13 Of The Top Multi-Sport Pro Athletes

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There have been a number of incredibly gifted athletes to compete in major US professional sports over the years. Few have had the option to pursue careers across multiple leagues.

For most, even securing a roster spot at the college level is out of reach. These superstars possessed a unique ability to excel while honing their skills in much different ways.

For this list, we’ll focus on players that were either drafted in two different professional leagues or suited up for teams in two different sports.

We will not focus on athletes that played one pro sport while representing the United States in the Olympics, though that, too, is an astounding feat. That excludes Herschel Walker (NFL, bobsled) and Bob Hayes (NFL, Olympic track).

Multi-sport athletes in pro sports.

Below are 13 past or present professional athletes that were talented enough to play in two (or more) leagues. We’ll start with one of the most recent.

Kyler Murray

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Murray was a two-sport star at Oklahoma, where he won a Heisman trophy on the football team. Just before hearing his name called in New York, he became a first-round MLB Draft pick.

The quarterback eventually spurned baseball to pursue football. He became the Cardinals’ top overall NFL Draft pick in 2019.

Dave Winfield

Winfield was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame in 2001 after piling up 465 career home runs and more than 3,000 hits. He had his pick of the litter when it came to professional sports pursuits.

Winfield was drafted in four different leagues by the Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Minnesota Vikings (NFL), Utah Stars (ABA), and San Diego Padres (MLB). It seems he chose right!

Jim Brown

Brown is arguably the best NFL running back of all-time. The Hall of Famer totaled more than 12,000 rushing yards across a nine-year career, leading the league in rushing eight times.

He also had the chance to go pro in the NBA after being drafted by the Syracuse Nationals in 1957. He was an All-American in both sports, as well as lacrosse while in college.

Gene Conley

Conley competed in both baseball and basketball professionally following a two-sport college career at Washington State. In the MLB, he played 11 seasons in Boston, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia.

The pitcher compiled a 91-96 overall record with 13 shutouts and 10 saves. He played six years in the NBA, winning three titles with the Celtics.

Charlie Ward

Ward was not technically drafted in the NFL, but it was not due to a lack of talent. Instead, he’d already made his NBA intentions clear after having won the Heisman trophy and led Florida State to a national championship.

He boasted mid-round NFL grades but was a first-round NBA talent. Ward would go onto play 12 seasons as a professional basketball player.

Multi-sport athletes in pro sports: Bo Jackson

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Jackson played both professional baseball and football after starring in both sports at Auburn. The Heisman trophy winner was actually picked by two different NFL teams.

In 1986, he went in the first round to the Bucs. He refused to sign and instead played in the MLB for the Royals. The next year, he was chosen in the seventh round by the Raiders, who allowed him to compete in both sports.

Jim Thorpe

Thorpe earned Hall of Fame recognition after an eight-year pro football career. He also managed to squeeze in nearly 300 games on the diamond as an MLB player.

As if those successes across multiple leagues weren’t enough, he also Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon during the 1912 Games.

Deion Sanders

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Sanders is maybe the most popular man on this list having played both professional baseball and football. With the Braves, Yankees, Giants, and Reds, he hit .263 across nine seasons while swiping 186 bases.

His NFL tenure was even longer as he played 14 years, won two Super Bowls, and landed Hall of Fame honors. He’s now taken his talents to the sidelines as coach of the University of Colorado football team.

Danny Ainge

Ainge won a pair of NBA titles with the Boston Celtics in the 1980s across a 12-year basketball career. The former BYU Cougar was also a star on the baseball diamond.

He was selected in the 1977 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, spending three seasons with the club. He’s now made a name for himself in NBA front offices, currently holding the title of CEO of basketball operations for the Utah Jazz.

Brian Jordan

Jordan is best known for his baseball career where he played 15 seasons with four different clubs. The first-round MLB Draft pick hit .282 with 184 home runs.

He also played football three seasons with the Falcons in the NFL where he suited up alongside Deion Sanders. He started 30 games in his last two campaigns, totaling five interceptions.

Tony Gonzalez

Gonzalez was a force both on the gridiron and on the hardwood. As a tight end, he made 14 Pro Bowls and became a Hall of Famer. The pass catcher totaled more than 15,000 yards with the Chiefs and Falcons.

He could’ve pursued a pro basketball career if he’d wanted, though. Gonzalez was not drafted by an NBA organization, but he did spend time with Miami Heat summer league team. Ultimately, he chose to focus on football, which was certainly the best decision.

Tony Gwynn

Gwynn was drafted as an NBA prospect by the San Diego Clippers in 1981. On the same day, he also became a third-round MLB Draft pick.

The outfielder chose baseball, where he’d later excel. Gwynn totaled 3,141 hits and led his league in hitting eight times. He never struck out more than 40 times in a season and recorded a career average of .338 on his way to the Hall of Fame.

John Elway

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Elway used his multi-sport talents as leverage in the 1983 NFL Draft. He was originally chosen by the Baltimore Colts, a team that he did not want to play for.

Two years prior, he’d been picked by the Yankees in the 1981 MLB Draft. Considered a top prospect, he threatened to join the club on a full-time basis if the Colts didn’t trade him.

Eventually, he landed in Denver where he became a Hall of Famer. He spent one season in New York’s farm system, hitting .318 with four homers. Many believe he would’ve thrived no matter which career path he’d chosen.

NEXT UP: Take a look at 12 MLB players that competed in the Little League World Series