Famous Football Players a to z

Shaun Alexander is a former running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins who’s one of the leading touchdown scorers in NFL history.

Alan Autry is best known for his role as Captain "Bubba" Skinner on the television series In the Heat of the Night. In later life, he was a successful mayor of Fresno, California.

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe was a starter with the New England Patriots for nearly eight years, before moving on to lead the Buffalo Bills and the Dallas Cowboys.

One of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Terry Bradshaw has spent much of his life playing, reporting, and commenting on football.

The winner of three Super Bowls, Tom Brady is one of the top players in the NFL. He is married to model Gisele Bündchen.

NFL quarterback Drew Brees plays for the New Orleans Saints. In 2009 he led the franchise to victory in Super Bowl XLIV, earning the game's MVP honors.

Jim Brown is a record-holding, former NFL fullback who's been elected to his sport's Hall of Fame and who's also worked as a model and film actor.

Plaxico Burress is an American football wide receiver who has played in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Giants and the New York Jets.

Ernie Davis became the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy before his life was tragically cut short by leukemia at the age of 23.

Glenn Woodward Davis won the 1946 Heisman Trophy as a halfback at Army, setting single season records for average yards per carry, 11.5 in 1945.

American football wide receiver Donald Driver, drafted by the Greenbay Packers in 1999, won the 14th season of Dancing with the Stars in May 2012.

Quarterback Brett Favre led the Green Bay Packers to victory in Super Bowl XXXI, and is the all-time leader in career passing yards and touchdowns.

Quarterback Robert Griffin III won the 2011 Heisman Trophy before emerging as a dynamic playmaker for the NFL's Washington Redskins.

American football player Santonio Holmes was named MVP of Super Bowl XLIII after making the game-winning touchdown catch for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin helped lead the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles in the early 1990s.

Bo Jackson came to fame in the 1980s as a multitalented athlete, who excelled in baseball, football, and track at an early age.

A massive wide receiver with explosive speed and game-breaking abilities, Calvin Johnson has developed into one of the NFL's most dominant players.

National Football League quarterback Colin Kaepernick is the starting QB for the San Francisco 49ers. In 2012 he led the franchise to Super Bowl XLVII.

American Football Hall of Famer Curly Lambeau founded the Green Bay Packers and coached the team to six NFL championships.

NFL linebacker Ray Lewis is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Super Bowl MVP and played his entire 17-year career with the Baltimore Ravens.

Quarterback Andrew Luck was a two-time Heisman finalist at Stanford University. The Indianapolis Colts selected him with the number one pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

Eli Manning is the Super Bowl–winning quarterback for the New York Giants, the brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning.

One of the most dominant quarterbacks in NFL history, Peyton Manning has won multiple MVP awards and led the Indianapolis Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI.

Dan Marino was a Hall of Fame quarterback for the Miami Dolphins from 1984-2000.

Professional football player Joe Montana lead the 49ers to victories in four Super Bowls during the 1980s, including consecutive wins in 1989 and 1990.

Michael Oher is an NFL football player with the Baltimore Ravens. He was the subject of Michael Lewis's book, The Blind Side, and the 2009 film of the same name.

Terrell Owens is a longtime National Football League wide receiver whose career has been marked by Hall of Fame numbers and controversial statements.

As head football coach at Pennsylvania State University, Joe Paterno was one of the most successful coaches in the history of collegiate football.

Walter Payton was a running back for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League and is in the Football Hall of Fame.

American football player Adrian Peterson returned from a serious leg injury to challenge the single-season rushing record and win the NFL MVP Award in 2012.

Fritz Pollard was the first African American to play in the Rose Bowl, the first African-American NFL coach and one of the NFL's first black players.

Hall of Fame football wide receiver Jerry Rice played for the San Francisco 49ers and is widely considered the greatest ever to play his position.

Basketball coach Patrick James Riley participated in both basketball and football, playing professionally with the San Diego Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers.

Paul Robeson was an acclaimed 20th century performer known for productions like The Emperor Jones and Othello. He was also an international activist.

Aaron Rodgers is quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He steered the franchise to victory in Super Bowl XLVII.

Tony Romo is one of the NFL's top quarterbacks and has played for the Dallas Cowboys.

Mike Shanahan is a highly effective NFL football coach who led John Elway and the Broncos to two consecutive Superbowl wins.

O.J. Simpson is best known for his arrest and trial in the 1994 murder of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, of which he was found not guilty.

Emmitt Smith was a running back with the Dallas Cowboys. In 2002, he broke Walter Payton's rushing record to become the leading rusher in NFL history.

Roger Staubach is a former NFL quarterback who led the Dallas Cowboys to win two Super Bowls. He’s also a businessman and sports commentator.

Michael Strahan is a former defensive end for the New York Giants, and co-host of the morning television program Live! With Kelly and Michael.

American football player Lawrence Taylor was a member of the New York Giants and is considered one of the best linebackers in the history of the game.

Sean Taylor was the No. 5 NFL draft pick in 2004 and played with the Washington Redskins until he was murdered in 2007.

Manti Te'o is an American football player who became embroiled in controversy in early 2013, when the story of his girlfriend's tragic death was revealed to be a fabrication.

NFL quarterback Tim Tebow won both the Heisman Trophy and the BCS National Championship while playing for the Florida Gators in college. He was drafted by the NFL’s Denver Broncos in 2010 and joined the New York Jets in 2012.

Jim Thorpe was a Native American professional football and baseball player, known for his all-around athleticism. He was a gold-medal runner at the 1912 Olympics.

Willie Thrower was a pioneer for African Americans in football, the first to play quarterback professionally.

Football player Emlen Tunnell was the first African American to play for the New York Giants, and the first African American to be inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame.

Star Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's promising career has been tainted by illegal activities including involvement in an illegal dog-fighting ring.

Wide receiver Hines Ward played his entire 14-year NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, helping lead the team to wins in Super Bowls XL and XLIII.

Paul Warren is a former professional American football wide receiver from Warren Ohio known for his grace on the field in the 1960s and 1970s.