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Chuck Connors – NBA

Chuck Connors was a hell of an athlete and is one of just 13 players to appear in both MLB and the NBA. After leaving sports in 1948, Connors joined the television world and even portrayed the main role in The Rifleman.

3

Terry Crews – NFL

Drafted by L.A. Rams in 1991, Crews retired from the NFL in 1997 and began acting.

Got his start on the game show, Battle Dome, for two seasons in 1999 to 2001.

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Jason Lee – Professional Skateboarder

Before his name was Earl, Jason Lee was a professional skateboarder from 1988-1996.

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Kevin Garnett – NBA

KG played 21 seasons in the NBA before appearing in the Adam Sandler movie Uncut Gems in 2019. Now that his NBA career is over, expect to see him appear in more films.

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John Matuszak – NFL

Before his untimely death at the age of 38, John Matuszak played in the NFL from 1973-1982. His first acting roll was in 1979 but he is best known for playing Sloth in the 1985 film, The Goonies.

7

Fred Dryer – NFL

Dryer played 13 seasons in the NFL and is still the only player to record 2 safeties in one game. After being passed on for the role of Sam in Cheers, Dryer found his role in the TV Show Hunter.

8

Dave Bautista – WWE

Dave Bautista is best known for his role as Drax in Guaradians of the Galaxy. Before he became an actor though, he worked with WWE from 2002-2010

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Bob Uecker – MLB

Uecker only played in MLB from 1962-1967 and posted a career .200 batting average. While he was not the greatest on the field, he is well known for his broadcasting ability. His most famous role didn’t require much acting from Uecker as he played a baseball broadcaster in the film Major League.

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Gina Carano – UFC

Carano has made waves in the acting world with her role in The Mandalorian but she began her career as a MMA fighter from 2006-2009.

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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – WWE

We all know The Rock and his rise to stardom. While he is one of the biggest actors in Hollywood these days, he first made his claim to fame while part of the WWE. Before this though, Johnson was a proficient collegiate football player at The U.

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Bert Convy – MLB

Bert Convy is best known for being the game show host of Super Password and Win, Lose, or Draw but he actually got his start in baseball. Convy was drafted at the age of 17 by the Philadelphia Phillies but only made it to the minors from 1951-1952.

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John Amos – NCAA Football

Before becoming an actor, John Amos made an attempt to break into the NFL multiple times. After a strained hamstring led to his release from the Denver Broncos in 1964, he bounced around the CFL for a couple of years. After being told that he was “not a football player” by the Kansas City Chiefs, he made his way to acting.

14

LeBron James – NBA

LBJ has been one of the most polarizing players in NBA and, if he continues along the route he is on, the same will be said for his acting career. His first major film role came in the movie “Trainwreck”, which we believe was named for his acting abilities.

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Shaquille O’Neill – NBA

Shaq is more than just an NBA player. He is a freakin’ personality. The 4x NBA Champ has not only become a staple in sports news, but has dabbled in film and music throughout the years.

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Merlin Olsen – NFL

Played for the Los Angeles Rams (1962-1976) 14x Pro Bowl Selections

Portrayed a farmer, Jonathan Garvey, on Little House on the Prairie.

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Alex Karras – NFL

Is any athlete to actor list complete without the likes of Alex Karras? Karras played ini 161 games during his NFL career but is best known for his role as Mongo in Blazing Saddles.

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Jim Brown – NFL

Jim Brown is an NFL Champion and 3 time NFL MVP. As his career was ending, he made the move to acting and appeared in 58 films from 1964-2014.

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Bubba Smith – NFL

The first selection in the 1967 NFL Draft, Smith played 9 seasons in the NFL. After his retirement from football, he landed numerous acting roles and is best knwon for playing Moses Hightower in all 6 Police Academy films.