Why Uncrustables have become the NFL's unofficial locker room fuel, with 80,000 eaten every year

NFL stars might be among the world’s most finely tuned athletes, but when it comes to snacking, many stick to something straight from the schoolyard lunchbox: Uncrustables. These sealed, crust-free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have become a surprising staple across the league — even more popular than the longtime halftime favorite, orange slices.What started as a quirky discovery by The Athletic while investigating the league’s halftime habits has since evolved into a full-blown phenomenon. In an era of protein shakes and performance bars, Uncrustables are thriving. After surveying 24 of the NFL’s 32 teams at the end of the 2023 season, The Athletic learned that players consume “at least 80,000 Uncrustables a year,” factoring in games, practices, and training camps. That staggering number could stretch over 18 yards of a football field if laid end to end.The team with the most ravenous appetite? The Denver Broncos, who reportedly crush an astonishing 7,000 Uncrustables each week. The Seattle Seahawks followed with 3,200, while the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins were not far behind. On the flip side, the Cincinnati Bengals and New Orleans Saints tied for last place — if you can call it that — with 500 sandwiches per week.Interestingly, Uncrustables have a direct tie to football. The product was co-created by former North Dakota State University wide receiver Len Kretchman and his wife Emily. In the '90s, Emily suggested making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the crust that could be mass-produced. From a simple idea in their kitchen using a drinking glass to cut and seal the bread, the product eventually evolved. In 1999, Smucker’s purchased their company and turned Uncrustables into a national hit.NFL players quickly embraced the snack. Jeff Saturday, former Indianapolis Colts center, remembered the sandwiches being a hit during Super Bowl week in 2007: “We were all scoopin’ and scorin’. We were grabbing five, six at a time.” Despite getting smashed under playbooks in gym bags, Saturday said, “Didn’t matter. You could throw your playbook on top of ’em, didn’t make any difference. Squished, unsquished, you’re gonna crush it.”The tradition lives on. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy reportedly ate one at his locker before the Super Bowl. Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce admitted on his New Heights podcast, “I eat more of those sandwiches than anything else in the world.” George Kittle of the 49ers munches on two before away games and up to four afterward.As Saturday summed it up: “We’re all creatures of habit, dude. Almost freakishly. If you’re a two-Uncrustables-a-day kind of guy, that’s just what you do.”Whether it's nostalgia, convenience, or just plain taste, one thing’s clear — in the NFL, Uncrustables aren’t just surviving, they’re thriving.Also Read: Gisele Bundchen gives Tom Brady a cold, silent Father’s Day while she chooses peace and passion with Joaquim Valente