Celebrities you probably didn't know played college football
1
/
15
-
Where celebrities got their start
Before some of your favorite celebrities became stars, these gifted specimens were amazing in college football, too.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: USATSI -
Channing Tatum (Glenville State)
If Channing Tatum looked like a natural catching the pigskin in 22 Jump Street, that's because the actor played football at Glenville State College in West Virginia.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sport, Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports -
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (Miami)
Before The Rock exploded on the WWE scene and became the movie franchise savior, he was Dwayne Johnson, the football player. Johnson was a pass rusher on the talented Miami Hurricane football team that won the national championship in 1991.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: (Photo: USATSI) -
Phil Robertson (Louisiana Tech)
Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame was quite the athlete in his prime. He played baseball and track, but his true love was football. After earning a scholarship to Louisiana Tech, Robertson was the starting QB ahead of future Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw.
The Redskins were interested in signing Robertson, but playing would have interfered with his hunting.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: Nelson Chenault, Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports -
Josh Duhamel (Minot State)
Josh Duhamel (Transformers) played quarterback on the Division II Minot State Beavers. Duhamel's acting skills are a lot better than his quarterback play; the actor threw more interceptions than touchdowns in his collegiate career.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: Jason Getz, Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports -
Joel McHale (Washington)
Joel McHale (Community) was originally recruited to the University of Washington for rowing. The actor then switched to football as a backup tight end on the Huskies squad for two seasons.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: Joe Nicholson, Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports -
Terry Crews (Western Michigan)
Terry Crews (Brooklyn 99) sure is built like a football player. Crews played defensive end on the 1988 Western Michigan football team that won the MAC Championship.
Crews earned All-Conference honors as a defensive end. He went on to be drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1991 NFL Draft.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: Adam Hunger, Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports -
Tommy Lee Jones (Harvard)
Did you know Tommy Lee Jones is a Harvard man? The Academy Award-winning actor played offensive guard on the undefeated football team in 1968.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: Soobum Im, Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports -
Mark Harmon (Michigan)
Mark Harmon (NCIS) is the son of former Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon. Mark played quarterback at UCLA in 1972-1973. In Harmon's first start, he led the Bruins to an upset of two-time defending national champion Nebraska Cornhuskers.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: Rick Osentoski, Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports -
Kenny Mayne (UNLV)
ESPN personality Kenny Mayne used to play sports before broadcasting them. The Sportscenter host played quarterback at UNLV.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports, USA TODAY Sports -
Carl Weathers (San Diego State)
Carl Weathers was one of the few college athletes on this list to make it to the pros. The Rocky star played linebacker at San Diego State and then went on for a short stint in the NFL with the Raiders.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: Lester Cohen/Wireimage.com -
Gerald Ford (Michigan)
The 38th President of the United States Gerald Ford played his collegiate ball at the University of Michigan. At Ann Arbor, Ford played center, linebacker and long snapper.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: (Photo: USATSI) -
Mr. T (Prairie View A&M)
Mr. T, then known as Laurence Tureaud, played his college ball at Prairie View A&M for one season. Mr. T eventually tried out for the Packers before retiring to acting.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: (Photo: USATSI) -
Burt Reynolds (Florida State)
Poor, Burt Reynolds. Prior to becoming a big time movie star, Reynolds was a running back at Florida State. Unfortunately he sustained an injury in the first game of the season and he never played again.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: (Photo: USATSI) -
Bill Cosby (Temple)
Prior to starring in his own sitcom, The Cosby Show, Bill Cosby was quite the collegiate athlete at Temple. At Temple, Cosby was the fullback.
(Photo: USATSI)
Credit: Kirby Lee, Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
More Slideshows
Around the Web
Promoted by Taboola