Two-sport athlete. Everyone claims that title growing up and in high school, but only a rare few can carry it over to the college level. When it comes to professional sports, you think of Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, and that’s about it. Whether it is due to early one-sport specialization, year-round demands in college and pro sports, or the injury risks given today’s massive contracts, the current sports atmosphere makes playing in the NFL and another league simply impossible. Still, this list looks at some of the best current NFL players who could have played another pro sport (or both).
Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray leads off this list as the only athlete to ever be selected in the first round of two sports, getting selected eighth overall by the Athletics in the 2018 MLB Draft before the Arizona Cardinals took him at No. 1 in the 2019 NFL Draft. Murray played in 51 baseball games as an outfielder during his final year at Oklahoma, hitting .296 with 10 home runs. Murray was on pace to attend the A’s spring training in 2019 before fully committing to the football pipeline.
Cooper Kupp
While Cooper Kupp may not have had what it takes to be an NBA player, he certainly excelled at the high school level. The Seattle Seahawks' new wide receiver led his high school to the 2012 Class 4A Washington State Championship. Even more impressive, however, is the fact that, during their quest for the title, Kupp guarded current NBA superstar Zach LaVine. Even if he didn’t have what it took to play at the next level, having the defensive skills to guard NBA talent like Lavine earns Kupp a spot on this list.
Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson is another example of an NFL quarterback having a chance in pro baseball. Wilson hit for a .306 average over 47 games in his final year at NC State, leading to the Colorado Rockies selecting him in the fourth round of the 2010 MLB Draft (he was also drafted in the 41st round of the 2007 draft by the Baltimore Orioles). The now New York Giants' quarterback played two years of single-A baseball for the Rockies, not hitting above .230. Wilson was taken in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Despite a guest appearance at New York Yankees spring training, Wilson chose football—a decision that led to a Super Bowl ring in 2014.
Mo Alie-Cox
When it comes to basketball, Mo Alie-Cox tops this list. Before playing tight end for the Indianapolis Colts, Alie-Cox played power forward for four years at VCU. While there, he started 103 games, scoring over 1,000 points (with the best field goal percentage in school history) and playing lockdown defense that came to be known as “Mo says no.” Alie-Cox also led VCU to its first-ever Atlantic 10 Championship, earning all-tournament team honors. Instead of trying to pursue professional basketball, however, Alie-Cox signed with the Colts in 2017, despite not having played organized football since his freshman high school, and he is now a veteran presence on the team.
Tyreek Hill
While Tyreek Hill has made his name as one of the fastest wide receivers in the NFL, that speed appeared in college through his success on the track. During his one year at Oklahoma State, Hill finished second in the Big 12 championships with a 6.64-second 60m race. After that, Hill, nicknamed “Cheetah,” elected to use his speed solely for football, and he was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round as a return specialist. Hill decided to appear in one race in 2023, and while he still put up a 6.7-second time in the 60m, the special teamer-turned-superstar officially retired from track immediately after the event.
Jameis Winston
While Jameis Winston was drafted by the Texas Rangers out of high school, he decided not to sign, instead attending Florida State as a two-sport athlete. In his two years of baseball there, Winston saw most of his success as a pitcher, posting a 1.94 ERA through 60.1 career innings. Ultimately, his national championship and overall dominance in football outweighed it all. The Seminole was selected first overall in the 2015 NFL Draft, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers included a “no-baseball” clause in his contract.
Patrick Mahomes
Given the athletic skill of Patrick Mahomes, it should come as no surprise that Mahomes was a competent three-sport athlete. In high school basketball, the Chiefs quarterback averaged an impressive 19.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Mahomes also followed in his father’s (an 11-year MLB veteran) footsteps, dominating the baseball diamond and getting selected out of high school in the 37th round of the 2014 MLB draft. Scouts have since claimed he would have been a top-five-round pick had he not already committed to playing football at Texas Tech, but there is no doubt he made the right decision.
Joe Burrow
Like Mahomes, Joe Burrow’s basketball prowess came at the high school level. In his best season, Burrow was named first-team all-state thanks to his 19.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. While Burrow didn’t pursue basketball at the next level, he claimed in 2022 that he would be able to score at least 12 points in an NBA game. We’ll never know for sure, but with world-class athletes like these, it’s hard to doubt their ability in any sport.
