Like his fellow athlete stars, Karras struck it pretty big for some time during the ’70s and ’80s. The young football player found his way into the spotlight with his odd sense of humor. It even landed him a role as Webster in the classic Mel Brooks comedy “Blazing Saddles.”
The actor went on to appear in several other television series and films such as “M.A.S.H,” “The Odd Couple,” and more.
Ryan Seacrest
You wouldn't think it today watching Ryan Seacrest interview thousands of stars and starlets on the red carpet, but before he became our celeb middleman, Ryan Seacrest was busting faces on the football field. In the early 90s, he was a defensive back for two years before graduating from Dunwoody High school. Dunwoody is known for winning the state AAAA championships in 1993. Was that thanks to Ryan?
in 2013, The TV personality made his way back into the sports world when he hosted NBC's coverage of the NFL game between Baltimore Ravens and the Denver Broncos. Was he feeling nostalgic?
Merlin Olsen
Football Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen needs little introduction. With history-making football skills, the player soon found out he had a fantastic TV presence and wound up as a broadcaster a successful actor. In fact, you might find more images of the man with a microphone in hand than a football.
With big roles in "Father Murphy" and the classic "Litle House on the Prairie," Olsen did not become just another forgotten retired football player, but rather a legendary athlete turned iconic actor.
Matthew Fox
The Lost star was on the road to success with his football skills. Well, almost. What started out to be a passionate dream in sports ended up being a giant wake-up call, reaffirming that the actor should pursue a different path. Throughout his football "career," Fox lost 44 games during his college years.
He had a 2-38 record when plated for Columbia as a wide receiver. Thankfully Matt found his calling, and now the Emmy and Golden Globe actor can breathe easy. One good thing that came from Columbia was his now-wife, Margherita Ronchi.
Jim Brown
Long before Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, America's football star was Jim Brown. The three-time MVP running back ruled the Cleveland Browns in the 50s and 60s. After nine seasons as the NFL's all-time leading rusher, he retired at only 29 in 1966. While that may have seemed a tad too young, it did give him ample time to transition into his next wildly successful career as a film actor.
The actor/athlete star starred in a string of tough-guy films in the late 60s and 70s, most notably, The Dirty Dozen (1967). His career spanned many years and consisted of films in a number of genres like the dystopian action film The Running Man with Arnold Shwazaeggger and the weird sci-fi Mars Attacks!