Back in 1981 the NFL banned Stickum and all other adhesives, leading the way for the modern receiver glove that we know today. To cover that timeline, ESPN came out with an fascinating video recently tracking the history and evolution of the receiver glove as we know it.
"The early gloves really looked like they came from Home Depot, they looked like gardening gloves, so they weren't really made for everyone's hands." former NFL receiver James Lofton recalled.
Glove manufacturers also took a stab at creating cold weather gloves at one point, which they made out of a neoprene material, similar to what scuba divers wear. But that caused players hands to sweat, and when it's 25 degrees out, that's the last thing you want.
Now, when it comes to testing the grip, Nike has to send their gloves to a third-party tester who tests the stickiness of the gloves, making sure that they are within a specified range.
Anyone that has ever worn receiver gloves can appreciate this clip.
