Although playing multiple sports at a professional level is not as common today as it was in the past, that doesn’t mean there isn’t an incredible history of athletes doing just that.
After all, professional athletes have a rare ability on the field, court or ice.
They are gifted beyond belief. Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates, both of whom just missed this list, are great examples. They were both excellent basketball players before deciding football was their future.
That said, FOX Sports Research compiled the list of the 10 best multi-sport athletes in history.
What are the 10 best multi-sport athletes in history?
Marquise Goodwin #3 of the Cleveland Browns warms up prior to an NFL wild-card playoff game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on January 13, 2024, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
One of the fastest people in the world, Goodwin ran a 4.27 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in 2013, the third-fastest time in combine history at that time. That speed would do him well, helping push him to 18 career receiving touchdowns in his 10-year NFL career. Goodwin was also a star track athlete, qualifying for the 2012 Olympics in the long jump, while also impressing in the 60-meter dash. His best performance came at the 2008 World Junior Championships; he claimed gold in both the long jump and the 4 x 100-meter relay.
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Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals runs with the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter at State Farm Stadium on January 05, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Everyone knows Murray has skills on the football field. He has been successful at the college level, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2018, and was drafted first overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 2019. However, he easily could’ve pursued a baseball career. In 2018, Murray was selected ninth overall by the Athletics but chose to stick with football. With that, though, he became the first player to be selected in the first round of both the NFL and MLB drafts.
8. Brian Jordan
Brian Jordan gives the play ball announcement before the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins at Truist Park on April 4, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images)
A name not often mentioned, Jordan delivered in both football and baseball. He began his professional sports career by playing safety for the Atlanta Falcons from 1989 through 1991 before making a full-time switch to baseball. Jordan would eventually become an All-Star in 1999, when he hit .283 with 23 homers and 115 RBI for the Atlanta Braves.
7. Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson during baseball practice, bending to catch a ground ball.
Robinson, a baseball star who broke the game’s color barrier, is an icon far bigger than any one sport or performance. That said, he had a ton of success during his college and professional career. He became a Hall of Famer after an 11-year MLB career. He was an NCAA champion in the long jump, while also lettering at UCLA in four different sports (football, basketball, track and field and baseball) — the first and only Bruin to ever have achieved this feat.
6. Jim Brown
Cleveland Browns RB Jim Brown #32 runs with the ball. Brown played for the Browns from 1957-1965. (Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images)
Arguably the greatest NFL player of all time, Brown was far more than just a star running back. Aside from his nine years in Cleveland and eventual ticket to Canton, Brown also made the Lacrosse Hall of Fame with standout performances in both high school and in college at Syracuse. Moreover, he also excelled in both basketball and track and field, showcasing his power and speed combo.
5. Charlie Ward
Charlie Ward #21 of the New York Knicks against the Washington Wizards at the MCI Center on December 7, 2002, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
Ward was a tremendous athlete and showed it on the field. His best year in football came in 1993 for Florida State, when the star signal-caller earned nearly all the major awards a QB could get, while also capturing the Heisman Trophy and leading the team to a national championship. The next year, Ward was selected 26th overall in the first round of the NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. Ward went on to play 11 years in the NBA.
4. Bob Hayes
Bob Hayes #22 takes a punt during the first quarter and runs it back 64 yards to the Cleveland Browns’ 13-yard line.
As if being a star football player wasn’t enough, Hayes also delivered as a track and field star. He won a gold medal in the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, competing in the 100-meter dash and the 4 x 100-meter relay. Those gold medals, combined with his 11 seasons in the NFL and eventual induction into Canton, make him one of the most decorated athletes in history.
3. Bo Jackson
Bo Jackson speaks during his induction into the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame at Kauffman Stadium on June 29, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
If you asked people to name the greatest multi-sport athlete, most would instantly think of Jackson, who was a legend at Auburn. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1985 and eventually turned that into becoming a College Football Hall of Famer, as well as the first overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft. He would play four years with the Raiders at the same time as he was playing for the Kansas City Royals. His baseball career lasted four years longer, as he ended up playing professionally in the majors for nine seasons, making one All-Star team and the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame.
2. Jim Thorpe
View of American football player Jim Thorpe, circa 1910. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images)
A true triple threat, Thorpe did it all. An Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon and pentathlon, Thorpe also played eight years in the NFL. During his time in pro football, he earned a spot on the NFL All-Decade team and was a first-team All-Pro. All that eventually led to his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Thorpe wasn’t done there, though. He also managed to fit a six-year MLB career in as well.
1. Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders #21 of the Cincinnati Reds warms up during a work out on February 23, 1997, at Plant City Stadium in Plant City, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
If Jackson isn’t the first answer most think of when asked for the best multi-sport athlete, Sanders is undoubtedly the next most common one. He was anything but common, however. Sanders had wheels like no other and dominated on the field, playing 14 years in the NFL. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1994 and claimed two Super Bowl titles in his career. His success in both pro and college would earn him a spot in both Hall of Fames. Sanders managed to work in a nine-year MLB career as well. He also ran track for Florida State while at school.
Honorable mentions:
- Shaun White
- Gene Conley
- Kirk Gibson
- Antonio Gates
- Tony Gonzalez
- John Elway
- Danny Ainge
Check out all of our Daily Rankers.
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