Do NFL Players Deadlift

Do NFL players deadlift? Short answer: yes—most of them do some kind of deadlift. Longer answer: the exact variation, load, and frequency depend on the athlete, position, time of year, and the team’s strength philosophy. Modern NFL programs often favor the trap-bar (hex-bar) deadlift for its blend of strength and safety, but traditional barbell deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, and other hinge variations also have a firm place in the toolbox. If you’re new to football training or lifting in general, this guide will break down why and how deadlifts show up in the league and how to apply the same principles safely to your own training.

Quick Answer: Do NFL Players Deadlift?

Yes, deadlifts are part of many NFL strength and conditioning programs. The “deadlift” label covers several variations: trap-bar deadlifts, straight-bar conventional deadlifts, sumo deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts (RDLs), and block or rack pulls. Across the league, the trap-bar deadlift is especially popular because its neutral handles and body position reduce technical demands and spinal stress, letting players train the lower body heavy without unnecessary risk.

There isn’t an official deadlift test at the NFL Combine, so you won’t see a standardized number like you do with the 225-pound bench press test. Still, teams track strength in-house. Athletes and coaches use deadlifts to build force production, posterior chain strength, and resilience—qualities that show up in acceleration, change of direction, blocking, tackling, and staying healthy through a long season.

Why Deadlifts Matter for Football Performance

Deadlifts strengthen the entire posterior chain—glutes, hamstrings, spinal erectors, and lats—muscles that drive sprinting and powerful contacts. Strong hip extension translates directly to burst off the line, cutting through contact, and finishing runs or blocks with authority.

Deadlifts also teach athletes how to brace and transmit force from the ground up through the torso. That bracing skill stabilizes the spine when a player absorbs or delivers hits. The movement pattern itself—a hinge at the hips with a neutral spine—mirrors athletic positions: low pad level, hips back, chest up.

From a durability standpoint, strong hamstrings and glutes help reduce soft-tissue injuries. Many teams pair deadlifts with Nordic curls, hamstring sliders, and hip thrusts to build a robust backside and lower the risk of pulls as speed and workload increase.

Trap-Bar vs. Barbell: What Most Pros Choose

Trap-Bar Deadlift Advantages

The trap bar places the lifter inside the load, which brings the center of mass closer to the body. This position usually allows a more upright torso and reduces shear stress on the lower back compared with a straight-bar pull from the floor. For large rosters with varying anatomy, training age, and injury histories, the trap bar is easy to teach and scale. It enables heavy loading with a simpler setup, and many players can safely pull more weight trap-bar than with a straight bar.

The handles often sit higher than a standard barbell, effectively shortening range of motion. That can be useful in-season when coaches want to lower joint stress while still getting a strong strength stimulus.

Straight-Bar Deadlift Advantages

Traditional barbell deadlifts offer a precise way to load posterior chain strength and teach tension off the floor. They challenge hamstrings and back extensors more directly because the bar sits in front of the shins. Some athletes feel this variation transfers well to heavy scrums at the line and to staying strong through awkward positions in contact.

With the right technique, mobility, and load management, straight-bar deadlifts can be safe and highly effective. But they usually demand more coaching, careful progression, and individual screening to ensure the athlete’s leverages and history fit the lift.

Conventional vs. Sumo

Conventional pulls emphasize the posterior chain with a longer hip hinge, while sumo deadlifts widen the stance, reduce the range of motion, and bring more contribution from the quads and adductors. Some linemen and taller athletes prefer sumo for better hip comfort and a shorter pull. Others stick with conventional to target hamstrings and back more specifically. Both can be viable depending on comfort and goals.

Romanian Deadlifts and Stiff-Leg Variations

Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) start from the top, hinge down with soft knees, and emphasize an eccentric stretch on the hamstrings. They are staples for building strong hamstrings and glutes with moderate loads, which is especially useful during periods of heavy running or practice volume. Stiff-leg deadlifts increase hamstring emphasis further but require careful load selection and pristine form.

Less Common but Useful Variations

Block pulls or rack pulls shorten the range of motion, making it easier to load heavy with less strain at the bottom position. Snatch-grip deadlifts widen the grip and increase back and upper body involvement, though they’re usually reserved for advanced lifters. Deficit deadlifts are occasionally used off-season to improve off-the-floor strength but are less common in-season due to higher stress.

How NFL Strength Coaches Program Deadlifts

Offseason: Hypertrophy and Base Building

Right after the season and into early offseason, players recover, rebuild, and address imbalances. Coaches favor submaximal deadlifts, often with a trap bar or RDLs, in moderate rep ranges like 5 to 8. The goal is stimulating muscle growth while restoring movement quality. Accessory work targets hamstrings, glutes, and trunk strength, all while gradually reintroducing intensity.

Offseason: Max Strength Development

As the offseason progresses, loads go up and reps come down. Deadlift sets might shift toward 3 to 5 reps with longer rest, focusing on quality contractions and bracing. Velocity tracking or RPE (rate of perceived exertion) often guides load selection so athletes hit strong lifts without grinding to failure. Variation is key: some weeks use trap-bar deadlifts, others RDLs or block pulls, depending on the athlete’s needs and how sprinting volumes look.

Preseason: Transfer to Power

Closer to camp, the emphasis moves toward power. Heavy pulls may drop in volume or be replaced with lighter, faster pulls, clean pulls, jumps, and resisted sprints. Some teams keep one heavy hinge exposure weekly, but with reduced volume to manage fatigue. The message is simple: keep strength you built while sharpening speed and explosiveness.

In-Season: Maintenance and Readiness

During the season, deadlift frequency usually decreases. The priority is performance on game day. Many teams will program a single hinge stimulus per week, often a trap-bar deadlift for 2 to 4 sets of 3 to 5 reps at moderate intensity, or RDLs for hamstring health. Load and volume are regulated by soreness, travel, practice intensity, and injury status. The goal is to maintain strength, not to chase personal records.

Auto-Regulation and Monitoring

NFL programs rely heavily on auto-regulation methods like RPE, bar velocity, and wellness questionnaires. If sprint outputs are down or soreness is high, coaches may reduce deadlift volume or swap in a lower-stress hinge (e.g., RDLs or block pulls). Athletes learn to leave reps in the tank, especially when practice and travel are demanding.

Position-Specific Considerations

Offensive and Defensive Linemen

Linemen need big-force production in short spaces and resilience in contact. Heavier trap-bar deadlifts, sumo pulls, and block pulls align well with their leverages and the need for strong hips and legs. Volume stays moderate, and technique prioritizes bracing and maintaining a neutral spine under heavy load.

Running Backs and Linebackers

These positions demand acceleration, deceleration, and tackling power. Deadlifts are used to build robust posterior chains that withstand high-speed efforts and collisions. Trap-bar deadlifts and RDLs are common. Loads are substantial, but there’s a watchful eye on hamstring health during weeks with high-speed sprinting and change of direction work.

Wide Receivers and Defensive Backs

Speed and agility rule here. Coaches often emphasize RDLs and light-to-moderate trap-bar pulls to build hamstring strength without excessive fatigue. If sprint volumes are high, deadlift intensity may be reduced, replaced by accessory work like Nordics and hip thrusts to protect speed qualities.

Quarterbacks

For QBs, the focus is on torso stability, rotational control, and lower-body strength that supports throwing mechanics and pocket movement. Deadlifts are typically present but conservative—RDLs, trap-bar pulls, and unilateral hinges are common, ensuring strength without hand or back strain that could affect throwing.

Specialists

Kickers and punters prioritize repeatable mechanics and tissue health. They still hinge, often through RDLs and lighter trap-bar deadlifts, to maintain balanced strength and prevent overuse issues, especially in the plant-leg hamstrings and glutes.

Safety, Technique, and Risk Management

Know the Red Flags

Painful lifts, repeated form breakdown, or a grindy bar speed week after week are warning signs. The NFL approach is proactive: adjust the variation, lower the load, or modify range of motion before issues escalate. If an athlete can’t maintain a neutral spine or repeatedly shifts to one side, coaches intervene immediately.

Set Up and Brace

Good deadlifts start with good setup. Feet roughly hip-width, bar (or handles) close to the center of mass, hips back, chest tall, and lats tight. Take a deep breath, brace the trunk like preparing for a punch, and push the floor away. Keep the bar close and maintain that brace through the lift. Think “hips and shoulders rise together” off the floor to avoid tipping forward.

Range of Motion and Mobility

Not every athlete should pull from the floor. If mobility or limb proportions make floor pulls sketchy, raise the start height with blocks or choose a trap bar with high handles. Quality range matters more than arbitrary depth. Improving hip hinge mechanics, hamstring flexibility, and ankle mobility over time usually expands safe range of motion.

Volume Management and Recovery

Deadlifts are neurologically and structurally demanding. NFL coaches manage volume carefully, often one heavy hinge day per week with a secondary light hinge or accessory session. Recovery practices—sleep, nutrition, hydration, and soft-tissue work—support the high quality of each session, especially when paired with intense sprint work.

Injury History and Individualization

Players with prior back issues may favor trap-bar deadlifts, RDLs, or block pulls. Those with hamstring strains might use tempo RDLs, Nordics, and progressive sprinting to rebuild capacity. The lift is tailored to the athlete, not the other way around.

Common Myths About Deadlifts and Football

Myth: Deadlifts are too risky for football players. Reality: Poor programming and poor technique are risky. When coached well and matched to the athlete, deadlifts are safe and effective.

Myth: Deadlifts make you slow. Reality: Building force production supports acceleration. Heavy strength lifts combined with power work and sprinting increase, not decrease, speed.

Myth: You have to pull from the floor. Reality: Range of motion should fit the athlete. High handles, blocks, or RDLs can deliver great results when full-range floor pulls are not ideal.

What Do the Numbers Look Like?

There’s wide variability across positions and individuals, but many NFL athletes can trap-bar deadlift well beyond 2 times bodyweight for reps in the offseason. Linemen might lift in the 500 to 700-plus pound range on the trap bar, while lighter skill-position players often pull in the 400 to 600-plus range depending on training history and goals. The focus isn’t chasing a single massive rep but building strong, repeatable outputs compatible with sprinting and practice demands.

Coaches value consistency and bar speed as much as absolute numbers. A smooth triple at a challenging weight that keeps technique crisp is more valuable than a shaky single that trashes recovery for the week.

Example NFL-Style Deadlift Sessions

Offseason Base Session (Trap-Bar Emphasis)

Warm up thoroughly, then perform 4 sets of 5 reps on the trap-bar deadlift at a challenging but controlled load, leaving 1 to 2 reps in the tank. Pair with a light core bracing drill between sets. Follow with Romanian deadlifts for 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps, hamstring curls for 3 sets of 8 to 12, and a loaded carry like suitcase carries for 3 short walks per side. Finish with a brief cooldown and mobility for hips and hamstrings.

Strength Block (Mixed Variations)

Start with block pulls or trap-bar deadlifts for 5 sets of 3 reps at a heavy but crisp intensity. Keep reps fast and technically clean. Then, do RDLs for 3 sets of 5 to 6, single-leg RDLs for 3 sets of 6 per side, and back extensions for 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10. Maintain quality throughout and avoid grinding.

Preseason Power Session

Begin with lighter trap-bar deadlifts for 4 sets of 3 reps moved explosively, followed by clean pulls or jump squats for 3 to 4 sets of 3 reps. Add hamstring sliders or Nordics for 2 to 3 sets, and finish with a short plyometric series or resisted sprints as programmed by the coach. The aim is speed of movement, not maximal load.

In-Season Maintenance

Choose one hinge exposure per week: trap-bar deadlifts for 3 sets of 3 to 4 at moderate intensity, or RDLs for 3 sets of 5 to 6. Keep volumes lower and leave reps in reserve. Accessory work stays efficient: 1 to 2 sets of hamstring curls, a plank or anti-rotation drill, and light mobility to finish.

Alternatives and Accessories Pros Use

When heavy deadlifts aren’t a good fit, coaches use alternatives to train similar qualities. Hip thrusts load hip extension with minimal spinal stress, while kettlebell swings build power with lower loads. Nordic hamstring curls and slider leg curls are staples for hamstring resilience. Good mornings, back extensions, and reverse hypers can strengthen the posterior chain without high axial loading. Unilateral hinges like single-leg RDLs build stability, address imbalances, and help translate strength to athletic movement.

Clean pulls and high pulls offer a bridge between strength and power without the full technical demands of catching a bar. Sled pushes and heavy marches build force application in patterns that directly resemble on-field drives.

Warm-Up and Mobility Flow Before Deadlifting

Begin with light aerobic work to raise temperature, then move through dynamic mobility: ankle rocks, hamstring sweeps, hip flexor stretches, and thoracic rotations. Add core activation and bracing like dead bugs and side planks. Progress to hinge patterning drills—hip hinges with a dowel, banded RDLs, or light kettlebell deadlifts. Finish with 2 to 3 progressively heavier warm-up sets of your chosen deadlift before working sets begin.

For Beginners: How to Start Safely

If you’re new, start with a trap bar if you have access to one. Learn to hinge—hips back, shins near vertical, chest tall—while keeping a neutral spine. Practice bracing by taking a deep breath and creating 360-degree pressure around your midsection. Pull with the idea of pushing the floor away, not yanking the bar up.

Use conservative loads and stop sets with 1 to 3 reps still in reserve. Film your technique from the side to check back position and bar path. If mobility limits clean pulls from the floor, raise the handles or use blocks. Build volume gradually, and balance hinge days with hamstring and core accessories. Recovery—sleep, nutrition, hydration—matters as much as sets and reps.

Equipment and Practical Tips

Chalk helps grip; straps can be useful on RDLs so grip isn’t the limiting factor, but practice raw grip strength at least part of the time. Flat, stable shoes or going sock-footed on a non-slip platform improves balance and force transfer. A belt can help remind you to brace and may allow slightly heavier loads once your technique is solid, but don’t rely on it to cover up poor bracing.

Set the bar at an appropriate starting height. If you can’t maintain position from the floor, raise the bar until you can. Quality reps beat ugly maxes. Keep the bar close, lock in lats by thinking about squeezing oranges in your armpits, and finish with hips and knees extending together rather than overextending the lower back.

Recovery and Monitoring After Deadlifts

After heavy hinge work, prioritize cooldowns and soft-tissue care. Light cycling or walking, followed by targeted mobility for hips and hamstrings, helps reduce next-day stiffness. Monitor soreness and performance: if sprint times or jump outputs dip more than expected after deadlift sessions, reduce the load, volume, or choose a lower-stress variation for the next week. NFL programs track these trends continuously; you can emulate this by logging how you feel and how you perform in your key speed or power metrics.

Case-Style Examples of How Pros Adjust

Consider a lineman with a history of back tightness. In early offseason, he uses high-handle trap-bar deadlifts for sets of 5, paired with RDLs and core work. As he adapts, he lowers handle height and adds block pulls to gradually increase range of motion. In-season, he sticks to trap-bar triples at moderate intensity to maintain strength while staying fresh for games.

Now think of a wide receiver coming off a hamstring strain. He focuses on RDLs, controlled Nordics, and single-leg RDLs, with trap-bar deadlifts performed moderately and never to failure. He uses velocity goals to keep reps fast and monitors sprint metrics closely. Over weeks, he reintroduces heavier pulls as his speed training ramps up, balancing stress to protect top-end speed.

Putting It All Together for Your Training

If you want to train like an NFL athlete, pick the deadlift variation that fits your body and your goals. Beginners and big practice workloads favor the trap-bar. Athletes with good mobility and strong technique might use straight-bar pulls, RDLs, or block pulls. Program phases: build a base with moderate reps, push strength with heavier triples and fives, convert to power with fast submaximal pulls, then maintain in-season with modest volume. Always align your lifting with your sprinting and sport workload so that both improve together.

Track your response. Note soreness, bar speed, and performance in jumps and sprints. If your sprint times slow after heavy deadlifts, lower the stress or switch to a lower-fatigue hinge temporarily. Consistency and auto-regulation are the keys to steady progress without derailing the rest of your training.

Conclusion

Yes, NFL players deadlift. They just do it smart. Most teams emphasize trap-bar deadlifts and hinge variations that fit each athlete’s anatomy, position, and time of year. The goal isn’t lifting the heaviest number at all costs; it’s building durable, explosive athletes who can accelerate, hit, and stay healthy from Week 1 through the playoffs. For your own training, take the same approach. Choose the right variation, master technique, respect recovery, and let strength support your speed and skill—not compete with them. When programmed thoughtfully, deadlifts are one of the most valuable tools in a football player’s development.