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Halloween is a chance to not take game day outfits so seriously, but for NFL players around the league to have some fun.
Some players went all out, dressing up in costume head to toe. Marshawn Lynch led the charge and kicked off the week by dressing up — and acting — as Captain Black Sparrow (no, that’s not a typo) ahead of calling the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Others still kept their game day suits or designer tracksuits, but dressed up in family costumes for community events. The Arizona Cardinals had some especially adorable getups.
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There were some players that didn’t quite commit to a character, but celebrated the holiday nonetheless — see New England Patriots’ Jalen Mills’ spooky sweater, Detroit Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson’s ghoulish shirt or Atlanta Falcons’ JoVante’ Moffatt’s sinister slacks. Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts might have unknowingly had a Halloween-themed game day outfit as he showed up in some Black Air Force 1s, ready to send some fear into his opponent.
But for this week’s drip check, we are awarding those who committed to the cause. When you have the opportunity to rank Halloween costumes, you take it.
So here’s the NFL Week 8 drip check of the best costumes from around the leauge:
5. Adam Thielen — Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings wideout Adam Thielen had all of NFL Twitter shuddering in his Pennywise costume. He casually strolled into U.S. Bank Stadium holding a carton of coffees. Nobody would dare take anything — a coffee or a balloon — from this guy.
The Vikings just might win the team award as Danielle Hunter wore a Jason mask, Harrison Phillips dressed up as a hot dog, Alexander Mattison had a full pink gorilla outfit and Josh Metellus helped Luiji Vilain have some fun with his name as they dressed up as Mario and Luigi. The Carolina Panthers would be a close runner up as their defensive line really committed to the zombie look.
4. Jake Tonges x Chase Allen — Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears brought back childhood memories as tight end Jake Tonges and linebacker Chase Allen teamed up to be Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, the superhero duo from “Spongebob SquarePants.” Allen’s costume is especially excellent with the seashell bra and starfish nose.
3. KhaDarel Hodge — Atlanta Falcons
There were no jokes about KhaDarel Hodge dressing up as Joker from “Next Friday.” The Atlanta Falcons wideout nailed all the details of the costume, including the beanie over his eyes, single gold chain, gold watch and a belt hanging from a pair of blue Dickies pants, which anyone from Los Angeles would instantly recognize. He even brought a stuffed dog as Chico.
Hodge captioned his Instagram post with a PG version of Joker’s famous soliloquy.
Hodge’s teammate Mike Ford Jr. also deserves a nod for his horrifying light-up clown mask paired with an actually adorable ghost t-shirt. The duality is impeccable.
2. Lane Johnson — Philadelphia Eagles
If imitation is the highest form of flattery, Lane Johnson has high praise for his fellow Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jason Kelce. He wore a green graphic t-shirt paired with light blue jeans, brown flip-flops and a brown messenger bag. The accessory that really put this look over the edge was the brown wig.
Kelce loved the homage so much he made Johnson his Twitter profile picture.
1. Myles Garrett — Cleveland Browns
The NFL world was eager to see what the King of Halloween would wear and he delivered. Myles Garrett showed up to the Cleveland Browns game on Halloween night in a stunning Vecna costume. He had a full mask on, gloves and a ripped white outfit that gave the appearance that he fully transformed into the “Stranger Things” villain.
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“If I’ve got quarterbacks under Vecna’s Curse, I’ve gotta be Vecna,” he said during ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” pregame show.
The costume goes with his haunted house decorations. Garrett made his front lawn Vecna’s lair with skeletons of quarterbacks he’s sacked and an effigy of his Week 8 opponent, Joe Burrow. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback is positioned as Max, who, in the series, is one of Vecna’s victims as he attempts to take over her mind before a savage murder.
“I feel like that’s the same way that I treat offensive linemen and quarterbacks. There’s only one boogeyman of the AFC North and really the league,” Garrett said. “… When that time comes when there is no help, it’s just you and me, there’s just no safe place for them to hide.”
Chills.
