The MLB’s Opening Day ceremonies would have kicked off today, had the sports world not been suspended indefinitely without play due to the coronavirus pandemic. One of the greatest moments in sports, the first day of baseball always produces a wave of nostalgia for the players and fans, an ageless stretch from the young to the old.
The trashcan jokes alone would have made this year’s festivities memorable, but alas, there will be no crack of the bat, no soothing PA announcements, no flyovers, and no snark at the Astros’ expense. All that is left—other than the enjoyable reruns of yesteryear—is list of NFL players who also played in the MLB.
Some history: Both leagues have interwoven throughout the decades, beginning in the 1920s when several MLB players joined teams in the newly formed NFL. (Before the ’20s, star baseball players, like Christy Mathewson, played both but the NFL was not yet official.)
Since then, close to 70 athletes have played for the MLB and NFL. And, for a few interesting reasons, these are 10 of the most notable.
Let’s play ball!
Jim Thorpe
Thorpe was the original do-it-all athlete, which included gold medals and even pro basketball. He played major league baseball for the New York Giants, Cincinnati Reds, and Boston Braves. During those years, Thorpe also played football. He began his career with the Canton Bulldogs, which was part of the inaugural 1920 NFL season, and then played for (and coached) a handful of teams after that. Surrounded by the fame of his heroics at the Olympics, Thorpe was a major draw for both sports, though football would turn out to be his more decorated. No other two-sport star has played for more NFL teams (six) than Thorpe.
George Halas
For the non-Bears fans out there, who have often wondered what the “GSH” logo means…well, here we go.
George Halas makes up a giant portion of the Bears’ history. He founded, coached, and played. He picked out the colors. He was with the team that originated in Decatur, Illinois (made 80’s famous by Cameron Frye’s mom), and he was the reason for moving to Chicago in 1921, where they would win a title. On top of that, Halas also played professional baseball for the New York Yankees. In 1919, he got his cup of coffee with the Pinstripes, playing in 12 games (getting two hits) before a hip injury ended his career.
Of all the talented athletes on this list, Halas will go down in history as the only one who played defense, offense and handled ticket sales.
Chuck Dressen
Chuck Dressen played quarterback for the Decatur Staleys in 2019, and then joined the NFL’s Racine Legion for two seasons. Arguably the OG Kyler Murray prototype, at 5-foot-5, Dressen didn’t necessarily have the height that would pass in today’s modern mock drafts, but his athleticism was top-trier. Baseball became his full-time sport in 1924, however, when he suited up for the Cincinnati Reds. He played into the 1930s, including a stop with the New York Giants.
Managing became his ultimate calling card, though, especially with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Some might remember him best as Jackie Robinson’s coach; others might recall the skipper being on the wrong end of Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World.”
Vic Janowicz
Vic Janowicz always makes for a solid trivia Q & A: The great 1950 Heisman Trophy winner out of Ohio State, pursued baseball first, where he would make it to the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Although he didn’t find big-league pitching to be all that welcoming to his bat, Janowicz was a decent enough catcher to last two seasons at Forbes Field, hitting two home runs and driving in 10. At the same time, he played halfback for the Washington Redskins—he’s seen in the photograph running over a guy who would become very familiar with Pittsburgh: Chuck Noll. A brain injury suffered during a car accident cut short his career.
But, he’s the first Heisman Winner ever to play in both the MLB and NFL.
DJ Dozier
Dozier was the 14th overall pick in the 1987 NFL Draft. He played for the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions, finishing his five-year career with 691 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. The Mets scooped Dozier up via free agency in 1990, and he would make his MLB debut in 1992. He played in 25 games that season, striking out 19 times with nine hits and four runs in 47 at-bats. Like Dressen and Brian Jordan, his days on the diamond happened after his football career had ended. (Fun stat: He reached base 13 times yet stole four bases. For perspective, Mark McGwire stole 12 bases in a 16-year career.)
Dozier’s legacy is an interesting butterfly effect: He was part of the 1993 trade that brought Tony Fernandez from San Diego to the Mets. Fernandez played poorly, though, and the Mets shipped him off to Toronto…where he would be a factor in the ’93 Blue Jays winning the World Series.
Matt Kinzer
Fans of Detroit professional sports can’t forget Matt Kinzer! The “Detroit Liger” is the only man in history to play for both the Lions and the Tigers (oh my!). During the 1987 strike season, Kinzer punted for the Lions. He played in just one game, but punted seven times, averaging 34 yards per boot. Although there isn’t any footage of this fill-in bonanza, one can only imagine the sheer wonderment of Normal Matt and His Magical Leg.
Kinzer had a slightly longer baseball career, which began with the St. Louis Cardinals. He started with promise, too, not allowing a hit over his first three-plus innings. After that, it went downhill and didn’t stop tumbling until he was pulled against the White Sox in what would be his final appearance.
Chad Hutchinson
Hutchinson teeters on notorious more than he does notable, but his tale of dual-sport tribulations has its place in pop-culture/sports timelines during the sweet spot of caution-to-the-wind, big-dollar singings. Drafted 48th overall in 1998, the righty inked a $3.5 million contact…with a $2.5 million signing bonus. But he never panned out for the Cardinals. He pitched in four games and had a 24.75 ERA and two strikeouts—one of those was against pitcher Denny Neagle.
In 2002, the Dallas Cowboys signed Hutchinson to a contract that included a $3.1 million bonus, plus three years at $5 million—with a no-baseball clause. He started 15 games in the NFL (10 with Dallas, three with Chicago), going 3-13 with 11 TDs and 11 picks.
No one on this list earned more doing less than Hutchinson—$5 million of his nearly $10 million was to promise he would never play baseball again.
Brian Jordan
Brian Jordan played three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, playing in 36 games. Along with fellow two-sporter, Deion Sanders, Jordan was part of the 1991 playoff team. He ended his career with five interceptions. Following his time in the NFL, Jordan moved over to the MLB, where he would spend 15 seasons. Beginning in St. Louis and then Atlanta—with stops at Los Angeles and Texas mixed in—the talented outfielder collected 1454 career hits and had a respectable .282 batting average. He finished in the top 20 for MVP voting three times, including a high of eighth in 1996.
No MLB-NFL athlete has more hits than Jordan, nor have any of them earned as much playing baseball (over $50 million).
Deion Sanders
Sanders played in the NFL for 14 seasons, in three different decades. He played baseball for nine seasons, in three different decades. While he was part of a few Atlanta Braves teams that made it to the playoffs in the early ’90s—and he finished his career with 308 runs and 186 stolen bases—it was football that made Prime Time… Prime Time!
He was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, a six-time first team All-Pro, and he won two Super Bowls (SB XXIX and SB XXX).
No MLB-NFL athlete has earned as much on the gridiron as Sanders (close to $34 million).
Bo Jackson
Then, there’s Bo Jackson. No two-sport athlete has been more recognizable than Bo. If I say…Bo Jackson baseball, chances are, you’ll picture him running up and then across the outfield wall like a superhero. Or maybe the All-Star game home run or one of the countless bat-breaks over his knee or head.
And football? The Brian Bosworth piggyback ride, the speed-bursting scamper against the Bengals, or back to the Seahawks, where he just kept on trucking through the tunnel.
The gun-slinging post-TD celebration?
Whatever images you see, none of the others on this list have that type of awe-inducing capability (unless you’re Denny Neagle and reading this.)
