Ever notice that Patrick Mahomes is always wearing a headband beneath his helmet? Or how about the fact that Jalen Hurts wears a little cap? So for Super Bowl LVII, which is on February 5th, we might be witnessing a battle deciding which quarterback is best at keeping sweat out of their eyes. May the driest man win.
If you’ve ever watched an NFL game, you’re sure to notice beads of sweat running down the players’ faces when we get sideline close-ups. This is only natural, of course. And for the NFL, a league that generates over $17 billion in revenue each year, there are countless measures in place to make sure players can manage sweat and stay comfortable during a game.
The most obvious way that players stay fresh between downs is with towels. Many camera angles per game will capture players patting themselves dry with towels on the sidelines, handed to them by the many team staff available to keep players comfortable. And a lot of players, especially quarterbacks, will keep towels tucked into their waistbands to have whenever their hands get too moist to properly handle the football. ESPN reports, in fact, that each NFL team is provided with 528 towels each season, to be washed and reused as needed. Towels galore!
The League goes further to ensure its players are able to handle the perspiration that comes with the game. Uniforms (and many players’ undergarments) are made of moisture-wicking, fast-drying fabric that prevents chafing and odor retention. (Might we also suggest to the NFL Fresh Body’s anti-chafing deodorant lotion? Or deodorizing foot spray? Or deodorizing body wash? We can go on…) Players wear sweat-wicking socks to keep their feet comfortable, as well as sweat-daming garments such as headbands, sleeves, and gloves to keep sweat off of their skin where it’s least wanted.
As a side note, all of this special clothing and accessories leads to each NFL team needing to wash about 5,500 pounds of laundry each week. Like we said, towels galore! Tide was super lucky to snag that partnership.
NFL players at this year’s Super Bowl will also be well-equipped with antiperspirants that are specifically designed for sports and contain ingredients that help control sweat and reduce friction between skin and clothing (much like Fresh Body’s products). Some players use mouthguards with sweat-absorbing materials to help control saliva and reduce the risk of chapped lips. And every player drinks water and electrolyte-rich sports drinks before and during the game to replenish fluids lost through sweat. The list goes on.
The Eagles and the Chiefs will be sweating a lot in Arizona on February 5th, but they are going to be ready to handle it. Not only does their year-round training and conditioning prepare their bodies to produce less sweat than the rest of us would playing 60 minutes of football, but they also have the money, means, and support to keep sweat at bay through all four quarters (and beyond).
So when you watch the big game on Sunday—and while you’re maintaining your own game day hygiene practices—don’t fret the sweat. Mahomes and Hurts and co. are well taken care of. We only hope halftime performer Rihanna has the same support!
