NFL Stars You Didn’t Know Played Other Sports

These NFL players did more than just excel at football.

It’s no secret NFL players are good athletes. As fans, we marvel at their skills on the gridiron every Sunday, but we may be underestimating just how gifted these players are. They can compete at the highest level of American football, and many of them also could play other sports if they wanted.

Some of these players have played other sports in college, as semi-pros, even at the Olympics. We all know about multisport stars like Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson, as well as tight ends such as Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates who played hoops in college. But others excelled in sports outside of football.

They were the opposite of kids who nowadays specialize in one sport and proved that being a multisport athlete is possible. These are the NFL players you didn’t know played other sports.

John Elway, Quarterback

John Elway playing quarterback for Denver Broncos

John Elway, left, won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos. AP Photo

Other sport: Minor league baseball

Other sport stats: 42 G, .318 AVG, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 13 SB

NFL career: 16 seasons (1983-1998)

NFL stats: Nine-time Pro Bowler, 51,475 YDS, 300 TD, 226 INT

Championships: 2 (1997, 1998)

Bottom Line: John Elway

John Elway in a New York Yankees uniform

John Elway played 42 games with the Oneonta Yankees of the New York-Pennsylvania League. RE2PECT2JETER / Twitter

John Elway played baseball while growing up and was a two-sport star in football and baseball at Stanford University. Elway was drafted by the New York Yankees in the second round of the 1981 MLB draft, and George Steinbrenner envisioned him as the team’s starting right fielder by 1985. Elway used that fact as leverage when it came to football.

The Colts drafted him first overall in the 1983 NFL draft, but Elway didn’t want to play there and stated that he was a baseball player shortly thereafter. That was just a ploy to get the Colts to trade him, which they did, shipping him to Denver where he spent his entire Hall of Fame career.

As for his ability on the diamond, Elway led his Yankees Single-A minor league team in batting average, on-base percentage and OPS. He played 42 games with the Oneonta Yankees of the New York-Pennsylvania League and also led the team in outfield assists and posted a perfect fielding percentage.

Maybe Elway could have been just as good in baseball as he was in football.

DeAndre Hopkins, Wide Receiver

DeAndre Hopkins catches pass with Houston Texans

DeAndre Hopkins was a first-round pick (27th overall) in the 2013 NFL draft. Patric Schneider / AP Photo

Other sport: College basketball

Other sport stats: 7 G, 0.0 PPG, 0.1 RPG, 0.1 APG

NFL career: 8 seasons (2013-present)

NFL stats: 747 REC, 10,009 RYDS, 13.4 AVG, 60 RTD

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: DeAndre Hopkins

DeAndre Hopkins played seven games on the Clemson basketball team. throwbackhoops / Twitter

DeAndre Hopkins, or “Nuk,” was a three-time all-state basketball player at high school in South Carolina, and he had a cup of coffee with Clemson’s basketball team.

After his freshman football season, Hopkins played a total of 10 minutes across seven games with Clemson hoops. He missed his only two shots and quickly realized that his future was on the football field.

Hopkins clearly made the right decision. Since entering the league in 2013, he has ranked among the top pass catchers in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

Mike Ditka, Tight End

Mike Ditka catches a pass with the Chicago Bears in 1964

Mike Ditka was first tight end inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. Robert H. Houston / AP Photo

Other sport: College basketball

Other sport stats: 32 G, 2.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG

NFL career: 12 seasons (1961-72)

NFL stats: 427 REC, 5,812 RYDS, 13.6 AVG, 43 RTD

Championships: 2 (1963, 1971)

Bottom Line: Mike Ditka

How would you like to battle Mike Ditka under the boards? sunsigns.org

The Hall of Fame tight end spent his spring semesters playing on Pittsburgh’s basketball team as a sophomore and junior. “Iron Mike” was a 6-foot-2 “power guard” who had nearly as many rebounds as points scored.

Pittsburgh’s basketball head coach, Bob Timmons, pulled double duty as an assistant football coach so he was likely a big factor in Ditka getting to play both. But Timmons had nothing to do with Ditka also playing on Pitt’s baseball team.

Iron Mike just was an all-around great athlete in an era where specialization wasn’t encouraged.

Michael Bates, Wide Receiver/Kick Returner

Michael Bates played 145 games in the NFL. Tony Dejak / AP Photo

Other sport: Track

Other sport stats: Olympic bronze medal in 200 meters

NFL career: 11 seasons (1993-2003)

NFL stats: 9,348 APYDS, 5 RET TD, 12 REC, 158 RYDS, 1 RTD

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Michael Bates

Michael Bronze won a bronze medal in the 200 meters at the 1992 Olympics. The University of Arizona

Michael Bates had an interesting career. He played just two years of college football, choosing to sit out in 1991 to focus on his track pursuits. That paid off, and the following year, he beat out Carl Lewis in the Olympic trials for the 200-meter dash and proceeded to win a bronze medal.

Bates also was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks that year but didn’t play at all due to a contract holdout. So when he made his NFL debut in 1993, he hadn’t played or practiced football in two years.

After a slow start to his career, he established himself as the NFL’s best returner and made five straight Pro Bowls from 1996 to 2000.

Ricky Williams, Running Back

Ricky Williams running for the Miami Dolphins in 2008

Ricky Williams led the NFL in rushing with 1,853 yards in 2002. Jeff Roberson / AP Photo

Other sport: Minor league baseball

Other sport stats: 170 G, .211 AVG, 4 HR, 40 RBI, 46 SB

NFL Career: 11 seasons (1999-2003, 2005, 2007-11)

NFL Stats: 10,009 YDS, 66 TD, 4.1 AVG

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Ricky Williams

Ricky Williams wearing a Piedmont Boll Weevils jersey

Ricky Williams played four seasons in the Philadelphia Phillies’ minor league system. skiltech.com

Ricky Williams wasn’t all football all the time, despite being a Heisman winner and setting the NCAA rushing record while at Texas. Williams also played minor league baseball up and down the East Coast during all four of his seasons at Texas.

He was drafted in the eighth round of the 1995 MLB draft out of high school by the Philadelphia Phillies as an outfielder. He got as high as Single-A in the Phillies’ minor league system but hit just .194 at that level.

Fun fact: Williams was a teammate of future NL MVP in Jimmy Rollins, who said that Williams was the fastest guy he ever saw, even though Williams weighed over 220 pounds roughly 50 pounds more than Rollins.

Michael Carter, Defensive Tackle

Michael Carter sacks Minnesota Vikings quarterback Wade Wilson

Michael Carter won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers. Jim Mone / AP Photo

Other sport: Track and Field

Other sport stats: Olympic silver medal in shot put

NFL career: 9 seasons (1984-92)

NFL stats: 22.5 SK, 1 INT, three-time Pro Bowler

Championships: 3 (1984, 1988, 1989)

Bottom Line: Michael Carter

Michael Carter won four indoor and three outdoor NCAA shot put championships at SMU. SMU Mustangs

1984 was a special year for Michael Carter. In the span of nine months, he was taken in the NFL draft, won a silver medal at the Summer Olympics and won a Super Bowl as a rookie with the 49ers.

He is the first person to ever win both an Olympic medal and a Super Bowl in the same season. Carter collected two more rings with the Niners, but his proudest moment wasn’t even one of his accomplishments.

It came at the 2016 Olympics when his daughter followed in Carter’s footsteps and won a gold medal in the shot put.

Julius Thomas, Tight End

Julius Thomas catching a touchdown pass with the Denver Broncos

Julius Thomas played seven years in the NFL. Kathy Willens / AP Photo

Other sport: College basketball

Other sport stats: 121 G, 6.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.2 APG

NFL career: 7 seasons (2011-17)

NFL stats: 226 REC, 2,406 RYDS, 10.6 AVG, 36 RTD

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Julius Thomas

Julius Thomas, center, played basketball at Portland State. George Nikitin / AP Photo

Julius Thomas’ college career consisted of 121 basketball games and just 11 football games. He played hoops all four years and then played football as a fifth-year senior.

Thomas was a decent player on a mid-major basketball team so there wasn’t much chance of an NBA future, but his athleticism shown through on the football field.

His one college football season was enough to make him a fourth-round draft pick in the 2011 NFL draft, and just two years later, he was a Pro Bowler.

Marquise Goodwin, Wide Receiver

Marquise Goodwin with the San Francisco 49ers in 2019

Marquise Goodwin had 140 receptions in his NFL career. Frank Victores / AP Photo

Other sport: Track and field

Other sport stats: Two-time NCAA champion, Pan American silver medal in long jump

NFL career: 7 seasons (2013-present)

NFL stats: 140 REC, 2,323 RYDS, 16.6 AVG, 13 RTD

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Marquise Goodwin

Marquise Goodwin used his blazing speed in the long jump. Harry Cabluck / AP Photo

It takes great explosiveness in your lower body to be a long jumper, and that athletic ability also can be transferred to the football field, which is what Marquise Goodwin did.

Goodwin was a part of the 2012 USA Track and Field Team and then ran a 4.27 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, the third-fastest time ever. That makes you kind of wonder if he should have been a sprinter as well as a long jumper, but Goodwin’s track speed is evident on the gridiron.

His yards per catch average of 16.6 was the third-highest among active players who had a minimum of 140 receptions.

Ronnie Lott, Defensive Back

Ronnie Lott made a lot of big plays for the San Francisco 49ers. Paul Sakuma / AP Photo

Other sport: College basketball

Other sport stats: 6 G, 0.7 PPG, 0.5 RPG

NFL career: 14 seasons (1981-94)

NFL stats: 10-time Pro Bowler, 1,146 TKL, 63 INT, 5 TD

Championships: 4 (1981, 1984, 1988, 1989)

Bottom Line: Ronnie Lott

Ronnie Lott played six games on the USC basketball team. Reddit

You know how basketball teams always add a couple of inches to their players’ heights? That happened with Ronnie Lott, who was listed as six feet tall while playing football and then suddenly grew to six feet, two inches, in his one season of college basketball.

Lott suited up for USC’s basketball team for six games during his sophomore year, and he scored a total of four points. That was enough to convince him that the gridiron is where he should be.

Lott returned to football and magically shrunk back to six feet tall. But he made the right choice and ended up being one of the best NFL safeties of all time.

Russell Wilson, Quarterback

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is a seven-time Pro Bowler. Scott Eklund / AP Photo

Other sport: Minor league baseball

Other sport stats: .229 AVG, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 19 SB

NFL career: 8 seasons (2012-19)

NFL stats: 6-time Pro Bowler, 29,734 YDS, 227 TD, 68 INT

Championships: 1 (2013)

Bottom Line: Russel Wilson

Russell Wilson played minor league baseball as a second baseman. MiLB/ / Twitter

Russell Wilson spent his falls in college playing football, then spent his springs on the baseball diamond as a second baseman.

He played Single-A ball in Pasco, Washington, with the Tri-City Dust Devils (an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels) in 2010 before his junior year and then with the Ashville Tourists (an affiliate of the Houston Astros) in North Carolina in 2011 before his senior year. He was a light-hitting prospect but professed his love for baseball and used it as leverage later in his career.

When he pushed the Seahawks for a new contract in 2015, Wilson went to spring training with the Arizona Cardinals and teased becoming a two-sport star. Many think that was simply a ploy to get Seattle to up their offer. Whether it was or not, it worked, and Wilson signed a new deal soon after.

Julius Peppers, Defensive End

Julius Peppers playing for the Green Bay Packers

Julius Peppers recorded 159.5 sacks in his career. Mike Roemer / AP Photo

Other sport: College basketball

Other sport stats: 56 G, 5.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG

NFL career: 17 seasons (2002-2018)

NFL stats: Nine-time Pro Bowler, 159.5 SK, 11 INT, 719 TKL

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Julius Peppers

Julis Peppers was a force on the hardwood. si_vault / Twitter

It’s one thing to walk on at a mid-major college or lower-tier Power 5 program. It’s another thing to walk onto the North Carolina basketball team, one of the most prestigious programs in the nation. But that’s what Julius Peppers did.

Peppers played college basketball during his sophomore and junior seasons, and he was more than just a benchwarmer. He was a key contributor to a Final Four team in 2000 and then put up a double-double in his last college game, which was in the 2001 NCAA tournament.

Peppers didn’t play basketball as a senior to focus on his burgeoning football career and likely will end up in Canton, Ohio, as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Bob Hayes, Wide Receiver

Bob Hayes won one Super Bowl in his career. AP Photo

Other sport: Track

Other sport stats: Two-time gold medalist at 1964 Olympics

NFL career: 11 seasons (1965-75)

NFL stats: 371 REC, 7,414 RYDS, 20.0 AVG, 71 RTD

Championships: 1 (1971)

Bottom Line: Bob Hayes

Bob Hayes was nicknamed “Bullet Bob” and had world-class speed. Koichiro Morita / AP Photo

“Bullet Bob” Hayes’ success in transitioning from track to football spurred many football executives to look at sprinters to find their next football star. He retired from track at the age of 21 but set many world records, including in the 100-meter dash, during his time on the track.

The Dallas Cowboys took a chance on Hayes and banked on their organization to develop him into a serviceable football player. He became much more than serviceable as his speed was a game-changer and forced defenses to play more zone and bump-and-run coverage.

Hayes led the NFL in touchdown receptions in each of his first two seasons and remains the only athlete to win an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring.

George Halas

George Halas is one of the NFL’s most important pioneers. AP Photo

Other sport: Pro baseball

Other sport stats: 22 AB, .091 AVG, 0 HR, 0 RBI

NFL career: 10 seasons (1920-29)

NFL stats: 104 G, 10 TD

Championships: 1 (1921)

Bottom Line: George Halas

George Halas had a brief career with the New York Yankees. Wikimedia Commons

George Halas is synonymous with the Chicago Bears. He was the team’s founder, a former player and coached the team for 40 years.

But one year before the NFL’s first season, Halas wore pinstripes as a player with the New York Yankees in 1919. Halas was an outfielder who played just 12 games and recorded two hits in 22 at-bats.

The next year, he traded in his spikes for the fledgling football league known as the NFL and became player-coach of the Decatur Staleys. They eventually became the Chicago Bears, and Halas became an NFL pioneer.

John Lynch, Safety

John Lynch playing safety for the Denver Broncos in 2006

John Lynch was a hard-hitting safety. Jack Dempsey / AP Photo

Other sport: Minor league baseball

Other sport stats: 9 GS, 1-3 W-L record, 2.35 ERA, 19 K

NFL career: 15 seasons (1993-2007)

NFL stats: Nine-time Pro Bowler, 1,059 TKL, 26 INT, 13 SK

Championships: 1 (2002)

Bottom Line: John Lynch

John Lynch was a hard-throwing right-hander on the mound. Amazon

John Lynch was welcomed to the Pro Football Hall of Famer in 2021, but he was actually drafted higher in baseball than football. He was a second-round pick of the Florida Marlins in 1992 and then a third-round pick by the Buccaneers a year later.

A right-handed pitcher who starred in football and baseball at Stanford, Lynch posted a 2.35 ERA in his minor league career, but that isn’t the best indicator of his performance on the mound. He also threw 19 strikeouts compared to 29 walks.

His difficulty controlling the ball, combined with signing a contract with the Bucs worth over $500,000, led Lynch to hang up the spikes. It took him a couple of years to find his footing in Tampa Bay, but he developed into one of the best safeties of his era.

Jason Taylor, Defensive End

Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor in 2002

Jason Taylor, center, was one of the most athletic defensive linemen in NFL history. Rick Silva / AP Photo

Other sport: College basketball

Other sport stats: 37 G, 5.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG

NFL career: 15 seasons (1997-2011)

NFL stats: Six-time Pro Bowler, 139.5 SK, 8 INT, 788 TKL

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Jason Taylor

Jason Taylor went to college at Akron. Lynne Sladky / AP Photo

Jason Taylor was homeschooled in high school but was still allowed to play sports at a school in his district.

That allowed him to be noticed by the University of Akron, where the 6-foot-6 Taylor played linebacker, defensive end and power forward. Taylor finished second on Akron’s basketball team in both points and rebounds as a sophomore but focused solely on football afterward.

Even though his physique was tailored more to basketball than football, Taylor proved the doubters wrong and was a game-changing defensive player throughout his career. He was the 2006 defensive player of the year in the NFL and was one of just five defensive ends to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Herschel Walker, Running Back

Minnesota Vikings running back Herschel Walker in 1990

Herschel Walker rushed for 8,225 yards in his NFL career. Duncan Livingston / AP Photo

Other sport: Bobsledding and MMA

Other sport stats: Placed ninth in bobsleigh at 1992 Winter Olympics, 2-0 in MMA (Strikeforce)

NFL career: 12 seasons (1986-97)

NFL stats: 8,225 YDS, 61 TD, 4.2 AVG

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Herschel Walker

Herschel Walker practicing bobsled at 1992 Winter Olympics

Herschel Walker, back, competed in the two-man bobsled at the 1992 Winter Olympics in France. Martin Cleaver / AP Photo

For decades the U.S. Olympic bobsled team has recruited athletes from sports that require lower-body strength and explosiveness. Herschel Walker definitely had those two attributes and joined the U.S. Olympic bobsled team for the 1992 Olympics, which came just months after he ran for over 1,000 yards with the Eagles.

Walker was part of a two-man team and finished ninth in the Winter Games, which took place in France.

Outside of bobsledding, Walker also had a couple of MMA fights with Strikeforce. Walker was in his late 40s during those bouts but won each one by TKO and retired with a 2-0 MMA career record.

James Jett, Wide Receiver

Oakland Raiders wide receiver James Jett in 1998

James Jett had 246 receptions in 140 career NFL games. Lenny Ignelzi / AP Photo

Other sport: Track

Other sport stats: Olympic gold medal in 4×100-meter relay

NFL career: 10 seasons (1993-2002)

NFL stats: 256 REC, 4,417 RYDS, 17.3 AVG, 30 RTD

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: James Jett

James Jett, left, won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. AP Photo

How fast was James Jett on the football field? Longtime NFL safety Rodney Harrison said that Jett was the only player he played against that was faster than Randy Moss.

How fast was Jett off the football field? He was chosen as one of the handful of fastest Americans alive and represented the United States at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Jett ran in the preliminary rounds of the 4×100-meter relay before giving his spot to Carl Lewis for the final.

The following year, Jett joined the NFL and played all 10 of his seasons with the Raiders and was the deep threat complement to Tim Brown.

Akili Smith, Quarterback

Akili Smith with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2000

Akili Smith was the third overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft. Don Heupel / AP Photo

Other sport: Minor league baseball

Other sport stats: 62 G, .176 AVG, 4 HR, 20 RBI, 2 SB

NFL career: 4 seasons (1999-2002)

NFL stats: 17 GS, 2,212 YDS, 5 TD, 13 INT

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Akili Smith

Akili Smith played only 22 games in the NFL. Al Behrman / AP Photo

One of the biggest busts in NFL history wasn’t that much more successful on the diamond.

Akili Smith was an outfielder in the Pirates’ minor league system for three years where he hit below the Mendoza line and had three times as many strikeouts as walks. He never got above Single-A ball and gave up the sport, re-enrolled in school at a junior college and eventually transferred to Oregon.

There, he became an NFL draft prospect and was selected third overall in 1999 by the Bengals. His NFL career lasted just one year longer than his baseball career, but he still works in the football industry as a private quarterback coach.

Brad Johnson, Quarterback

Brad Johnson playing quarterback for Dallas Cowboys in 2008

Brad Johnson finished his 15-year NFL career playing for the Dallas Cowboys. Jeff Roberson / AP Photo

Other sport: College basketball

Other sport stats: 56 G, 3.9 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 1.0 APG

NFL career: 17 seasons (1992-2008)

NFL stats: 29,054 YDS, 166 TD, 122 INT

Championships: 1 (2002)

Bottom Line: Brad Johnson

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson played college basketball at Florida State. Rusty Kennedy / AP Photo

As one of the tallest quarterbacks in NFL history at 6-foot-5, Johnson looked more like a basketball player than a quarterback. While being redshirt by the Florida State football team as a freshman, he was allowed to also join the basketball team and ended up playing with them for two years.

Johnson was a backup small forward and played with four future NBA players as the Seminoles made the NCAA tournament in both of his seasons with the team. Once Johnson went from redshirt to backup to starter on the football team, he gave up his hoops dream.

It turned out to be the right decision as he won a Super Bowl with the Bucs.

Bud Grant, Wide Receiver/Defensive End

Bud Grant played two seasons in the NFL and then became a Hall of Fame coach with the Minnesota Vikings. Larry Salzman / AP Photo

Other sport: Pro basketball

Other sport stats: 96 G, 2.6 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 1.2 APG

NFL career: 2 seasons (1951-52)

NFL stats: 56 REC, 997 RYDS, 17.8 AVG, 7 RTD

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Bud Grant

Bud Grant playing basketball at the University of Minnesota

Bud Grant played basketball for the University of Minnesota and the Minneapolis Lakers. Vikings / Twitter

What many people don’t know about legendary Vikings coach Bud Grant is that he spent two years as a player with the Eagles in the 1950s. What even fewer people know about Grant was that he also spent two years as an NBA player for the nearby Minneapolis Lakers.

Grant even collected something in the NBA that he never did while in the NFL — a world championship. Grant won the NBA Finals on the 1949-50 Lakers team, which was led by Hall of Famer George Mikan.

Grant quit the NBA after two years and proceeded to play two years in the NFL. A stint in the CFL followed that before he embarked on a 28-year coaching career that landed him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Javon Walker, Wide Receiver

Denver Broncos wide receiver Javon Walker in 2006

Javon Walker, left, had 31 touchdown receptions in his NFL career. David Zalubowski / AP Photo

Other sport: Minor league baseball

Other sport stats: 56 G, .169 AVG, 2 HR, 4 SB

NFL career: 8 seasons (2002-present)

NFL stats: 267 REC, 4,011 YDS, 31 TD, 15.0 AVG

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Javon Walker

Javon Walker played eight seasons in the NFL. Jack Dempsey / AP Photo

The Pro Bowl receiver spent his post-high school days alternating between baseball in the summers and football in the falls. He was a 12th-round pick in the 1997 MLB draft and spent three years in the Florida Marlins minor league system.

At the time, his grades weren’t good enough to play NCAA football so while he was playing minor league baseball, Walker was also attending Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi.

He impressed there and once Florida State came calling with a football scholarship, Walker transferred and gave up his baseball dream.

Randy Dean, Quarterback

Northwestern quarterback Randy Dean in 1976

Randy Dean, right, played quarterback at Northwestern. Jim Palmer / AP Photo

Other sport: Handball

Other sport stats: Placed 10th at the 1976 Summer Olympics

NFL career: 3 seasons (1977-79)

NFL stats: 3 GS, 279 YDS, 1 TD, 5 INT

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Randy Dean

Randy Dean played three seasons with the New York Giants. Amazon

Randy Dean spent three seasons as a backup quarterback for the New York Giants in the late 1970s, but he had even more impressive accomplishments as a professional handball player.

Dean and his identical twin brother, Robert, were part of the United States National Handball Team which went to Montreal for the 1976 Summer Olympics. While making an Olympic team is something to write home about, Team USA’s 10th place finish out of 11 teams was disappointing.

Dean said that the team had essentially no training budget since handball wasn’t at the top of the priority list for the USOC. Still, he looks back fondly at that experience.

Terrell Owens, Wide Receiver

Terrell Owens scores touchdown with Dallas Cowboys in 2007

Terrell Owens caught 1,078 passes in his NFL career. Dr. Scott M. Lieberman / AP Photo

Other sport: College basketball

Other sport stats: 38 G, 1.5 PPG, 1.3 RPG

NFL career: 15 seasons (1996-2010)

NFL stats: Six-time Pro Bowler, 1,078 REC, 15,934 RYDS, 14.8 AVG, 153 RTD

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens in celebrity basketball game

Terrell Owens played basketball, football, and ran track at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. BallerVisions / YouTube

Terrell Owen played basketball for three years at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and increased his scoring average each season. But his highest scoring average was just 1.9 points per game. Owens did get to suit up for the NCAA tournament and played one minute in a first-round loss to Connecticut in 1995.

After establishing himself as an All-Pro receiver, Owens returned to the hardwood in 2002 with the now-defunct USBL. He played for the Adirondack Wildcats and scored seven points in his lone game.

Years later, Owens tried to play for the Sacramento Kings’ Summer League team but was denied the opportunity by his then-employer the Philadelphia Eagles.

Chris Weinke, Quarterback

Chris Weinke with San Francisco 49ers in 2007

Chris Weinke started 20 games at quarterback in his NFL career. Mark Duncan / AP Photo

Other sport: Minor league baseball

Other sport stats: 716 G, .248 AVG, 69 HR, 402 RBI, 42 SB

NFL career: 7 seasons (2001-07)

NFL stats: 20 GS, 3,904 YDS, 15 TD, 26 INT

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Chris Weinke

Chris Weinke spent six years in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league baseball system. comc.com

Chris Weinke had two options after high school: join Florida State’s football team on a scholarship or pursue his baseball dreams after being a second-round pick in the MLB draft. He chose the latter, spent six seasons in the Blue Jays’ minor league system and progressed from Single-A to Double-A to Triple-A.

When he was just one step from the big leagues, Weinke decided to quit baseball. Having his FSU scholarship still available certainly helped him make that decision.

He began college at 25 years old and then became the oldest Heisman winner ever at 28 in 2000. The Carolina Panthers drafted Weinke in the fourth round (106th overall) in the 2001 NFL draft, and he played five seasons in the NFL with two teams.

Connor Barwin, Outside Linebacker

Connor Barwin was drafted by the Houston Texans in the second round (46th overall) of the 2009 NFL draft. Chris Szagola / AP Photo

Other sport: College basketball

Other sport stats: 34 G, 1.3 PPG, 1.8 RPG

NFL career: 10 seasons (2009-18)

NFL stats: 365 TKL, 56.5 SK, 7 FF

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Connor Barwin

Cincinnati forward Connor Barwin in 2007

Connor Barwin, left, played forward on the University of Cincinnati basketball team. Al Behrman / AP Photo

Connor Barwin was an all-league selection in basketball in high school, but he never planned on playing the sport at the University of Cincinnati. However, injuries hit the basketball team, and he joined the squad in midseason to help out.

Despite being one of the shortest players on the team at 6-foot-4, he was also one of the heaviest at 255 pounds, and Barwin added some much-needed physicality to the team.

As a sophomore, Barwin again returned to the basketball team once football season ended, but his two-sport days ended after that season, and he stuck strictly to football.

Sammy Baugh, Quarterback/Defensive Back/Punter

Washington Redskins quarterback Sammy Baugh in 1942

Sammy Baugh, left, was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. AP Photo

Other sport: Minor league baseball

Other sport stats: 53 G, .200 AVG, 1 HR

NFL career: 16 seasons (1937-52)

NFL stats: Six-time Pro Bowler, 21,886 YDS, 187 TD, 203 INT

Championships: 2 (1937, 1942)

Bottom Line: Sammy Baugh, Quarterback/Defensive Back/Punter

Sammy Baugh preparing to bat with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1929

Sammy Baugh signed a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals after college. AP Photo

The Hall of Fame quarterback was known as “Slingin’ Sammy” Baugh during his career, but he actually got the nickname during his baseball days.

After his rookie NFL season, Baugh played Double-A ball for the St. Louis Cardinals where he was stuck behind shortstop and future NL MVP Marty Marion. Baugh admitted that he also struggled hitting the curveball, and after one season in baseball, he knew his future was in football.

Baugh returned to the NFL where he made the Pro Bowl in each of his first seven seasons. The Sling’ nickname’ certainly fit. Baugh still holds the NFL record of leading the league in passer rating six times.

Martellus Bennett, Tight End

Martellus Bennett with New England Patriots

Martellus Bennett scored 30 touchdowns in his career. Alan Diaz / AP Photo

Other sport: College basketball

Other sport stats: 30 G, 1.7 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 0.4 APG

NFL career: 10 seasons (2008-17)

NFL stats: 433 REC, 4,573 RYDS, 10.6 AVG, 30 RTD

Championships: 1 (2016)

Bottom Line: Martellus Bennett, Tight End

Martellus Bennett had game. YouTube

2005 was the last year that high school basketball players could enter the NBA draft and skip college (though the one-and-done rule could change in the future). Martellus Bennett took advantage of that rule and declared for the 2005 draft after a stellar high school basketball career.

He eventually withdrew his name from consideration after finding out he wouldn’t be a first-round pick. Thus, Bennett went to Texas A&M where he played football for three years and basketball for two years.

With a career average of 1.7 points per game, Bennett made the smart decision in pulling out of the NBA draft, and he became a Pro Bowl tight end over his 10-year NFL career.

Jim Thorpe, Running Back

Jim Thorpe is one of the greatest athletes to ever live. Wikimedia Commons

Other sport: Baseball, track and field

Other sport stats (baseball): 289 G, .252 AVG, 7 HR, 82 RBI, 29 SB

Other sport stats (track and field): Two-time Olympic gold medalist in pentathlon and decathlon

NFL career: 8 seasons (1920-26, 1928)

NFL stats: 52 G, 6 TD, 4 TD (passing)

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe was the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States. Library of Congress

The NFL didn’t come into existence until Jim Thorpe was 33 years old, so he had plenty of time beforehand to try his hand at other sports. His first venture was in track and field, and Thorpe easily beat his opponents in both the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Olympics. He won eight of the 15 events and did so in a pair of mismatched shoes after his shoes were stolen from him.

Still longing for more competition – and still seven years until the NFL came around – Thorpe then played pro baseball from 1913 to 1919. He played for three National League teams, including the New York Giants, where he was on two pennant-winning teams. He didn’t have the same success he had in track and field, but baseball provided another athletic outlet until football came calling.

Football called in 1920 with the inaugural NFL season, and Thorpe’s contributions to that league enabled him to be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s charter class in 1963.

Donovan McNabb, Quarterback

Donovan McNabb playing quarterback for Philadelphia Eagles

Donovan McNabb never won a Super Bowl. Morry Gash / AP Photo

Other sport: College basketball

Other sport stats: 18 G, 2.3 PPG, 1.1 RPG

NFL career: 13 seasons (1999-2011)

NFL stats: Six-time Pro Bowler, 234 TD, 117 INT, 37,276 YDS

Championships: 0

Bottom Line: Donovan McNabb

Donovan McNabb played 18 games with the Syracuse basketball team. timelesssports_ / Twitter

Donovan McNabb was a four-sport star in high school so to play just two sports at Syracuse was no big deal for him.

He walked onto Jim Boeheim’s squad for two years and was a part of the 1996 team that made the NCAA championship game. McNabb and Syracuse lost to Antoine Walker’s Kentucky team, and McNabb and Walker were actually high school teammates on the hardwood.

McNabb soon gave up his hoops dreams to focus on football, and he was named the Big East offensive player of the decade for the 1990s. He found success in the NFL, making six Pro Bowls and playing in five NFC championship games. But he was never able to win a Super Bowl.

Jim Brown, Running Back

Jim Brown scores a touchdown with the Cleveland Browns

Jim Brown is one of the best NFL running backs of all time. AP Photo

Other sport: Lacrosse

Other sport stats: 43 goals in 10 games (senior year at Syracuse), first-team All-American

NFL career: 9 seasons (1957-65)

NFL stats: 3-time MVP, 12,312 YDS, 5.2 AVG, 106 TD

Championships: 1 (1964)

Bottom Line: Jim Brown

Jim Brown may have been better at lacrosse than he was at football. Syracuse University

Many believe Jim Brown is the greatest football player of all time, and he may have been the greatest lacrosse player of all time also. Brown says that he was better at lacrosse than football, and he finished second in the nation in scoring as a senior at Syracuse.

But Brown was more than a two-sport athlete in college. He also was on the basketball team and ran track. He averaged double figures in both of his seasons on the basketball team and finished fifth in the national decathlon championship.