As popular as the NFL is among American audiences, so are its several top-notch players, whose talents sometimes extend beyond the football field. For some, a serious injury might have prompted a career transition; for others, it might simply be out of passion or a desire to explore other industries after retirement. In any case, numerous NFL players have launched acting careers in Hollywood and have received great levels of success as well.
Even though acting and football are completely different careers, they share some commonalities, too. Indeed, actors and athletes undergo intense preparation and training in order to deliver their best. What's more, there's also intense pressure to put on a good show. Both careers are equally challenging and unstable, yet some talented individuals throughout the years have managed to ace both.
As we go forth with football season, here's a list of NFL players who became well-known actors.
10 Jim Brown
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In 1957, the Cleveland Browns drafted a rising talent in the first round, who went on to become a legendary player in the history of the NFL — and his name was Jim Brown. The Hall of Fame athlete demonstrated qualities of dominance, agility, and rushing tactics on the field throughout his nine-year NFL career, earning recognition in the sport.
Brown retired in 1966, and, in fact, made his acting debut as a buffalo soldier in Rio Conchos, right before his final championship. After retiring his football jersey, he starred as Jefferson in Robert Aldrich's The Dirty Dozen (1967), followed by his first-ever lead role in The Split, Black Gunn, 100 Rifles, and Take a Hard Ride. Brown received an Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Award for El Condor at the Image Awards (NAACP).
Leaving behind a legacy worth remembering in both fields, Brown passed away naturally at the age of 87. His last appearance was in The Black Godfather, a documentary about Clarence Avant, who helped him transition into the acting industry.
9 Terry Bradshaw
From a very young age, Terry Bradshaw was driven to pursue a professional NFL football career. He began his journey at Louisiana Tech University, where he honed his on-field skills and very quickly turned into a football sensation. Renowned for his leadership, balanced offense, and powerful throwing arm, Bradshaw was inducted three times into the NFL Hall of Fame and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers for almost 14 seasons, winning four Super Bowls as a quarterback for the team.
Even after his retirement, Bradshaw continued his love for the game by becoming an NFL broadcasting analyst, signing a deal with CBS. He also focused on a variety of businesses, from music to selling whiskey. Bradshaw's acting career, like many actors, started in television commercials and cameos in popular television shows, including Modern Family, Everybody Loves Raymond, Las Vegas, The Simpsons, and The League.
Bradhsaw is also renowned for starring in Burt Reynolds-led movies like Hooper, Smokey, Bandit II, and The Cannonball Run. Recently, he also served as an executive producer for his reality show called The Bradshaw Bunch, where he gives a close look into his off-field life to viewers.
8 Terry Crews
Terry Crews is a retired NFL linebacker and defensive end, who was drafted in the 11th round by the Los Angeles Rams in 1991. Overall, he has played six seasons, two each with the Rams and San Diego Chargers, and the rest with the Washington Football Team and the Philadelphia Eagles. In 1997, he retired to pursue his dream of working in the film industry.
In 1999, Crews officially got into the industry by playing T-Money in Battle Dome, a syndicated game show that ran for two seasons. Being a newbie in show business, he initially landed roles in television commercials for Old Spice, until he made his on-screen debut in the Ice Cube-led Friday After Next.
Today, Crews is most famously known for his character, Terry Jeffords, in the NBC hit show Brooklyn Nine-Nine. In fact, the character was specifically created for the former NFL player and was inspired by his real life (via Screen Rant). Crews' other renowned works include: The Expendables, Deadpool 2, Arrested Development, America's Got Talent, The Family Crews, and Are We There Yet?.
7 Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers' football journey commenced during his college years, when he played as a defensive end, until his ankle injury made him movie to San Diego State University to play. With regard to his NFL career, after going undrafted, Weathers started as a free agent for the Oakland Raiders and played seven games for them, helping them win the AFC West Division title. He said goodbye to the sport in 1974.
Armed with a degree in drama, he made his Hollywood debut with Blaxploitation movies like Friday Foster and Bucktown. He gained recognition for playing Apollo Creed, an undisputed heavyweight champion and Rocky Balboa's rival, in Sylvester Stallone's iconic Rocky franchise.
Being a part of the Star Wars franchise remains another highlight of Weathers career. He voiced Omnixtraxus Prime in Star Wars vs. The Forces of Evil, and was also nominated for an Outstanding Guest Actor Emmy for portraying Greef Karga, a former magistrate and leader of the Bounty Hunter Guild in The Mandalorian.
6 Fred Dryer
Fred Dryer, to date, remains the only football player to have scored two safeties in one game as a defensive end. Initially, he was picked in the 1969 NFL draft to play for the New York Giants, and later joined the Los Angeles Rams in 1972. During his tenure with two teams, he made a record of 103 sacks and was also a sacks leader for the Rams in the early-1970s.
After dedicating 14 years of his life to football, Dryer opted for an acting career and was among the top three choices for the main role of Sam Malone in Cheers, but lost it to Ted Danson. However, he was chosen for the recurring role of Dave Richards, a sportscaster. Mostly, Dryer is famous for bringing rule-breaking homicide detective Ricky Hunter to life in Frank Lupo's crime drama series Hunter and 2003's five-episode reboot series of the same name. He also made appearances in television series like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Crisis, Out of Practice, Justice League, and Agent X.
5 Merlin Olsen
During his early years, Merlin Olsen was active in sports, but was underestimated by his coach, who believed he didn't have the athletic abilities to go pro. However, he proved everyone wrong by becoming a defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams for almost 15 years. The NFL Hall of fame was a member of the renowned defensive line "Fearsome Foursome" and was chosen to play in 14 Pro Bowls.
After establishing himself as a renowned NFL player, Olsen entered the world of acting and television broadcasting. He made his movie debut as Little George in The Undefeated, followed by two other western movies, One More Train to Rob and Something Big. Olsen's overall filmography consists of television works, which includes Little House on the Prairie, Father Murphy, and Aaron's Way. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma a year before his death at age 69.
4 Ed Marinaro
During his college years, Ed Marinaro pursued a football career by playing for the Cornell Big Red. Before even being selected in the 1972 NFL draft, he had set 16 NCAA records and was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, which was awarded to Pat Sullivan for the highest finish. Marinaro played for almost six seasons for different teams, like the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, and Minnesota Vikings.
In 1977, Marinaro began his television career in Irving Vendig's The Edge of the Night as Packet Dietrich. He has also played supporting roles in full-length and direct to video movies. In addition, he was a regular cast member in Hill Street Blues, a procedural series that gives a realistic look into the lives of police staff in a metropolitan city; Marinaro plays one of the main characters, Officer Joe Coffey. His other famous television projects include Blue Mountain State, Champs, Sisters, Laverne & Shirley, and Falcon Crest.
3 Brian Bosworth
Brian Bosworth cemented his status as the best linebacker and tackler, and he was a two-time Dick Butkus Award winner during his tenure with the Oklahoma Sooners. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1987 NFL supplemental draft. However, his career was short-lived, as he played only two seasons and later retired due to a shoulder injury.
In 1991, Bosworth was cast to play Joe Hoff, a hot-headed and suspended cop who gets blackmailed by an FBI agent into becoming an undercover agent, in the Craig R. Baxley film, Stone Cold. He later resumed his interest in football as a color commentator by joining the XFL, a football league that ran for just one season and capitalized on audience interest in football after the conclusion of the NFL and major college seasons. Later, Bosworth continued his acting career with movies like Three Kings, The Reliant, The Longest Yard, Do you Believe?, and the Revelation Road trilogy.
2 Alex Karras
Even before starting his NFL career, Alex Karras was active in the professional wrestling industry. Later, he was selected by the Detroit Lions as a powerful defensive tackler in 1958 and stayed with the team for almost 12 years. In his remarkable career, he has played a total of 161 games and missed out on one due to an injury.
Karras' first movie came to him in a very interesting way. When writer George Plimpton visited the Detroit Lions training camp for his upcoming book Paper Lion, he heard numerous stories about Karras from his teammates and was impressed by his humor. He eventually made his acting debut with a film adaptation based on Plimpton's book, in which he played himself.
Following that, he gave his breakout performance in the western black comedy Blazing Saddles as Mongo, a tough and philosophical henchman. He is also renowned for several movies and series, like Victor/Victoria, Porky's, Centennial, Webster, Masada, and Good Heavens.
1 John David Washington
John David Washington began his football career at Morehouse College, where he was an all-time leading rusher. However, he wasn't selected in the 2006 NFL draft. That's when he signed up with St. Louis Rams to play as an undrafted free agent. Furthermore, he played for Rhein Fire in NFL Europe in 2007's off-season and later proceeded with his career in the United Football League, where he played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions (formerly known as the California Redwoods).
As the league abruptly disbanded in 2012, it led Washington to pursue a career in Hollywood. He had a knack for acting since the age of seven, when he was featured as a student in Spike Lee's Malcolm X. As an adult, he made his television debut in Stephen Levinson's Ballers as a competitive NFL player, Ricky Jerret. He has also starred in Christopher Nolan's movie Tenet as The Protagonist, alongside Robert Pattinson's Neil. His other renowned works include Amsterdam, Malcolm & Marie, BlacKkKlansman, and The Creator.
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