The NFL is very well-liked by American viewers, and it features a number of excellent players whose skills occasionally go beyond the football field. Some may have changed careers as a result of a serious injury, while others may have done so out of passion or a desire to pursue other fields after retirement. Regardless, a number of NFL players have started acting careers in Hollywood and have achieved remarkable success.
We have an interesting list of NFL players who transformed into wonderful and popular actors. This list of NFL players will leave you surprised.
NFL players turned actors:
10. Jim Brown:
Jim Brown, a rising star who the Cleveland Browns selected in the first round of the 1957 NFL Draft, would go on to become one of the league’s most illustrious players. During his nine-year NFL career, the Hall of Fame athlete earned recognition in the sport by showcasing traits like dominance, agility, and rushing tactics on the field.
Just before winning his last championship, Brown actually made his acting debut in Rio Conchos as a buffalo soldier. He retired in 1966. He played Jefferson in Robert Aldrich’s The Dirty Dozen (1967) and went on to play his first lead roles in The Split, Black Gunn, 100 Rifles, and Take a Hard Ride. He then retired his football jersey. Brown was awarded Best Actor in a Motion Picture Award for El Condor at the Image Awards (NAACP).
Brown, who left behind a legacy in both fields worth honouring, died of natural causes at the age of 87. His final performance was in the documentary The Black Godfather about Clarence Avant, who facilitated his entry into the acting profession.
9. Terry Bradshaw:
Terry Bradshaw had a strong desire to play NFL football professionally from an early age. His career started at Louisiana Tech University, where he developed his on-field abilities and became an instant sensation in the football world.
Known for his commanding presence, well-rounded offensive style, and potent throwing arm, Bradshaw was elected into the NFL Hall of Fame three times. He spent nearly 14 years as a quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, helping the team to four Super Bowl victories.
Bradshaw signed a contract with CBS to become an NFL broadcasting analyst, continuing his passion for the game even after he retired. In addition, he concentrated on a range of ventures, including whiskey sales and music.
Like many actors, Bradshaw’s acting career began with television commercials and cameos in shows that were widely watched, such as The League, Modern Family, Everybody Loves Raymond, Las Vegas, and The Simpsons.
Bradshaw is also well-known for his roles in films directed by Burt Reynolds, including The Cannonball Run, Hooper, Smokey, and Bandit II. He most recently worked as an executive producer for The Bradshaw Bunch, his reality show in which he offers viewers a detailed glimpse into his life away from the field.
8. Terry Crews:
The Los Angeles Rams selected Terry Crews, a former NFL linebacker and defensive end, in the eleventh round of the 1991 draft. He has played for six seasons total, two with the San Diego Chargers and the Rams and the remaining two with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Football Team. He retired in 1997 to follow his dream of becoming a film industry worker.
Playing T-Money on the two-season syndicated game show Battle Dome in 1999 marked Crews’ official entry into the industry. As a newcomer to the entertainment industry, he first found work in television ads for Old Spice before making his big-screen debut in the Ice Cube-led Friday After Next.
Nowadays, Crews is best recognized for playing Terry Jeffords on the popular NBC series Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Actually based on the real-life of the former NFL player, the character was made especially for him (via Screen Rant). Other well-known projects by Crews include Are We There Yet?, America’s Got Talent, Deadpool 2, The Expendables, and Arrested Development.
7. Carl Weathers:
Carl Weathers started his football career as a defensive end in college, but he had to move to San Diego State University to play because of an ankle injury. Regarding his NFL career, Weathers began with the Oakland Raiders as a free agent after being passed over during the draft. He played seven games for the Raiders, helping them to win the AFC West Division. In 1974, he bid the sport farewell.
Equipped with a drama degree, he starred in Blaxploitation films such as Friday Foster and Bucktown before breaking into the Hollywood spotlight. He became well-known for his role as Rocky Balboa’s adversary and reigning heavyweight champion Apollo Creed in Sylvester Stallone’s enduring Rocky film series.
One more highlight of Weathers’s career has been being a part of the Star Wars franchise. In addition to providing the voice of Omnixtraxus Prime in Star Wars vs. The Forces of Evil, he was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in The Mandalorian for his portrayal of Greef Karga, a former magistrate and head of the Bounty Hunter Guild.
6. Fred Dryer:
As of right now, Fred Dryer is the only football player who has scored two safeties in a single game while playing defence. He was originally selected by the New York Giants in the 1969 NFL Draft, and in 1972 he joined the Los Angeles Rams. He set a record with 103 sacks while playing for two teams, and in the early 1970s, he led the Rams in sacks.
Dryer chose to pursue an acting career after spending 14 years playing football. He was one of the top three candidates for the lead role of Sam Malone in Cheers, but Ted Danson ultimately won the role. He was selected, nevertheless, for the sportscaster Dave Richards’ recurring position.
Mostly, Dryer is well-known for playing the role of the law-abiding homicide investigator Ricky Hunter in the 2003 Hunter five-episode reboot series and Frank Lupo’s crime drama series Hunter. In addition, he appeared in television shows including Justice League, Agent X, Crisis, Out of Practice, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
5. Merlin Olsen:
Merlin Olsen participated in sports during his formative years, but his coach didn’t think he had the physical prowess to pursue professional sports. He went on to become a defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams for nearly 15 years, though, proving everyone else wrong. The Hall of Famer of the NFL played in 14 Pro Bowls and was a part of the legendary “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line.
Following his rise to prominence as an NFL player, Olsen pursued careers in acting and television broadcasting. He starred in two more Western films, Something Big and One More Train to Rob, after making his film debut as Little George in The Undefeated.
The majority of Olsen’s filmography is comprised of television shows, such as Aaron’s Way, Father Murphy, and Little House on the Prairie. A year before he passed away at the age of 69, he was diagnosed with mesothelioma.
4. Ed Marinaro:
Ed Marinaro was a football player for the Cornell Big Red during his college years. He had already broken sixteen NCAA records and finished second in the race for the Heisman Trophy, which went to Pat Sullivan for the best finish before he was even chosen in the 1972 NFL draft. Marinaro spent nearly six seasons as a player, spending time with the Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, and New York Jets, among other teams.
Marinaro made his television debut as Packet Dietrich in Irving Vendig’s The Edge of the Night in 1977. Additionally, he has acted in supporting parts in both feature-length and direct-to-video films.
Additionally, Marinaro played one of the main characters, Officer Joe Coffey, in the procedural series Hill Street Blues, which offers a realistic look into the lives of police personnel in a big city. His other well-known television works include Falcon Crest, Laverne & Shirley, Sisters, Champs, Blue Mountain State, and Laverne & Shirley.
3. Brian Bosworth:
During his time with the Oklahoma Sooners, Brian Bosworth won the Dick Butkus Award twice, solidifying his position as the best tackler and linebacker. The Seattle Seahawks selected him in the NFL supplemental draft of 1987. His career was short-lived, though, as he only appeared in two seasons before retiring because of a shoulder injury.
In the Craig R. Baxley film Stone Cold (1991), Bosworth played Joe Hoff, a hot-headed and suspended police officer who is blackmailed into becoming an undercover agent by an FBI agent.
Later, after the NFL and big college seasons ended, he returned to his love of football as a colour commentator, signing with the XFL, a one-season football league that tapped into fan enthusiasm for the game. Later on, Bosworth maintained his acting career in films that included the Revelation Road trilogy, Do You Believe?, The Reliant, The Longest Yard, and Three Kings.
2. Alex Karras:
Before he ever started playing in the NFL, Alex Karras was involved in the professional wrestling business. Later, in 1958, the Detroit Lions selected him as a strong defensive tackler, and he played for the team for nearly a decade. He has participated in 161 games during his incredible career, missing one because of an injury.
Karras had an intriguing experience while making his first film. During his visit to the Detroit Lions training camp for his upcoming book Paper Lion, author George Plimpton was struck by Karras’s humour and heard many stories about him from his teammates. In the end, he played himself in a film version of Plimpton’s book, which marked the beginning of his acting career.
After that, he played the tough and pensive henchman Mongo in the Western black comedy Blazing Saddles, where he had his breakthrough performance. In addition, he is well known for a number of television shows and films, including Good Heavens, Porky’s, Centennial, Webster, Masada, and Victor/Victoria.
1. John David Washington:
At Morehouse College, where he started his football career, John David Washington held the record for most rushes. He was not chosen in the 2006 NFL draft, though. He then signed a free agent contract to play as an undrafted player with the St. Louis Rams.
In addition, he participated in the 2007 off-season for NFL Europe’s Rhein Fire. He then continued his career in the United Football League, playing for the Sacramento Mountain Lions (formerly the California Redwoods).
Following the league’s sudden dissolution in 2012, Washington decided to pursue a career in Hollywood. His acting talent was discovered when he was seven years old and appeared in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X as a student.
As an adult, he appeared on television for the first time as Ricky Jerret, a competitive NFL player, in Stephen Levinson’s Ballers. Alongside Robert Pattinson’s Neil, he also starred as The Protagonist in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. Amsterdam, Malcolm & Marie, BlacKkKlansman, and The Creator are some of his other well-known pieces.
So, this was all about the leading NFL players who are also actors. Also read, Sport players David Miller and Camilla Harris get married!
