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Lights! Camera! Action! These aren't usually the three words you associate with a star football player, but NFL superstars have been making cameos in movies and television for decades. For some players, finding a life after football is over can be difficult. Some transition to the front office, the broadcast booth or coaching.
However, there is a certain group of NFL players who have the charisma, physicality and star power to make the transition to the big screen. Here are five former NFL players who have starred in hit movies.
#5 - Lawrence Taylor - Any Given Sunday, Waterboy
Lawrence Taylor might be the greatest defender to ever play the sport. Taylor terrorized quarterbacks, accumulating 142 sacks over his career. He transitioned from the grindiron to the big screen, starring in a host of popular action movies. He is best known for his role as a footballer in Any Given Sunday with Al Pacino and The Waterboy with Adam Sandler.
#4 - Howie Long - Broken Arrow, 3000 Miles to Graceland
Howie Long is a legendary former NFL player, media personality and father of two NFL players. He is also a fairly accomplished big screen actor. Long was one of the most popular Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders players of all-time. He made his way to the movies with the 90's action hit Broken Arrow with John Travolta. He also starred in 3,000 Miles to Graceland with Kurt Russell.
#3 - Brett Favre - There's Something About Mary
Brett Favre will go down as one of the best quarterbacks of 1990s. His legendary carefree attitude on the field made him one of the most popular players of that decade. This popularity scored him a significant cameo role in the 1998 hit comedy There's Something About Mary. He played Cameron Diaz's ex-boyfriend and rival to Ben Stiller.
#2 - Dan Marino - Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Before Brett Favre broke records on the field and scored laughs on the big screen, Dan Marino was doing his thing in the 1980's. One of the most prolific passers to ever play in the NFL, Marino had a memorable role playing himself in the movies. He appeared in the 1994 box office hit Ace Ventura: Pet Detective alongside Jim Carrey.
#1 - Terry Crews - The Expendables Films, Deadpool 2
& Carl Weathers - Rocky Films, Predator, Happy Gilmore
Kind of a cheat with the final two players on the list, but both have become key parts of two big film franchises. Terry Crews was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams and played 32 total games in the NFL. He is better known for his role in the Expendables film franchise and for playing Bedlam in Deadpool 2.
Carl Weathers went undrafted but signed with the Oakland Raiders in 1970. He was part of the team that made it to the AFC Championship that year. Weathers is best known as the iconic Apollo Creed from the Rocky film franchise, but has had a storied acting career with roles in Predator, Happy Gilmore and more.
