NFL: Most Active Tweeters for Each NFL Team

Social media is rapidly becoming a central part of the sporting world.  More and more athletes are being drawn to the possibilities offered by sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Aside from athletes Facebook pages, twitter accounts are beginning to lead the way. 

The NFL is no exception.

The increase of gridiron personalities engaging with social media has created an interesting dilemma for the league.  High profile feuds played out on messaging sites do generate plenty of press and make for good headlines. 

This kind of press is probably a welcome distraction as the players' union and owners squabble in the shadows and inch inexorably closer to a deal.

But the NFL on twitter also has its dark side.  Rashard Mendenhall's dubious tweets certainly challenge the idea that, "There is no such thing as bad press."  Implementing stricter guidelines is a looming reality for all sports and the NFL is no different.  The issue will almost certainly be on the league's agenda, assuming business resumes.

Inevitably, some teams have embraced Twitter more earnestly than others with certain players for each franchise, dedicating a (un)healthy amount of time to updating their followers on their daily going's on.  Here is a list of the player's from each team who have logged the most tweets. 

In some cases, special mention is made of those who are less frequent tweeters but have still have garnered a more active following.  Those who are more entertaining while logging less keyboard time and those who are pro active in how they use social media, merit honourable mention as well.  

Kerry Rhodes Arizona Cardinals

With a catalogue of tweets not far short of 30,000 at the time of writing, Arizona Cardinals free safety Kerry Rhodes simply can't resist chirping in with his two cents worth. 

With over 400,000 followers Rhodes is a regular frequenter of Twitter, always anxious to know what's happening in "twit land" as he calls it.  Presumably no pun intended.

Most of Rhodes' tweets are concerned with daily routine, anecdotes and individual updates.  Most recently he has described his time at the Kentucky football Hall of Fame.

HONOURABLE MENTION: Darnell Dockett.  The talented and flamboyant defensive tackle may trail Rhodes when it comes to daily use, but Dockett's Twitter page is certainly the most interesting amongst the social media-loving Cardinals.

The self-confessed ant eater claims to suffer from a "midget addiction" and has some distinctive views on how to police fashion:

"

ddockett DARNELL DOCKETT If you wear snapback hats and skinny jeans and they sag! You get 2,000 yrs in jail no parole lockdown 24/1 and beaten every day! #twitterlaw24 Jun

"

Sean Weatherspoon Atlanta Falcons

Promising young linebacker Weatherspoon is determined to share his exploits with the online community.  The Atlanta Falcons tackling machine has put his name to almost 6,500 tweets.  Not bad for a player only entering his second season. 

Or is that bad?  You'd probably have to ask Falcons head coach Mike Smith.

The admitted "cool dude" most commonly ends a reply to his followers with the moniker "fam" and is not shy in proclaiming his appreciation:

"

SeanWSpoon56 Sean Weatherspoon Love my twitter twamily!23 Jun

"

Weatherspoon often responds to his fans.  

Fabian Washington Baltimore Ravens

Fabian Washington begins a recurring theme of cornerbacks and wide receivers dominating Twitter use around the NFL.  With an excess of 20,000 tweets bearing his name, Washington is the social networking leader of a Baltimore Ravens squad eager to take to the web to air their views.

Topping any list that includes Michael Oher, Ray Rice and the demonstrative Ray Lewis is something of an achievement in itself.  The former Oakland Raiders 2005 first round selection limits most of his tweets to daily updates and musings.

Washington has also used his Twitter page to display pride for his Florida roots.  But if you're a major sports personality contemplating a name change, the Baltimore Ravens defensive back is unlikely to endorse your efforts:

"

FABEWASH31 FABIAN WASHINGTON Hey Ron: Your mother named you Ron Artest i'm gone call you Ron Artest.24 Jun 

"

Shawne Merriman Buffalo Bills

Ever wondered what Shawne Merriman does with his free time while on injured reserve for much of the past three seasons?  With over 7,000 entries and counting the once upon a time Chargers all pro is one of the keener tweeters in the league.

Not too surprisingly, Merriman's social media activity has provoked controversy and divided opinion almost as much as his playing career has.  Seemingly never willing to shy away from a fight, Merriman engaged in a brief online spat with WWE performer CM Punk.

Encouraging news for Bills fans wanting to see Merriman dedicate more of his time to sacking quarterbacks than punching keys in 2011, is that the majority of Merriman's tweets seem to focus on his gym regime and rehab efforts.  The former pro bowler also heavily promotes his LightsOutEnergy website.

Brandon LaFell Carolina Panthers

Young Panthers receiver Brandon LaFell tops all tweeters for the NFC South cellar dwellers with over 6,500 tweets.

With a Twitter page that proudly displays allegiance to his alma mata, Louisiana State University, LaFell keeps in touch with fellow LSU alumni like Buffalo Bills 2011 second round draftee, Kelvin Sheppard.

La Fell informs his followers about the major events in his life as well as his ongoing social activities.  The young wideout may find new Panthers head coach Ron Rivera taking a tougher view on active Twitter use once the lockout is lifted. 

Discretion may come to characterise the Twitter page of Brandon 'JoJo' LaFell in 2011.

Chris Harris Chicago Bears

Hard hitting veteran safety Chris Harris tops the tweet list for the Chicago Bears with almost 11,000 entries.  With an into line that lists him as a "bowler" and "music lover" and then finally a safety, Harris is very willing to engage with followers and fans generally, on a number of subjects.

But the tough tackling, cover 2 specialist adheres strictly to the importance of politeness and respect in debating and expects the same of others:

"

ChrisHarrisNFL Chris Harris U dont have 2like or agree w/what I say n I dont expect u 2 but all I ask is that u b respectful u can disagree n give ur 2cent respectfully25 Jun

"

Honourable Mention:  Jay Cutler.  With barely more than 250 tweets, Cutler trails team mate Harris by quite some distance.  But the cocksure quarterback has a much larger following. 

Cutler rates a special mention because he manages to maintain a presence on a site, many of his fellow professionals have used to question his talent and desire.  Keeping up with an account under these circumstances warrants a small measure of respect.

Chad Ochocinco Cincinnati Bengals

It surely comes as no surprise to NFL fans that Chad Ochocinco is the Cincinnati Bengal who appears on Twitter the most.  The freedom and opportunity to express opinions afforded by social networking sites must be manner from heaven for the motor mouthed wideout.

In fairness, Ochocinco is a dedicated and engaging tweeter.  With almost 30,000 tweets credited to him and a large contingent of followers, the Bengals flanker is never short of an observation or two.  Those who choose to keep track of Ochocinco on Twitter are never left waiting long to find out exactly what he's up to:

"

ochocinco Chad Ochocinco Oh Atlanta how I love thee. Feels good to be back for the 6th time in 33 years. Must be a record of the fewest times to an awesome city17 hours ago

"

In Twitter, Ochocinco has found the perfect format to extend his colourful antics off the field.  His tweets feature many ideas and suggestions on a par with his hall of fame mock jackets:

" ochocinco Chad Ochocinco The only solution I could think of was to sporadically splash coffee on different areas of my pants to make it seem like it was a design."

Eric Wright Cleveland Browns

Eric Wright's title line provides a clue that you may be entering unusual territory when you choose to search the Twitter page of the Cleveland Browns outspoken cornerback:

"

If a thousand words is equivalent to a picture then welcome to the cinema.. With a shot of wheatgrass and an enema.. Who wanna style war with the Emperor?

"

Adorning his page with the profile signature "ithinkurwright," the Browns cover man has logged almost 21,000 tweets.  Wright is always willing, if not eager to engage with fans.  But just like his man coverage skills, you never quite know what you're going to get.

Honourable Mention:  Josh Cribbs.  The all pro return ace is a Twitter favourite.  He may have notched less tweets than Wright, but Cribbs is probably more likely to create a stir.  One of his more recent uses for the social media engine has been to protest Ohio parking laws:

"JoshCribbs16 Josh Cribbs We are the "resistance" Skynet (meter cops) is out there waiting 4us, we must fight till there is no more us or until Skynet has fallen! Lol22 Jun "

Martellus Bennett Dallas Cowboys

A memorable tweet is sure to be found in the account of inconsistent Dallas Cowboys tight end Martellus Bennett.  It's hard to tell what's more enigmatic: Bennett's oddball tweets or his inability to produce performances which match his talent level? 

Dallas Cowboys fans could probably offer a strongly worded answer or two to this question.

Bennett's account name is given as "MartyisDope" with the stipulation "In a pair of Jordans" appearing next to it in lower case.  From there, any potential followers have the chance to familiarise themselves with what Bennett considers his finest attributes:

"

Patio Junkie, Rooftop Hippie, Professional Brainstormer, Super Ninja, Genius, married to a Gypsy... Creative Director for Rockit Dope Clothing 

"

Wesley Woodyard Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are one of the most Twitter friendly teams in the NFL.  John Elway and general manager Brian Xanders even took the unprecedented step of using social networking site to keep their fans up to speed with the progress of their search for a new head coach.

Reserve linebacker Wesley Woodyard is the most regular Broncos twitter user.  Woodyard mostly communicates with other NFL players and claims himself intent on keeping it real.  Hence the bio line:

"

I made a Promise to myself to always stay real. I'm a Que and I love it... Roo. To The Top

"

Cliff Avril Detroit Lions

Playing on a defensive line featuring Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch and with the imminent arrival of Nick Fairley, Cliff Avril is understandably keen not to be forgotten altogether.

The young defensive end is the most active tweeter on a Detroit Lions team which seems to have comfortably taken to the social messaging domain.  Avril tweets his fellow Lions team mates and also keeps his followers informed about the progress he is making while taking classes at Purdue.

Honourable Mention:  Jim Schwartz.  One of the few head coaches in the league with a Twitter account, Schwartz has used the site as a forum for engaging more closely with Lions fans.  The young coach recently utilised his account to find the best nickname for the Lions youthful and fearsome looking defensive line. 

This kind of Twitter use is probably the ideal picture the NFL has in mind for interactions between its employees and fans.

Nick Barnett Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Nick Barnett has logged over 9,000 tweets.  When Barnett and several injured Packers players began to voice their disapproval at the front office decision to leave them off the Super Bowl team photo, the messaging site briefly became Barnett's bully pulpit.

After a tongue in cheek spat with Aaron Rodgers, the matter was smoothed over, and Barnett and his injured colleagues rightfully got their wish to appear as part of the title game snapshot.  Barnett enjoys the fun of a light hearted confrontation on Twitter.

He also doesn't miss a chance to voice his disapproval regarding the current labor situation:

"

NickBarnett NickBarnett Great day for football... Wait we locked out damn!!!21 hours ago 

"

J.J. Watt Houston Texans

Is it a good thing that a player who hasn't even experienced a single pro down yet, leads the Houston Texans in tweets?  Only time will tell but former Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt is certainly not reticent to express his views on Twitter.

The Texans 2011 first-round draft choice has recorded over 4,500 tweets.  Watt is keen to remind followers that he remains fiercely loyal to his roots.  But he also assures residents of his NFL home that he will soon acclimatise:

"

JJWatt JJ Watt Houstonians, don't worry, I support the Astros too and will come out to Minute Maid anytime I'm invited. But always loyal to the hometown!26 Jun

"

Watt also has a useful tip just in case you ever find yourself giving the 290-pounder directions:

"JJWatt JJ Watt When getting directions, I prefer street names over landforms. "Go over big hill & turn left at tree" Doesn't really help me a whole lot guy23 Jun "

Jerraud Powers Indianapolis Colts

As if they don't get enough trash talking done on the field, Twitter is a defensive backs favourite.  Jerraud Powers continues that trend, logging more messaging hours than any of his team mates with almost 18,000 tweets.

Powers communicates with other Colts players and has recently reserved the majority of his tweets for comments concerning the NBA draft:

"

Jpeezy25 Jerraud Powers Man I called that pick...their identical twins, their game can't be that far apart24 Jun

"

Honourable Mention:  Jim Irsay and Pierre Garcon.  Colts owner Jim Irsay has probably embraced the social networking medium more than any other team owner in the league.  Irsay has offered updates on the lockout and taken the chance to interact with fans.

Wide receiver Garcon, born in Haiti has taken advantage of twitter's sphere of influence to raise awareness about the recent tragedies that have blighted the country.

Marcedes Lewis Jacksonville Jaguars

The second tight end to qualify for this list, Lewis takes the time to promote his youth football camp and show his gratitude to his fans, friends and family:

"

MarcedesLewis89 Marcedes Lewis Love all my fans, supporters and everyone else that plays a positive force in my life! You are all appreciated!25 Jun

"

Lewis espouses a positive message via Twitter and makes an effort to engage with fans and followers.  The dynamic tight end headlines his profile with the bio line:

"

There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one  you are capable of living.

 

"

Eric Berry Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City fans will probably feel that the Berry's account moniker "Stuntman1429," perfectly indicates the kind of hell raising, dare devil style of play the young safety brought to the Chiefs defense in 2010.

A fast rising star, the second year strong safety leads all Chiefs tweeters with 8,500 tweets. Like Marcedes Lewis, Berry also takes the time to promote his work with a youth football camp. 

In addition to this the future pro bowler doesn't miss an opportunity to display pride for his domestic roots and his ties to the South.  Berry's bio line still lists him as a Tennessee Volunteer.

Like a lot of NFL players on twitter, Berry will tweet about where he stands on the lockout:

"Stuntman1429 Eric Berry Sittin inLA...at a football field...fully dressed n uniform...wrists taped...fingers taped...on a tues...I think I'm ready for fb to start22 Jun "

Kory Sheets Miami Dolphins

Little known kick returner and backup runner Kory Sheets is the most active tweeter for the Miami Dolphins.  Sheets has amassed almost 28,000 tweets to date.

The second-year running back's tweets are not the most entertaining and seem to purely center around his own daily observations.  Although for all those out there who believe the lockout is the perfect way for players to simply laze around and party, on June 23rd, Kory Sheets disagreed:

"

Sheets24K Kory Sheets Today was suppose to be a good day. Damn!!!23 Jun

"

Don't worry, he probably got over it.

Bryant McKinnie MInnesota Vikings

Hulking left tackle Bryant McKinnie is easily the most frequent Twitter user for the Minnesota Vikings with 38,260 tweets.  The Vikings are a team only too eager to engage on Twitter.  Tight end Vincent Shiancoe has never been shy about expressing his views via a tweet.  Particularly to Darren Sharper.

But it is Mckinnie who logs the most messaging time.  The former Miami Hurricane is keen to occupy himself during the current work stoppage, although his most recent plan might be a little difficult to put into practice:

"

BryantMckinnie Bryant Mckinnie No football yall gonna see me n the US Open playin tennis soon! Gotta do something with all this extra time on my hands!23 Jun

"

It's somehow hard to imagine McKinnie executing a sprint across the back line to repel a Nadal forehand.  But who knows? Players have done stranger things during this lockout.

Darius Butler New England Patriots

It should come as no surprise by now that a defensive back once again leads his team in tweets.  Young safety Darius Butler is credited with 7,361 Twitter entries.

Like most players during the labor negotiations, most of Butler's tweets have been about his light workout schedule and more recently, his thoughts on the NBA draft. 

The former Florida resident has shown himself to be keen to immerse himself in some local history as a member of the Patriots.  Although his timing needs work:

"

 DariusButler28 Darius Butler So they finally got Whitey Bulger? That's crazy I just started reading a book about him.23 Jun

"

Alex Brown New Orleans Saints

Former Chicago Bears defensive end Alex Brown leads a Twitter friendly New Orleans Saints team with an excess of 5,000 tweets.  Some of Brown's tweets were accrued during his playing days in the Windy City, having only joined the Black and Gold late last offseason.

Brown dedicates a lot of his tweets to updating followers on the prospects of his beloved hometown Florida Gators.  He has recently been charting the Gators trials and tribulations in the CWS championship.

Honourable Mention:  Drew Brees.  Philanthropy is frequently the order of the day on the twitter page of the Saints star quarterback.  The former Super Bowl MVP utilises the social media engine to generate interest in many charitable causes and update followers on his own fund raising efforts:

"

drewbrees Drew Brees Raised $50k at our Purdue golf tourney for PALS camp that hosts 500 underprivileged kids in Lafayette, IN for 5 weeks. Had a great time18 Jun

"

Victor Cruz New York Giants

For a team often associated with a stuffed shirt type of image, and with a taciturn disciplinarian like Tom Coughlin at the helm, the New York Giants are surprisingly active on Twitter.

2010 rookie free agent Victor Cruz is currently most active tweeter listed on the Giants roster.  Cruz, who enjoyed a fine preseason a year ago, eventually ended his rookie season on injured reserve, following a hamstring injury.

As part of a receiving corps boasting talents like Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham and Steve Smith, Cruz should always find it easier to log more Twitter hours than playing time.  The young receiver leads the way as part of an active group of keen messengers for the Giants.

Other notable tweeters for Big Blue are Smith and tight end Kevin Boss.  Just don't bet on Coughlin opening an account any time soon. 

Nick Mangold New York Jets

For some reason it seems strange to find a center heading the list of tweeters for any NFL team.  But especially for the New York Jets where even the head coach would be a reasonable bet to take the prize for most active Twitter user.

Nevertheless Pro Bowler Nick Mangold is indeed the top tweeter for Gang Green.  He has nearly 12,500 tweets to his name, as well as a healthy following.  Mangold maintains a light-hearted presence online:

"

I try to find the humor in everything while promoting the virtues of being manly.

"

Most recently Mangold has informed his followers about the Jets paintball exploits:

"nickmangold Nick Mangold To finish #CampLockout we went paintballing. O dominated D which is the way it should be. The MVP was @DUSTINKELLER81, surprisingly16 Jun "

Lamarr Houston Oakland Raiders

Young defensive lineman Lamarr Houston has over 8,000 tweets.  The second-year pro's birthday celebrations naturally dominated his most recent Twitter entries.

The Texas graduate, who enjoyed a productive rookie season in 2010 is never likely to rival Chad Ochocinco as one of the league's more entertaining tweeters.  Houston tends to restrict the bulk of his tweets to individual routine.

Ironically, given their reputation as the original renegades of the league, the Oakland Raiders appear rather slow in fully embracing the Twitter phenomenon. 

Jeff Owens Philadelphia Eagles

It is something of a minor shock that the top tweeter wearing Eagles green is not named Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson or LeSean McCoy. 

The latter member of this trio may have dedicated recent Twitter time to showing New York Giants contract rebel Osi Umnyiora the error of his ways, but McCoy still lags behind little known defensive tackle Jeff Owens.

Maybe the fact that much of Owen's rookie season was spent on injured reserve contributed to his tally of over 14,000 tweets at the time of writing.  Philadelphia's 2010 seventh-round draft choice was placed on injured reserve after suffering a ruptured patella tendon.

Ryan Mundy Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a checkered, young history with Twitter use.  From James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley's sarcastic take on NFL rule changes to Rashard Mendenhall's bizarre and ill-timed musings, the Steelers are often forced into spending most of their time justifying why their players are allowed accounts at all.

The good news for the Rooney's is that somebody other than Mendenhall logs more tweets.  Backup free safety Ryan Mundy leads the way with almost 3,500 Twitter entries at the time of writing.  Mundy continues the pattern of defensive backs being particularly attached to their Twitter accounts.

Thankfully the majority of Mundy's tweets are of the more mundane variety.  He updates followers on his daily travels and the experiences shared with other NFL players, mostly Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Steve Breaston:

"RMundy29 Ryan Mundy @SBreaston15 & myself couldnt make up the foolishness we see/hear when we go out if we tried. #comedy15 hours ago"

Shaun Phillips San Diego Chargers

Fast closing in on 10,000 tweets, Pro Bowl outside linebacker Shaun Phillips is the most active Twitter user for perennial AFC West underachievers San Diego.

The Chargers all pro defensive talisman adorns his profile page with the line, "Plan your work, and work your plan."  He also chooses to include several astrological tidbits in his tweets.  One of the more unusual tweeters in the league, Phillips is never shy about saying what's on his mind, but should rarely be taken seriously:

"

ShaunPhillips95 Shaun Phillips I hate weirdos and I don't hate anyone. If you a weirdo don't be weird.24 Jun

"

Dashon Goldson San Francisco 49ers

Yet another safety makes it onto the list, as Dashon Goldson clocks the most tweets amongst all 49ers with more than 4,800 to date.

Advertising himself as "Employee #38 of the San Francisco 49er's," Goldson keeps the focus of his tweets largely on his daily whereabouts.  He has been maintaining a keen interest in the Gold Cup soccer tournament and most recently informed his followers about his and team mate Ray McDonald's visit to the Noran Norris charity dinner.

The San Francisco 49ers are a surprisingly Twitter active franchise.  This is no small achievement given that their last two head coaches have been the straight-laced Mike Nolan and the old school' Mike Singeltary. 

Kam Chancellor Seattle Seahawks

Another defensive back for whom trash talking on the field doesn't exhaust everything he has to say.  Chancellor is easily the most active tweeter on the Seattle Seahawks roster with almost 17,500 tweets to his name.

That's not a bad effort for a player who has only enjoyed one season at Qwest Field.  The second-year pro from Virginia Tech advertises himself as "well respected, well mannered."  Most of Chancellor's tweets follow a similar direct and to the point pattern:

"

Kam_Chancellor Kameron If it ain't your business, Stay out of it......14 hours ago

"

Fair enough.

Steven Jackson St. Louis Rams

Steven Jackson is one of the few star performers in the NFL who actually manages to outperform his colleagues on Twitter as well as on the field.  The criminally underrated all pro rusher tops the list of Rams tweeters with close to 7,000 tweets.

Jackson's tweets are often very specific, concentrating on his daily routine.  If for some reason, the mood strikes and you just have to know what Jackson ate for breakfast on any given day, the Pro Bowl running back will probably have mentioned it on his Twitter account.

In fairness, Jackson is extremely fan friendly.  He regularly takes the time to interact with fans via Facebook and Twitter and keeps his followers informed about his interview schedule.

Stylez G. White Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Since the Buccaneers used their first two picks in the 2011 NFL draft on Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers, incumbent Tampa defensive end Stylez G. White is understandably feeling the heat.  Maybe this explains the opening part of his Twitter bio line: "Tampa Bay Bucs tentatively speaking."

For such a young team the Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear surprisingly reticent when it comes to Twitter use.  No such problems for White who has no issues indulging his fondness for expressing himself.  The rest of his bio line includes all he feels you need to know about him.  You know, the important stuff:

"

 "Wanna be different? Be urself! Also I like lasagna! Just saying. Follow me or else!"

"

Alterraun Verner Tennessee Titans

If you were forced to guess which member of the Tennessee Titans had the most to say on the pages of Twitter, the smart money would probably be on notorious trash talker Cortland Finnegan.

But it is actually fellow cover man Alterraun Verner who can't resist the social messaging site.  The former UCLA standout is rapidly approaching 10,000 tweets. 

The Titans 2010 fourth-round draft selection has reserved most of his latest tweets for talking about his youth football camp. Verner also says he hopes to bring a similar camp to Nashville in the near future.

Kareem Moore Washington Redskins

Perhaps more surprising than little known safety Kareem Moore being the most active tweeter at Redskins Park, is that motor mouth cornerback DeAngelo Hall isn't.

Moore tops all Washington Redskins with nearly 5,000 tweets.  Ironically for a franchise which usually manges to court as much drama as the redskins, Moore's Twitter page is remarkably straight-laced.  The safety usually focuses on family affairs and takes the time to engage with fans.

Maybe the lack of regular twitter bombshells from players like Hall or Albert Haynesworth means Mike Shanahan's influence is starting to rub off on the Redskins after all?

With a growing number of the league's personnel starting to use Twitter, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, himself a tweeter, will surely soon be looking to formalise some guidelines for use.