Thursday Night Football
 

I saw this on a televised game, during the weather delay Baltimore at Denver. As the Baltimore players were coming out of the locker room, it looked like an official was patting some of them down. Is that normal, what was he looking for?

slippery substances on the jersey

They are checking to ensure that the players are following the new rule about wearing your pads.

Just one result from the google:

Cameras capture officials patting down Baltimore Ravens before game | Larry Brown Sports

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Remember the days when guys like Fred Biletnikoff would put so much gooey stuff on his arms, all he had to do was hold it up and the ball would stick to him. If I'm not mistaken the NFL soon banned such substances.

Fred Biletnikoff and Lester Hayes were notorious for that stickem.

Also I remember Jim Burt spraying some stuff on a team mate when he was with the 49ers on TV. So this stuff is taken rather seriously if caught.

Peace

Let's not forget Earl Campbell coating himself with oil to make him harder to grab --- and when they outlawed that, out comes the tearaway jersey.

Hayes did it primarily so when he, as a cornerback, contacted a receiver, he could stay in contact with him longer. The NFL rule at the time allowed this -- as long as the contact didn't break off, it was OK.

Another Raider, I think it was George Buhler, put Vaseline all over his jersey so offensive linemen couldn't hold him. Later, the NFL changed the rule getting rid of "foreign substances." The joke was that Buhler allegedly went to the trainer and told him, "you know the new rule about foreign substances; make sure the Vaseline is made in America!"