NFL centers land elusive endorsement deal, now being used to sell butt wipes for men

Offensive lineman have long been the most unheralded players on football teams. Relatively anonymous for the most part, usually the only time we hear their names is when they do something wrong, like when they commit a holding or false start penalty.

It’s hardly surprising, then, that endorsement opportunities for these guys are few and far between, which makes it “refreshing” to learn that at least one company has sought out some of the players who make a living “in the trenches” in order to market a product that has the sole purpose of “refreshing” those oft-unspoken areas that could loosely be referred to as being located “in the trenches.”

That’s right, the outfit behind the vastly popular Dollar Shave Club has enlisted the services — and posteriors — of four NFL centers — Travis Frederick of the Dallas Cowboys; John Sullivan of the Minnesota Vikings; Eric Wood of the Buffalo Bills and Nick Hardwick of the San Diego Chargers - to endorse the company’s newest product, One Wipe Charlies, a moistened butt wipe designed exclusively for men.

The ads, starring the aforementioned posteriors of the alluded-to NFL centers — feature a tagline that asserts, “Every Great Play Starts with a Clean Snap.”

Dollar Shave CEO Mike Dubin believes One Wipe Charlies and the asses of NFL center are a match made in heaven.

“Everybody’s got their eye on the center’s ass all season long,” said Dubin. “That’s why we picked them. They have to keep that area clean, not just on the field but off the field.”

Dubin wouldn’t reveal how much the company is paying the players, joking, “Let’s say they’re more affordable than the quarterback.” But NFL superagent Leigh Steinberg claims that “If these guys are getting over $10,000 [for the deal], they’re doing well,” according to an Ad Age report.

Dubin adds that there is a charitable component that may have helped entice the centers to agree to be featured in the ads: Every time the company sees a tweet with the hashtag “#cleansnap,” it will donate $1 to the charity of the players’ choice.

In the end — pun intended — it makes sense that if a guy is looking for guidance on what moistened butt wipe product to use, trusting the endorsement of a guy whose ass is more recognizable than his face might be the place to start.

[H/T Kissing Suzy Kolber]