MLB And NFL Players

Filed in archive NFL on March 31, 2008

© ConspiracyofHappiness

Baseball season begins today (okay, it started last week in Japan, but that doesn't really count), and for many football fans, it is a way to fill the summer months until college and NFL action begin again. With that, here's a look at some players who were talented enough to excel at both sports.

- Jim Thorpe: Thorpe, one of America's greatest athletes ever, played baseball from 1913 to 1919, from ages 26-32, mostly for the New York Giants. He didn't play much, and only had a .252 career batting average. From ages 32-40, Thorpe played pro football. He played for the Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, Oorang Indians, Rock Island Independents, New York Giants and Chicago Cardinals. He also coached his team four of those years, and is enshrined in Canton.

- Bo Jackson: Everyone knows Bo. Jackson played for three MLB teams in the 1980's and '90's. He was an All-Star once and hit 141 home runs while stealing 82 bases during his career. Bo's football career was shorter, as he suffered the hip injury that would eventually lead to his retirement. Jackson was a two time All-Pro despite never rushing for 1,000 yards or scoring more than 5 touchdowns. He did, however, average a ridiculous 5.4 yards per carry for his career.

- Deion Sanders: Sanders was probably a better baseball player than some gave him credit for. He was a career .263 hitter who swiped 186 bases in his 9-year career. Obviously, Sanders was more famous for his days in the NFL. He was an 8-time Pro Bowler an All-Pro 9 times. He had 53 career interceptions and scored 23 total TD's via INT, reception, or kick/punt return.

- Brian Jordan: Jordan had a much longer baseball career than football career, as he spent 15 seasons in the majors, as opposed to just 3 seasons in the NFL. Jordan was a career .282 hitter who nailed 184 home runs and stole 119 bases. On the football field, Jordan started for the Atlanta Falcons at strong safety for two seasons, and his best season was 1991, when he had 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 safeties and a fumble recovery.