How does Joe Burrow's hand size compare to other starting QBs in the NFL?

Joe Burrow's hand size has been a topic of active debate among NFL fans ever since he stepped foot in the league. The former Heisman winner entered the 2020 NFL season as the unanimous first-overall pick, but not before drawing some conversation about his hands.

The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback's hand size was officially measured as 9 inches. This ranked his hands among the smallest in the league for an NFL QB. Tennessee Titans star Ryan Tannehill and Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff's hands too measure at nine inches.

The chatter around Burrow's hands before the NFL combine was such that he jokingly suggested retiring even before even being drafted.

While Burrow's hands might be small for a QB, they definitely aren't the smallest in the league. That honor goes to Steelers rookie Kenny Pickett, who measures at 8.5 inches. An honorable mention would New Orleans Saints' Taysom Hill, who clocks in at 8.75 inches.

Among the active NFL QBs, those with the largest hand sizes are Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers (10.12), and Russell Wilson (10.25). The honor of having the largest hands in the NFL is shared by DeForest Buckner and Mo Alie-Cox (11.75 inches).

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How does the NFL measure hand size?

A player's hand size is measured at the NFL Combine by calculating from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger while fully extending the palm. The recorded figure is considered to be the player’s extended hand size.

Another pertinent question asked by fans is the average QB hand size in the NFL. As per an article by ESPN, the average size for a QB's hands in the league over the past decade is 9.7 inches.

While it is a general belief that the larger the hand size the better, many QBs in the past have excelled with hands far below the league average. Of the last three QBs to guide their team to a Super Bowl, two had hands smaller than the league average (Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady.)