Johnson called Rattlers’ head football coach Jake Gaither to ask that Gaither give Hayes time off to rest from football prior to the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. And while he scored a team-high 11 touchdowns as a junior in 1963, he was much more valuable to Florida A&M – and his country – as a sprinter. They didn’t call this guy “Bullet” for nothing.īob Hayes was one of the fastest men in the world in the 1960s, capturing the 1964 NCAA Championship in the 200 meters with a wind-aided 20.4 time in Eugene, Oregon. However, none of them were triumphant in the NFL after being thought of as a superior track & field athlete first.īelow is a chronological list of 10 men have had solid NFL careers after dominating the track & field scene in college.
Stars of track and field genius free#
However, he logged just 2 receptions over 3 NFL seasons.Įven household names Carl Lewis (drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 12th round of the 1984 NFL Draft) and Justin Gatlin (attended a rookie free agent camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2007) had their shot at NFL riches. With no prior football skill set, the Miami Dolphins chose Hines in the 6th round of the 1968 NFL Draft. Instead, Hines was a track star at Texas Southern, winning the 1967 NAIA Championship in the 100-yard dash before moving onto the Olympics, where he won two gold medals during the 1968 Mexico City Games in the 100 meters and 4×100 relay. Like Nehemiah, Jim Hines did not step on the football field in college. While he did win a Super Bowl in 1984, he played sparingly in 3 NFL seasons. After winning 3 NCAA hurdle championships at Maryland – in addition to setting the collegiate outdoor record in the 110 hurdles of 13.00 on that still stands today – Nehemiah was signed as a free agent by the San Francisco 49ers. Grayson and Scantling are taking a path similar to that of Renaldo Nehemiah, who, like them, did not play the sport in college. Undrafted, he played in 2 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after winning a since-stripped silver medal in the 4×100 relay at the 2012 London Games. Jeff Demps won 5 NCAA Championships (3 indoor, 2 outdoor) at Florida while also rushing for 23 touchdowns as a member of the football team. Olympic Team, was a 7th-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, but didn’t record a reception during two injury-plagued seasons. Louis Rams.īennie Brazzell, a 5-time NCAA relay champion at LSU and a member of the 2004 U.S. Spending most of his time on special teams, Kent recorded 5 tackles in 14 games – in addition to securing 1 reception – across two seasons for the Seahawks and St. Due to his combination of size and speed, the Seattle Seahawks drafted him in the 6th round of the 2007 NFL Draft. There were also some outstanding collegiate track & field athletes that were given an opportunity to compete in the NFL, but just couldn’t make it work.Ī 3-sport star at Oregon, Jordan Kent was a 4-time All-American track star for the Ducks who decided to give football a go during his junior season in Eugene.
Stars of track and field genius professional#
The Oklahoman was also a collegiate football All-American, making his debut in professional football in the APFA, which was the precursor to today’s NFL. The all-everything athlete was a superb track & field competitor, capturing gold in the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. Jim Thorpe is another name that comes to mind. 1 pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1991 to sign a record-breaking deal with the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts – were 1st round draft picks. All but Ismail – who turned down being the No. Some like Eric Metcalf, Willie Gault, Rocket Ismail, Darrell Green, Eddie Kennison, Johnny “Lam” Jones and Rod Woodson were outstanding track & field athletes in college who happened to also be fantastic football players. Over the years, there have been a plethora of track & field athletes at the collegiate level who have had the opportunity to take their skills to one of the most physical sports out there. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association got to thinking: Can success in track & field translate to the gridiron? With the announcement this week that sprinter Cyril Grayson of LSU and multi-star Garrett Scantling of Georgia signed contracts with the Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons, respectively – despite the fact neither of them played college football – we here at the U.S. Others are able to parlay their speed and strength on the track or in the field into an opportunity to play professional football. Some football players hone their skills on the gridiron by putting in years of blood, sweat, tears and hard work, donning shoulder pads and helmets during grueling summer two-a-days in the hopes that they may one day taste success at the NFL level. There are different paths to every destination. Collegiate Track & Field Stars In The NFL
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