The 25 Most Arrogant Players, Coaches Currently in the NFL

The 2012 NFL season is rapidly approaching, and like any year the league is peppered with arrogant coaches and players.

These over-the-top personalities are mostly players, but it stretches to some coaching staffs as well. Players can be arrogant through off-the-field comments or on-the-field celebrations. Coaches can be arrogant in both ways as well.

Arrogance can carry a negative connotation, but there are some players in the league who back up their arrogance with production on the field. It’s not uncommon for an elite player to be labeled arrogant by everyone except the fanbase that he plays for at the time.

Arrogance is hard to define, but NFL fans know it when they see it, like it or not. Just because a player is likeable doesn’t mean he isn’t arrogant.

Like it or not, the following are the 25 most arrogant players and coaches currently in the NFL.

Sean Payton, Head Coach, New Orleans Saints

Sean Payton is currently suspended from the NFL because of his association with Bountygate. His attitude and response to the unfortunate stain on NFL history reek of arrogance.

Payton and the New Orleans Saints organization vehemently denied bounty investigations, and Payton reportedly encouraged false denials to his coaching staff. He then dodged questions about whether he lied to the league.

Luckily for the rest of the NFL, Payton was caught lying in the act and was reprimanded. Maybe the $7.5 million he’s losing in salary will bring him back down to Earth. 

Rex Ryan, Head Coach, New York Jets

Oh, where to start? Rex Ryan isn’t exactly a humble person. He’s arrogant in the majority of press conferences he gives and hasn’t won anything of merit yet. Joe Namath believes that Ryan’s actions allow his team to become too arrogant, and he’s right.

Away from the game, Ryan is just as bad. He flipped off a fan early last year and was fined $50,000 by the NFL. It’s one thing to be cocky with the media, it’s a whole different story when the league office has to fine a head coach.

Ryan needs to back up his talk soon because as of now it’s hard to imagine anyone in the NFL taking him seriously. 

Jim Schwartz, Head Coach, Detroit Lions

Jim Schwartz is now infamous for his post-game fight with San Francisco 49ers’ head coach Jim Harbaugh. His continual acts of unprofessionalism are something that is reflected through his players—for example, when Ndamukong Suh stomped on an opposing player’s arm and then denied it.

Schwartz is also known for being extremely explicit on the sideline. His own players love it:

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"Thing about our coaches ... they think they're still players," Delmas told Detroit Free Press writer Dave Birkett. "When the ref ruled it outta bounds, he felt like he was the one defending Bryant.

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Schwartz isn’t still a player, and should probably act accordingly. The immaturity of the Lions’ roster can only be blamed on youth for so long. 

Jim Harbaugh, Head Coach, San Francisco 49ers

While Detroit Lions’ head coach Jim Schwartz should have not raced after Jim Harbaugh to continue a confrontation, Harbaugh shouldn’t have sparked the altercation with a ridiculous slap to Schwartz’s back.

Schwartz isn’t the only head coach Harbaugh can’t seem to get along with. He once had an altercation with another member on this list, Sean Payton.

Harbaugh is a great head coach who gets the most out of his players, but that doesn’t mean he is a mature adult while doing it. 

Greg Williams, Defensive Coordinator, St. Louis Rams

They don’t come much stupider than Greg Williams, the architect of Bountygate. Not only did Williams openly defy the NFL by fueling an illegal bounty ring with multiple NFL franchises, he was arrogant enough to do it while media members with recording devices were in the same room.

Sean Pamphilon is the one who finally released the audio of a Williams bounty session, and he sums up Williams quite nicely:

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It’s a cowards play to send someone off to do your malicious bidding. I’m sure many of his players would have told him this if they weren’t scared to lose their jobs…

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Williams was told to stop, and was arrogant enough to defy the NFL. He’s not technically a member of the NFL at this juncture, but he deserves a spot on the list.  

Joe Flacco, Quarterback, Baltimore Ravens

Joe Flacco isn’t a bad quarterback by any means, and he seems like a nice guy. But no one in their right mind thinks he’s the best quarterback in NFL, right?

Wrong.

Flacco thinks he’s the best quarterback in the NFL. That means better than Tom Brady. Drew Brees. Peyton Manning. Eli Manning. Aaron Rodgers. And so on.

Having confidence in yourself is great. Being delusional is an entirely different beast. The best quarterbacks in the NFL don’t have a perennial elite defense to fall back on. Joe Flacco does. 

DeSean Jackson, Wide Receiver, Philadelphia Eagles

DeSean Jackson has had issues being humble throughout the course of his football career. He’s guilty of excessive celebrations on a regular basis, and talks a lot of trash as well.

Jackson has been fined reportedly for his ridiculous taunting, but manages to hurt his team on occasion as well. One play saw Jackson catch a 50-yard completion against the New York Giants. Jackson thought it would be a smart idea to flip the ball at the Giants’ bench. The gain was nullified via penalty and Jackson was later fined $10,000.

Jackson has a lot of growing up to do, but the process hasn’t appeared to begin just yet. 

Terrell Suggs, Outside Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens

Terrell Suggs may be the best defensive player in the NFL, but that doesn’t mean he is humble in any way.

“T Sizzle” routinely talks smack to opposing players and media personalities alike. He openly bashed Tim Tebow in an interview. Suggs also has a propensity to show up online in explicit shirts insulting opposing teams.

The graduate of “Ball So Hard University” doesn’t look to be growing up anytime soon. It’s entertaining, but only for so long. 

Bart Scott, Linebacker, New York Jets

Bart Scott is yet another linebacker who can’t seem to keep his mouth shut. He’s known for talking a lot of trash on and off the field. His immature behavior and arrogance are a perfect match with his head coach, Rex Ryan.

Not only is Scott infamous for a post-game interview where he insults the team he just helped to defeat, he’s been fined for an obscene gesture toward the media.

Scott is now in decline in terms of playing ability, but his arrogance is far from dropping off as well. 

Tom Brady, Quarterback, New England Patriots

It’s no secret that Tom Brady is one of the most arrogant players in the NFL—there’s no way around it. He is constantly talking trash to opposing players or celebrating scores a bit excessively.

There’s also his incredible slip-up where he mocked the New York Giants before they went on to beat the New England Patriots.

Brady should tone down his trash talk. His criticisms of the Giants in 2007 are what the Giants’ players say fueled them the most. 

James Harrison, Outside Linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers

James Harrison is as clueless as they come. He openly admits that he won’t follow the rules the NFL has in place to protect other players, and continues to rack up illegal hit after illegal hit.

Harrison has been quoted as saying fines and suspensions against him for illegal hits are “laughable.” His arrogance and disregard for the rules are dumbfounding. Little does he realize the same hits he uses to hurt others are hurting his future as well. 

Chris Johnson, Running Back, Tennessee Titans

Chris Johnson had one electric season and decided to hold out for more money. By the time his holdout ended, he put together a mediocre season and proved he wasn’t worth the cash.

But don’t tell him that.

Johnson’s opinion of himself is pretty high:

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It's like Obama. Obama was the first black president. I could be the first black face of the NFL

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Johnson better step his game up to an elite level again before talking like that. A running back who just got paid and falls flat on his face won’t be the face of anything. 

Randy Moss, Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers

Randy Moss is once again attempting an NFL comeback. Maybe this time he’ll keep his mouth shut.

Or not.

Moss’ former teammate in Minnesota, Cris Carter, accused Moss for quitting on the teams he played for last year. Moss responded by publicly ripping his former mentor.

Moss has a long history of arrogant celebrations and quotes, along with the mooning of a Green Bay crowd. As long as Moss has a microphone, he’ll be able to continue to prove why he is one of the most arrogant to ever play the game.   

Jay Cutler, Quarterback, Chicago Bears

Jay Cutler has a reputation as a bit of a diva right now, and he’s earned it. He talked his way out of Denver and has yet to do anything of merit in Chicago.

Cutler is usually very short with the media and looks like he doesn’t care every time a camera happens to show him on the sidelines. He also seems to think he has a better arm that John Elway.

Cutler is one of those players who needs to get their act together until they actually win something. As of now, that hasn’t happened. 

Philip Rivers, Quarterback, San Diego Chargers

Philip Rivers is a loud-mouthed quarterback who can back up his taunting with elite play. He’s as bad, if not worse, than New England’s Tom Brady when it comes to taunting.

Rivers has only been fined once for taunting, but turn on any broadcast he appears in and you’ll see one of the most arrogant players in the league anytime something goes his way. If it doesn’t go his way, you’ll see him pouting.

It makes sense that Rivers and Jay Cutler were such heated rivals at one point. They’re both immature and put it on display every Sunday. 

Cam Newton, Quarterback, Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton had one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history, so it makes sense that he is a bit arrogant. That doesn’t make him exempt from this list.

Newton is a regular in the endzone, which for his personality means he regularly celebrates excessively.

Newton is great, and he knows it:

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I don’t want to sound arrogant but I did something in one year people couldn’t do in their whole collegiate careers. We had a chance to do something great and we did it.

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So much for not sounding arrogant. 

Jared Allen, Defensive End, Minnesota Vikings

Jared Allen is one of the better pass-rushers in the league, but he isn’t all too humble about it. In fact, Allen has had a ridiculous celebration for the entirety of his career where he drops to one knee.

The NFL banned the celebration, but that didn’t stop Allen from complaining about it publicly. Allen isn’t above the rules, no matter how good he is at his job. Time to come back down to earth, Allen.  

Roddy White, Wide Receiver, Atlanta Falcons

Roddy White has quietly been one of the better wide receivers in the NFL for some time now as a member of the Atlanta Falcons. He’s matched that quiet production while being quiet, most of the time.

White was fine until he discovered Twitter. He’s posted anti-gay tweets, along with claiming the New Orleans Saints only won a Super Bowl because of Hurricane Katrina.            

It’s a shame White ever discovered Twitter. He used to be such a likeable player. 

Antonio Cromartie, Cornerback, New York Jets

Antonio Cromartie is a solid cornerback for the New York Jets, but he’s not the best corner on the team—but he sure talks like he is.

Cromartie openly blasted New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady in an explicit manner. He also blasted his team’s new quarterback, Tim Tebow.

Cromartie doesn’t know when to stop. Brady routinely torches him and flinging public insults at your team’s new quarterback is going to do more harm than good. 

Matt Hasselbeck, Quarterback, Tennessee Titans

Matt Hasselbeck has had a sound career up to this point, but one occasion allows him to make this list.

In the 2004 NFC Wild Card game, Hasselbeck proclaimed before kicking off halftime that his team wanted the ball, and was going to score.

That didn’t work out so well for Matt. He proceeded to throw the game-losing interception. 

Ndamukong Suh, Defensive Tackle, Detroit Lions

Ndamukong Suh was stupid enough to stomp on an opposing player, and then arrogant enough to attempt to fool a national television audience by proclaiming he didn’t mean to do so.

The NFL has openly stated Suh has violated on-field rules five times since 2010. That’s simply irresponsible and arrogant. Suh isn’t above the laws of the game and shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds him.

Or stomp on it. 

Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback, Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the NFL, so he has every right to be arrogant. He backs up his ridiculously cool champion ship belt taunt with Super Bowl championship belts.

Rodgers has an awesome personality. He’s hilarious when photo-bombing, awesome on commercials and great in interviews. That doesn’t mean he isn’t arrogant.

Rodgers has a good kind of arrogance when compared with the other players on this list. He doesn’t get fined or talk trash, but through his celebrations a bit of arrogance shines through. 

Steve Johnson, Wide Receiver, Buffalo Bills

Steve Johnson is a heck of a receiver for the Buffalo Bills, but his on-the-field antics, in terms of celebrations, are a bit much. He’s essentially in the same category as Philadelphia Eagles’ wide receiver DeSean Jackson in that regard.

Johnson has been fined repeatedly for celebrations and wearing illegal attire. He has even been fined for inappropriate endzone dances.

Johnson is approaching the prime of his career, but doesn’t appear to be hitting the prime of his maturity anytime soon. 

Clay Matthews, Outside Linebacker, Green Bay Packers

Clay Matthews essentially makes this list for the same reason quarterback and fellow teammate Aaron Rodgers does. Both Matthews and Rodgers are great at their jobs, and both happen to have a regular celebration that displays arrogance.

Matthews had an underwhelming season last year, but still celebrated with his regular routine after a big play. That’s the equivalent to celebrating a small feat while losing a game by 30 points. 

DeAngelo Hall, Cornerback, Washington Redskins

DeAngelo Hall is a talented cornerback, but also a bit of a diva. He’s got a big mouth and isn’t afraid to tell the world what an outstanding talent he is:

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"I always feel like I'm the best guy out there," Hall once said. "When a guy catches a pass, it almost seems like luck to me. If a guy makes another catch, I'm like, 'Two? How did that happen?'"

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Hall was solid last year, but he’s not among the elite. He sure seems to talk like he is, though. He certainly doesn’t lack confidence. 

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