How Many Brothers Play In The NFL?

The NFL is a family affair for some brothers. How many brothers have played in the NFL?

The National Football League has seen its share of brothers playing on the same team. The Manning brothers, Eli and Peyton, played on the same team for a while. The Ryan brothers, Rex and Rob, have also played on the same team. And, of course, there are the Gronkowski brothers, all three of whom have played in the NFL.

How Many Brothers Play In The NFL?

While that total isfluctuating as brothers leave and enter the league, it’s fair to say that there are currently more brothers playing in the NFL than at any other time in the history of the league. In fact, there are so many brothers in the NFL right now that they could field their own team, with a few siblings left over to spare.

Here’s a look at some of the most notable sets of brothers currently playing in the NFL:

The Mannings: Peyton and Eli
The currentholder of the NFL’s most valuable player award, Peyton Manning, plays for the Denver Broncos. His brother Eli Manning is the quarterback for the New York Giants. Between them, they have won five Super Bowl titles.

The Matthews: Clay and Casey
Clay Matthews plays linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, while his brother Casey Matthews is a linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings. Both men were first-round draft picks and have gone on to have successful NFL careers.

The Harrisons: Marvin and James
Marvin Harrison played wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts from 1996 to 2008. His brother James Harrison is a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Marvin Harrison was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016, while James Harrison has won two Super Bowl titles with the Steelers.

The Manning Brothers

The Manning brothers are two of the most successful quarterbacks in NFL history. Peyton Manning is a Super Bowl champion and considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Eli Manning has also won a Super Bowl and is a two-time Super Bowl MVP.

But how many brothers have played in the NFL?

It turns out that the Manning brothers are not alone. There have been several sets of brothers who have played in the NFL over the years.

Some other notable examples include:

The Matthews brothers: Clay Matthews Jr., who played 19 seasons in the NFL, and Bruce Matthews, who played 20 seasons in the NFL. Both brothers are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Nesser brothers: Al Nesser played nine seasons in the NFL and Frank Nesser played six seasons in the NFL.

The Blues Brothers: Lester Blue played eight seasons in the NFL and Joseph Blue played two seasons in the NFL.

The Matthews Brothers

While there are certainly plenty of brothers who have played in the NFL over the years, none have been as successful as the Matthews brothers. Clay Matthews, Jr. played linebacker for 19 seasons with the Cleveland Browns, while Bruce Matthews was a offensive lineman for the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) for 17 seasons. Together, they appeared in a combined 36 Pro Bowls and are both members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Ryan Brothers

The Ryan Brothers are two brothers who both currently play in the NFL. They are Rex Ryan, the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, and Rob Ryan, the defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints. Both of them played football at a high level in college, and they were both drafted into the NFL. Rex Ryan was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft, and Rob Ryan was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft.

The Gronkowski Brothers

All three Gronkowski brothers have played in the NFL. Rob Gronkowski, who is the eldest, is a retiree. He played for the New England Patriots and is a two-time Super Bowl champion. Chris Gronkowski, who is the middle brother, played for the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins. He is currently a free agent. The youngest brother, Glenn Gronkowski, played for the Kansas City Chiefs but was released in 2019.

The Watt Brothers

As of the 2019 season, there are three brothers playing in the NFL: J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans, Derek Watt of the Los Angeles Chargers, and T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers. All three brothers play defensive positions; J.J. is a defensive end, Derek is a fullback, and T.J. is a linebacker.