15 NFL Players Who Acted in Movies

Can you think of at least 15 NFL players who acted in movies? A lot of guys have left the field to try their hand at acting.

Brian Bosworth

Have you ever heard of the film Stone Cold? It had nothing to do with Steve Austin since Boz was once considered a real badass.

Bill Romanowski

One of Bill’s career’s funniest moments came in The Longest Yard’s remake. In a way, the guy actually reenacted his infamous spit take.

Troy Aikman

He did show up briefly in Jerry Maguire near the end. He shook hands with the titular character and didn’t have to do much more.

Emmitt Smith

Emmitt and a few other NFL legends were featured in a film called Little Giants. He was extremely useful as an inspiration to a group of kids looking to gain confidence.

Jim Brown

Jim Brown has appeared in several movies, such as Mars Attacks!, Any Given Sunday, and several others. He’s great for his comedic moments as well as his dramatic scenes.

Bubba Smith

Anyone who’s watched the early Police Academy movies remembers Highttower. He was hard to miss since he was the biggest guy in the film.

John Matuszak

If you’ve watched The Goonies, you saw John as Sloth, the slightly disabled individual related to the Fratellis. He played a fun role that’s still fondly remembered today.

Howie Long

Howie Long has starred in several movies and starred himself in a movie and on TV. But while he’s not the greatest actor, he is useful as another character at times.

Dan Marino

Featured in Ace Ventura, Dan got the chance to play himself. He did have a short spot in Little Nicky as well.

Lawrence Taylor

As one of the toughest guys in the NFL in his time, there was no way LT could have been anything else. He appeared in an episode of Married With Children and was great in Any Given Sunday.

Dick Butkus

Butkus has been seen in several movies, usually in minor roles, but he’s easy to recognize. Seeing how many old legends went on to have a film career is amusing.

Brett Favre

Remember that in Something About Mary he did make an appearance near the end. Although he played himself, Mary still gave him up to go with Ted. Hey, 49ers fans are loyal.

Terry Bradshaw

Terry is another star who appeared in Married With Children, but he also made his way into the movies. Failure to Launch, as well as a few other movies, showcased his acting talents.

O.J. Simpson

No matter what people thought, O.J. proved he was a funny actor. These days, many people don’t show much joy in his old films, but he still did his part.

Alex Karras

Known as the tough guy in a few films, he was a big part of Ernest Goes to Camp. If you have ever traveled far enough and stayed in a KOA campground, you know this movie by heart.