20 Notable Sports Athletes Who Were Great At Other Sports

20 Notable Sports Athletes Who Were Great At Other Sports

We celebrate athletes who rise to the top of their sport, becoming household names, role models, and even cultural icons.

But true greatness sometimes extends even further.

When raw talent, relentless work ethic, and passion bridge the gap between different worlds of competition.

Across generations, history is filled with remarkable trailblazers who broke records on the court, then turned around and conquered new challenges on the diamond, the track, or even in arenas most fans never expected.

Whether motivated by a love for the game, community pride, or a drive to uplift their legacy, their stories reflect the spirit of determination and the power of diverse talents.

Take a look below at 20 Notable Sports Athletes Who Were Great At Other Sports.

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Bo Jackson

The only athlete to be named an All-Star in both MLB and NFL. Played for the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and Los Angeles Raiders. Known for his power hitting and explosive speed.

Deion Sanders

Played 14 NFL seasons and 9 MLB seasons. Won two Super Bowls and appeared in a World Series. Famously played in an NFL game and MLB playoff game on the same day in 1992.

Wilt Chamberlain

Dominated the NBA with 31,419 career points and 23,924 rebounds. Also excelled in volleyball and track and field, setting records in high jump and shot put during his college years.

Kyler Murray

Drafted 1st overall in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals and 9th overall in the 2018 MLB Draft by the Oakland Athletics. Chose to pursue football professionally.

John Elway

Played 16 NFL seasons with the Denver Broncos, winning two Super Bowls. Drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1981 MLB Draft but opted for football.

Michael Jordan

Widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and earned five MVP awards. In 1994, he pursued a professional baseball career, playing for the Birmingham Barons, a Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

Tony Gonzalez

Played 17 NFL seasons, primarily with the Kansas City Chiefs, and is the all-time leader in receiving yards for tight ends (15,127). Played college basketball at Cal, reaching the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

Tim Tebow

Won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 and played three NFL seasons. Transitioned to baseball in 2016, playing in the New York Mets’ minor league system until 2021.

Shaun White

Won three Olympic gold medals in snowboarding (2006, 2010, 2018). Competed professionally in skateboarding, winning multiple X Games medals.

Jim Thorpe

Won two Olympic gold medals in 1912 (pentathlon and decathlon). Played professional football, baseball, and basketball, and was the first president of the NFL.

Babe Didrikson Zaharias

Won two Olympic gold medals and one silver in track and field in 1932. Later won 10 LPGA major championships, becoming a golf legend.

Jackie Robinson

Broke MLB’s color barrier in 1947. Before baseball, he excelled in football, basketball, and track at UCLA, becoming the first athlete to letter in four sports.

Charlie Ward

Won the 1993 Heisman Trophy as Florida State’s quarterback. Played 11 NBA seasons with the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, and Houston Rockets.

Herschel Walker

Played 12 NFL seasons, rushing for 8,225 yards. Competed in the 1992 Winter Olympics as a bobsledder and had a professional MMA record of 2-0.

Dave Winfield

Drafted by MLB, NBA, ABA, and NFL. Played 22 MLB seasons, recording 3,110 hits and 465 home runs. Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.

Mookie Betts

Two-time World Series champion (2018, 2020) and six-time Gold Glove winner in MLB. Competed in professional bowling tournaments, achieving a perfect 300 game.

Jim Brown

Played 9 NFL seasons, rushing for 12,312 yards and scoring 126 touchdowns. Also a lacrosse All-American at Syracuse University, where he led the nation in scoring.

Bob Gibson

Played 17 MLB seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, winning two Cy Young Awards and two World Series MVPs. Played professional basketball with the Harlem Globetrotters before his baseball career.

Brian Jordan

Played three NFL seasons as a safety and 15 MLB seasons as an outfielder. Recorded 1,454 hits and 184 home runs in MLB.

Pat Tillman

Played four NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. Was a standout high school baseball player and considered pursuing the sport professionally before choosing football.