Famous American Football Players

A record six-time Super Bowl champion, Tom Brady is regarded by many as the greatest quarterback ever. At the age of 41, he became the oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl in NFL history. Thanks to his good looks, he has also appeared in some television programs and commercial campaigns.

Aaron Rodgers, who has the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in the history of the National Football League (NFL), is regarded by many as one of the greatest football quarterbacks ever. Also known for his humanitarian and charitable efforts, Aaron Rodgers is an ardent supporter of the MACC Fund, which is a fund-raising organization.

American football quarterback Peyton Manning played 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with the Denver Broncos, winning a Super Bowl with each, thus becoming the only person to achieve the feat. Also known as “The Sheriff,” the talented player has NFL records for passing yards and touchdowns.

Widely regarded as the greatest tight end of all time, Rob Gronkowski is also considered one of the best American football players of his generation. Also one of the most popular players, thanks to his larger-than-life personality, Rob Gronkowski has set many National Football League (NFL) records as a tight end.

An American professional football quarterback, Colin Kaepernick began playing for 49ers’ as a backup quarterback and later played a pivotal role in them reaching the 2013 NFL championship. Also a civil rights activist, he attracted a lot praise and criticism when in 2016, he refused to stand for the US national anthem as a form of protest against racial injustice.

Former American football player, Michael Oher had been associated with the Baltimore Ravens for the major part of his career. He also played for the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers for a while. He had a very tough childhood and sought solace in playing sports. After years of struggle, he finally emerged as a successful sportsman.

American football quarterback for New England Patriots, Cam Newton shot to fame when he led Auburn Tigers to the 2010 BCS National Championship, won the Heisman Trophy and was selected by Carolina Panthers in the 2011 NFL draft. In the subsequent nine seasons with the Panthers, he emerged as star player and even bagged NFL’s top player spot in 2016.

After 5 years with the San Diego Chargers, NFL quarterback Drew Brees joined the New Orleans Saints. In 2010, he was the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year and the co-chair of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. Drew is considered one of the best passers in NFL.

American footballer, Russell Wilson, plays for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and is considered one of the best players ever. In NFL history, he is one of two quarterbacks with a career passer rating over 100. In October 2020, he was inducted in an exclusive group, the Madden 99 club of the popular ‘Madden 21’ video game.

Antonio Brown is an American football player and one of the most popular wide receivers in the history of the National Football League (NFL). Controversy's favorite child, Brown is a testimony to the fact that one's personal behavior can have a major impact on their professional life; his off-the-field controversies have marred his otherwise illustrious playing career.

Known to his fans as the “Big Ben,” Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had captained his high-school basketball, baseball, and football teams. The multitalented 2004 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year stunned everyone when he became the youngest starting quarterback to score a Super Bowl victory in 2006.

Tony Romo is a former American football player. Romo played as a quarterback and represented the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League for 14 seasons. After his retirement, which was caused mainly by a back injury, Tony Romo became the lead color analyst for CBS Sports' NFL telecasts.

NFL quarterback Eli Manning, brother of Peyton Manning, is one of only five players to have won multiple Super Bowl MVP honors. He initially played for the University of Mississippi and eventually led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories. He is known for his match-winning Helmet Catch.

Odell Beckham Jr. is an American football player who plays in the National Football League (NFL). With several NFL records under his belt, Beckham Jr. is widely regarded as one of the most popular and productive players of all time. His one-handed touchdown catch in a Sunday Night Football game is considered the greatest catch ever made in NFL history.

JJ Watt is an American football player who currently plays defensive end for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He also plays defensive tackle in some situations. Sports Illustrated named him its Sportsperson of the Year in 2017. He is regarded as one of the greatest defensive ends in NFL history. Besides sports, he co-hosts the Fox game show, Ultimate Tag.

Brett Favre is a former American football player who spent the majority of his National Football League career with the Green Bay Packers. Apart from being a retired player with several achievements and records under his belt, Favre is also a philanthropist; in 1996, he set up the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation, which has donated over $2 million to charities.

American football player Deion Sanders is considered one of the strongest pass defenders of the game. He was an electrifying athlete and played in the National Football League for 14 seasons. He played for teams like Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens. He is now a coach and a sports analyst. He’s also a rapper.

Alex Morgan is an American soccer player who helped her national team win the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cups. Thanks to her popularity, Morgan has appeared in several magazines and TV shows. Her numerous endorsement deals have made her one of the highest-paid American sportswomen. In 2019, she was named in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People list.

Michael Strahan is a journalist, television personality, and former professional American football player. Strahan helped the New York Giants, where he spent his entire 15-year National Football League (NFL) career, win the Super Bowl XLII. After retiring from football, Michael Strahan co-hosted the talk show Live with Kelly and Ryan, for which he received a couple of Daytime Emmy Awards.

Terrence Crews is an actor, comedian, activist and a body-builder. He’s also a former professional football player. He has starred in sitcoms like Everybody Hates Chris and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Plus, he has acted in many movies including the Expendables series. In 2017, Crews talked about a sexual assault on him by a Hollywood executive. He fiercely advocates for women's rights.

Joe Namath is a former football player who was named on The Sporting News' 100 Greatest Football Players list in 1999. He established himself as a sports icon and a pop culture icon after guaranteeing a victory to his team, New York Jets, over the favorites, Baltimore Colts, and then helping his team win Super Bowl III against the Colts.

Adrian Peterson is an American football player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs in the history of the National Football League (NFL), Peterson became the third-fastest player in NFL history to reach 10,000 rushing yards in 2013. He is currently playing for the Detroit Lions.

Former professional baseball and football player Bo Jackson has the distinction of being the only professional athlete in history to be named an All-Star in both the sports. Considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, he pursued his other interests following his retirement from sports in the 1990s. He has acted in a few TV shows, playing minor characters.