How to Meet an NFL Player

Meeting Players at Games and Practices

Buy seats near the sidelines where the athletes walk onto the field. As players enter the field, some may stop to chat with fans along the way. If you buy your seats online, look for front row seats near the sidelines on the seating chart. If you buy tickets by phone or at the ticket booth, ask for the seats by the field entrances. Cheer when the players come out onto the field. If you have a favorite player, call out to them. They might look out your way.

Go to a designated autograph area after the game. Some stadiums will have a designated area for fans to meet the players and get autographs after the game. This may be a marked area or there may be an announcement during the game. If you’re not sure where to wait, ask an employee at the stadium. This may be marked as a zone to get autographs. If you don’t want an autograph, however, you can still wait here just to meet the player. Wearing player-specific merch may help you stand out. When you are buying tickets, ask if this is an option that will be available. You may need to get a special ticket to meet the players after the game.

Wait outside where the players enter and leave the stadium. Each stadium usually has an entrance that only the players use. You can look up online where this entrance is located for your local stadium. Alternatively, you can wait to see where other fans are waiting after the game. Keep in mind that players are probably tired after the game. Some may not be willing to interact with fans afterwards. If the players will not stop to talk with you, try again another time.

Visit a training camp in July. NFL teams typically train at college campuses around the country in July. There are usually many opportunities at these camps to meet players. The NFL publishes a list of dates and locations for each team online a month before. There may be a designated area after each training session for fans to meet the players. You may also be able to chat with a player before practice as they enter the field. You may need to buy tickets to attend a training session. You can sit in the bleachers to watch them practice before heading out to get an autograph near the end of the session.

Meeting Players off the Field

Attend a meet and greet at a charitable or promotional event. These events may take place at charity galas, sports festivals, college campuses, and local stadiums. You can find local events by searching for your favorite player or team online. If you know your favorite team or player’s sponsors, check to see if the sponsor is running an event where you can meet athletes. If not, try searching “NFL meet and greet” to find an event near you. NFL players will often visit their old college campuses for events. If you know their alma mater, see if they are doing any signing sessions there. Some NFL players may support a particular charity. Check to see if they attend events for this charity. letsengage.com usually has sweepstakes or brand events with professional athletes on their site. Also, their booking service allows you to directly reach out to NFL players on their platform for custom events.

Attend the annual NFL draft experience. Every year, at the NFL draft, there are a few NFL players who show up to sign autographs. The players who will be signing will be posted online the week before the experience. You do not need tickets to visit the signing booth, although they may charge if you want an autograph. The location of the draft changes every year. Visit the NFL’s website to learn where it may be this year.

Check out Super Bowl festivities. Usually, the city hosting the Super Bowl will offer meet and greets, signing sessions, and photo opportunities with players the week before the game. If you are attending the Super Bowl, look up what events are running this year. The NFL website will state who is hosting the Super Bowl each year. You can usually learn about special events by checking out the city's event page.

Hire an NFL player to attend a special event for you. Many NFL players will make appearances at fundraisers, birthdays, and other events for a fee. Contact the player through their agent or see if they are affiliated with an event company. You will pay the agent or the company for the player to appear. Create a list of 3-5 possible choices. You may not get your first choice of player. You can try contacting the team's publicity department to learn how to hire the NFL player you want. Some companies will specialize in providing athletes for events. These companies may advertise their sports speakers or celebrity guests.

Reach out to your favorite player over social media. If all else fails, you can always interact with your favorite player online. Tag them on Facebook or Twitter or post a message on their Instagram page. While there is no guarantee that they’ll see your comment, you may be lucky enough to get a response! Try complimenting the player or mention how they have inspired you. Avoid insulting the player or repeatedly posting on their page. These tactics will not help you get their attention. Following players on social media is a great way to learn about where they doing meet and greets, signing sessions, and other promotional activities. You can still send fan mail to your favorite sports team at their stadium, but be aware that the player may not read the letters. Instead, an employee will likely respond to the letter with an autographed photo.

Interacting with an NFL Player

Bring something to sign if you want an autograph. Hats, photographs, jerseys, and footballs make for great memorabilia of your meeting. You may also want to bring a Sharpie so that they have something to sign with. Limit yourself to 1 or 2 items. Many athletes will be annoyed if they think you are hoarding autographs, or they may assume that you’re trying to sell the autographs.

Hold a catchy sign to get their attention. Signs are a great way to stand out from a crowd. A good sign will mention either the team's name or your favorite player. You can also add a catchy slogan. Use the team's colors to brighten up the sign. You might write a slogan such as "Go, Fight, Win" or "Next stop, Super Bowl." You can make a funny slogan with your favorite player's jersey number, such as "#9 is so fine" or "Have no fear, #19 is here." Keep the signs positive. Players will react better to signs that praise them rather than signs that insult other players or teams.

Keep your conversation short and brief. There will likely be a line to meet the players. Prepare 1 or 2 things that you would like to tell the player. You might mention a few of your favorite plays or tell them how much they inspire you. Avoid asking questions about injuries or business decisions, like trades. You might say: “It’s great to finally meet you! I own several of your jerseys.” “I’ve had a tough time recently, but you have really inspired me to keep going.” “I thought you were great in the last game. You’re really amazing to watch.”

Ask before you take a picture of them. It is generally polite to get the player’s permission before you take their photo. You'll get a better image, and you'll avoid upsetting the player. You can even ask the player if they are willing to take a picture with you. You can say: “Do you mind I get a picture with you?” “Hi, would you mind if I take a picture?” “Can we take a selfie together?”

Thank the player for their time. Remember that NFL players often get swarmed by fans and press. Even if they are not willing to hang out, thank them for their time. You can say: “Thank you so much! I’ll remember this for a long time.” “It was great meeting you. Thank you!” “I completely understand that you’re busy. Thank you anyways for your time.”