” Simple advice, grounded in years under center. It’s a small detail, but it’s the difference between spirals and ducks.

And then there’s the YouTube spiral. A clip showing Kenny Pickett fumbling the ball in the second quarter is racking up views—75,000 and counting. It’s not just the title that stings; the comments and commentators both pile on, holding nothing back. The throw in question came during the 2024 season, Week 17, during the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys game. Prickett seemed to be thrown off by his own throw. It had become internet fuel for every critic with a keyboard. This year, the Browns might be paying a heavy penalty owing to Prickett’s small hands. 

 If Kurt Benkert’s hand-grip take seemed harsh before, it’s starting to sound a little more like foreshadowing. Maybe Pickett should start paying closer attention to veteran tips and tricks—even when they come disguised as a roast on X. After all, those veterans have been through it, and their advice, tough as it may seem, is meant to sharpen the rookies’ game. 

“Show Up Every Day”: Tom Brady’s rule for Shedeur Sanders 

Veterans are handing out wisdom like Halloween candy, and this time it’s Tom Brady dropping gems. On the May 7 episode of the Impaulsive podcast with Logan Paul, Brady waded into the Shedeur Sanders conversation—but not with shade. It was all heart, no ego.

Shedeur, despite a season of eye-popping stats, is suddenly the fat kid who gets picked last in gym class. He’s frustrated, slumped by the bleachers. On the Logan Brady podcast, the host asked Brady what he thought about Shedeur sliding all the way to pick No. 144. Brady stepped in with some calm, GOAT-level advice: stay locked in and keep grinding. 

The G.O.A.T. commented, “He’s gotta show up every day … as a quarterback, you have to be a leader,” he said. “To be a leader is: Do I care about my teammates, and do I care about what we’re trying to accomplish? Rules one and two. And I would say that to every quarterback that I come across. … That’s what’s endearing to your teammates. You’re not just appealing to your 22-year-old rookie. You’re appealing to the 32-year-old veteran who is trying to get the last couple years out of his career. You’re appealing to the coach who doesn’t want to get fired. You’re appealing to the owner who has made an investment in you. You’re appealing to the staff, whose lives are riding on the fact that you need to perform well.”

Sanders slipping to a late round isn’t anything new in the NFL. Even the G.O.A.T. has faced his fair share of rejections. “I was [pick] 199,” he said, but that didn’t stop him from carving out a legendary NFL career. Brady went on to play with some of the NFL’s best late-round and undrafted players—Rodney Harrison, Julian Edelman, and Wes Welker. He stacked up wins, proving that what matters is what you do when you get your shot. And now, he’s sharing that mindset with Shedeur Sanders. Brady’s message? “Use it as motivation. Wherever you end up going, it’s about your performance. What do you do when you get there?”

Veterans know that real progress happens both in the locker room and off-season training. Their advice, often blunt but rooted in experience, is the blueprint. For rookies and new names like Shedeur and Pickett, listening might be the difference between fading fast and leveling up. Because in the end, it’s not just about where you start. It’s how you show up, learn fast, and let it sharpen your game on the field.