13 Football Stars Who Became Hollywood Actors

Making it to the professional football ranks is an incredible achievement, but for some athletes, it was only the beginning of an even more surprising journey. After hanging up their cleats, these former football stars took a shot at acting and found various levels of success in Hollywood.

Carl Weathers

Carl Weathers made a mark as a linebacker before transforming into a Hollywood legend. His football career began at San Diego State University and later included one season in the NFL and two seasons in the CFL, as reported by the NFL. As an actor, the late star was best known for his roles in the Rocky franchise and Happy Gilmore.

Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson is the poster child for athletes-turned-actors, parlaying his University of Miami football days into wrestling superstardom and global film success, according to People. His acting breakthrough came with The Mummy Returns in 2001, followed by his first leading role in The Scorpion King in 2002.

Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns, a former football standout, exploded onto the WWE scene and quickly became one of wrestling’s biggest names. He was a defensive lineman and team captain at Georgia Tech before a brief tryout with the Minnesota Vikings ended when a leukemia diagnosis surfaced during his physical, per ESPN. As an actor, he is most known for his roles in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and as the voice of Zebro Zebraxton in Zootopia 2. He also stars in the new Street Fighter film, due out in October.

Bill Goldberg

Before thrilling audiences as a wrestling powerhouse and actor, Bill Goldberg saw action on the football field. He was twice named an All-SEC defensive tackle at the University of Georgia before being drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1990 NFL Draft and playing with the Atlanta Falcons in 1992 before retiring, according to University of Georgia Athletics. His most memorable roles as an actor are as Battle in The Longest Yard and himself in Ready To Rumble.

Terry Crews

Terry Crews went from crashing through offensive lines in the NFL to breaking comedic ground in film and television. He suited up for the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers and Washington throughout his professional career, as reported by NBC Insider. Crews’ first movie acting role was in the 2000 film The 6th Day, and since then, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine alum has had a slew of acting credits to his name.

Ed O’Neill

Ed O’Neill may be most recognizable as the iconic Al Bundy or as Modern Family patriarch Jay Pritchett, but he also once pursued a football career, playing defensive line at Youngstown State and a 1969 training camp stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he was eventually released, as reported by CBS Sports.

Burt Reynolds

Burt Reynolds, once a promising college football player, became Hollywood’s ultimate leading man thanks to his charm and rugged appeal. A knee injury and a near-fatal car accident ultimately derailed his career as a running back at Florida State before he could reach the pros, as reported by ESPN. The late actor went on to star in box office hits like Smokey and the Bandit, while also poking fun at his gridiron roots in The Longest Yard, per the outlet.

Mark Harmon

Mark Harmon turned his talent as a UCLA Bruins quarterback into a prolific acting career that spans decades. In his very first game as a Bruin in 1972, Harmon quarterbacked a stunning upset over the two-time defending national champion Nebraska Cornhuskers, according to the National Football Foundation. Following his time at UCLA, he declined professional football offers and instead set his sights on Hollywood, per the outlet.

John David Washington

John David Washington transitioned from the football field to film sets with striking ease. The BlacKkKlansman and Tenet actor set Morehouse College’s career rushing record before spending time on the St. Louis Rams’ practice squad and later playing in NFL Europe, per CBS Sports.

John Amos

John Amos parlayed his time as a college football player into a storied career in TV and film. After his college days at Colorado State, he had training-camp tryouts with both the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs before turning to acting after landing a role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Throughout his career, the late actor became best known for roles in Coming to America, Lock Up, and the TV series Good Times.

Brian Bosworth

Brian “The Boz” Bosworth was known for his bold persona on the field and carried that same fierce energy to acting. He was a two-time unanimous All-American linebacker at Oklahoma before he went on to play 24 games for the Seattle Seahawks, according to The Seattle Times. Bosworth currently has 34 actor credits to his name, with his first movie being 1991’s Stone Cold.

Fred Williamson

Fred Williamson, known as “The Hammer,” was a defensive back with an unmistakable edge that served him well in film. He racked up 25 interceptions over four seasons with the Oakland Raiders, earning three straight AFL All-Star nods, according to Raiders. Williamson later went on to be an actor, director, and producer.

Ed Marinaro

Ed Marinaro shifted from a celebrated football career to a successful run in television, winning fans on Hill Street Blues. During his time as a football player, he had an impressive NCAA career at Cornell and played for the Vikings, Jets, and Seahawks over six seasons in the NFL, according to the National Football Foundation.