# Why do NFL players paint chalk under their eyes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 29, 2009, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318 "2009-11-29T07:47:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dandmb50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ba9def/32.png) [@Dandmb50](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandmb50)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/1 "2009-11-29T07:47:27Z")
I see it in football were the players paint black chalk under their eyes, because of “glare”. If that is the case why don’t other sports players do it? I don’t see it in golf or baseball, or hockey? Is it just a gimmick, like war paint or something? I seem to see the [Paint on eyes](http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j83/dandmb50/Paintoneyesfootball.jpg) on most of the NFL games? Daniel … Toronto ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/2 "2009-11-29T07:53:24Z")
It’s supposed to reduce glare, although I think it’s just as much as fashion accessory. Baseball players definitely use eye black. I’m not sure if it would be necessary in hockey since they usually play indoors. As for golf, I’m not sure. It may just go against the traditions of the sport. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/3 "2009-11-29T07:56:57Z")
[Some baseball players do it](http://i.cdn.turner.com/sivault/si_online/covers/images/1995/0605_large.jpg). However, they have the benefit of having time to flip down sunglasses, something a football player is unable to do, so it is of less benefit to them and is therefore more rare. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/4 "2009-11-29T13:59:00Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > As for golf, I’m not sure. It may just go against the traditions of the sport. True, but also a) they can wear a cap, b) they are looking down at the ground at key moments, so glare would be minimal, and c) the object of their attention is stationary and just 6 or 7 feet from their eyes, so not too difficult to see clearly. In cricket there have been players from the southern hemisphere who wear heavy sunblock. Example: [Allan Donald](http://www.cricketfundas.com/allandonald.html). I would have thought that if wearing black under the eyes reduces glare, then a large white area would increase glare. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/5 "2009-11-29T15:06:49Z")
[This study](http://archopht.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/121/7/997) shows that it does help: > [@](#): > > **Conclusion** Eye black grease reduces glare and improves contrast sensitivity in conditions of sunlight exposure compared with the control and antiglare stickers in binocular testing. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/6 "2009-11-29T15:08:15Z")
Oddly enough, not so much if you’re a blue eyed athlete: [http://www.unh.edu/inquiryjournal/05/articles/powers.htm](http://www.unh.edu/inquiryjournal/05/articles/powers.htm) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/7 "2009-11-29T16:01:25Z")
So why have I seen it on some black NFL players? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/8 "2009-11-29T16:58:54Z")
I think **Bricker** did a staff report on this issue a couple of years ago, but I’ve not been able to find it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/9 "2009-11-29T17:06:56Z")
Polarized contacts as a better alternative? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/10 "2009-11-29T17:44:12Z")
Polarized contact lenses do not yet exist except in patent submissions. ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/11 "2009-11-29T17:59:52Z")
Myth Busters did this one but I don’t remember the outcome. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/12 "2009-11-29T18:27:46Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > So why have I seen it on some black NFL players? I presume a sheen of sweat on the skin can still cause reflection even if the payer is black. ---
**Author:** ![JWT\_Kottekoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@JWT\_Kottekoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JWT_Kottekoe)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/13 "2009-11-29T19:50:45Z")
Superstition. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/14 "2009-11-30T03:55:19Z")
> [@JFLuvly](#): > > Myth Busters did this one but I don’t remember the outcome. It made some slight difference when combined with a cap. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/15 "2009-11-30T15:01:29Z")
It also makes you look bad-ass. Serious WAG here… maybe it helps draw your opponent’s gaze away from your eyes, making it harder for them to read your intentions and “dehumanising” you a little? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/16 "2009-11-30T15:35:56Z")
I have no firsthand knowledge as to whether eye blacking does any good. However, I remember an essay former Texas Rangers outfielder Billy Sample wrote for Sports Illustrated after his retirement. He had a long list of things he WOULDN’T miss about baseball. One of them was “Those moments when you’ve lost a fly ball in the sun, and you realize once again that the burnt cork around your eyes is really just for show.” ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/17 "2009-11-30T17:25:01Z")
The use of a [plastic face shield](http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/football/ncaa/10/01/closer.look.usc.arizonast/White-9.30.jpg) by football players has increased dramatically in the last ten years, particularly since they allowed [polarized/tinted ones](http://fromthedugout.freedomblogging.com/files/2008/09/lt.jpg). ETA: For what it’s worth, most folks don’t actually use eye black anymore but [eye black stickers](http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/cs/sports/m-footbl/05action/vtech-w-vick-helmet04.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/18 "2009-11-30T17:34:16Z")
> [@anson2995](#): > > The use of a [plastic face shield](http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/football/ncaa/10/01/closer.look.usc.arizonast/White-9.30.jpg) by football players has increased dramatically in the last ten years, particularly since they allowed [polarized/tinted ones](http://fromthedugout.freedomblogging.com/files/2008/09/lt.jpg). Polarized football face shields, like polarized contacts, do not yet exist. The technology to produce polarized shield lenses has only been around for a couple of years, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/19 "2009-11-30T17:37:21Z")
> [@anson2995](#): > > ETA: For what it’s worth, most folks don’t actually use eye black anymore but [eye black stickers](http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/cs/sports/m-footbl/05action/vtech-w-vick-helmet04.jpg). Ah, that explains why they all look so even, and why so many athletes are now taking the time to write messages in the black space. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318/20 "2009-11-30T18:38:42Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > I have no firsthand knowledge as to whether eye blacking does any good. However, I remember an essay former Texas Rangers outfielder Billy Sample wrote for Sports Illustrated after his retirement. He had a long list of things he WOULDN’T miss about baseball. > > One of them was “Those moments when you’ve lost a fly ball in the sun, and you realize once again that the burnt cork around your eyes is really just for show.” The black strip is not intended to protect against direct sunlight, but rather glare. He might as well complained that his bat wasn’t USB 2.0 compliant. I’ve used it and it works wonders, but, me not looking parituclarly terrifying, it’s a tough look to pull. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-nfl-players-paint-chalk-under-their-eyes/519318.md?page=2)