For many players, football has been an amazing thrill ride that has taken them from the field to the big screen. Here are ten actors who you may not realize got their start on the gridiron.
10) O. J. Simpson
One of Hollywood’s most notorious figures, O. J. Simpson played football at the University of Southern California, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1968. Simpson went on to a highly-successful football career with the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers. As an actor, he is best known for his role in The Naked Gun. In one of the most shocking celebrity trials, he was accused and acquitted of the 1994 murder of his ex-wife Nicole Simpson.
9) John David Washington
The son of Hollywood legend Denzel Washington, John David Washington has been widely celebrated for his role in Spike Lee’s film, BlacKkKlansman. He didn’t start out following in his father’s footsteps, though. Washington played running back while attending Morehouse College, then was drafted as a free agent by the St. Louis Rams. He then spent four years as a running back in the United Football League’s Sacramento Mountain Lions before moving on to acting.
8) Dean Cain
This television heartthrob is best known for his role as Clark Kent, aka Superman, in the TV series Lois and Clark. Before he was making hearts melt, Cain was setting a record for most interceptions as a free safety for Princeton University. An injury at training camp with the Buffalo Bills ended his career in football, but put him on the path to acting stardom.
7) Jim Brown
A true Hollywood veteran, Jim Brown’s acting career began in the 1960’s, but his football career started at Syracuse University in 1954. He played nine seasons in the NFL after being drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1957, setting multiple records that would take almost 40 years to break. Brown would go on to a successful career in Hollywood, starring in blockbusters like The Dirty Dozen and The Running Man.
6) Terry Crews
Athlete, actor, activist, and all-around lovable guy, Terry Crews has made a name for himself on both the big and small screens. This star of Brooklyn 9-1-1 and The Expendables was also a star on the football field. After a stint at Western Michigan University, Crews went on to play linebacker and defensive end in the NFL, for the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, and Washington Redskins.
5) Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers may currently star in the Star Wars series The Mandalorian, but he will always be remembered for his iconic role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise. While Apollo Creed was tough, Carl Weathers may be tougher. After playing football at San Diego State University, he went on to play for the then-AFC Oakland Raiders and in the Canadian Football League for the BC Lions.
4) Ed O’Neal
Ed O’Neal is remembered by millions as Al Bundy from Married With Children, a character IMDB says is “the most iconic working class character on television since Archie Bunker.” Before making television history, O’Neal was a defensive lineman at Youngstown State University (YSU). He was signed in 1969 as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but was cut during training camp. His loss was our gain, as he returned to YSU to study theater, going on to play his first role opposite Al Pacino in Cruising.
3) Mark Harmon
Son of football player and broadcaster Tom Harmon, Mark Harmon has scored hit after hit both on and off the football field. On the field, Harmon played quarterback for the UCLA Bruins, graduating cum laude and receiving the National Football Foundation Award for All-Round Excellence. Off the field, Harmon was named “Sexiest Man Alive” by People in 1986, and has appeared in long-running shows like St. Elsewhere and N.C.I.S.
2) Burt Reynolds
Best known for his roles in the iconic films Deliverance, Smokey and the Bandit, and Boogie Nights, Oscar-nominated actor Burt Reynolds once played halfback for Florida State University. He was being scouted by the Baltimore Colts when he suffered a knee injury playing his sophomore year. After a car wreck that injured his other knee, Reynolds gave up football, and later developed a passion for acting.
1) Dwayne Johnson
Anyone familiar with “The Rock” probably knows he started his acting career after huge success with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He made his big-screen debut in The Mummy Returns in 2001. This role showed Hollywood he was a bona fide movie star. However, Johnson’s career didn’t start with wrestling. Johnson got his start as a defensive tackle for the University of Miami. He didn’t make the NFL draft, but went on to play with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders in 1995.
All photos obtained from © Wikimedia Commons
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