NFL players that competed in track and field

bob hayes, renaldo nehemiah, o.j. simpson, cliff branch, russ francis (javelin) jeff demps etc. i would think most nfl players who are running backs, wide recievers, safeties, cornerbacks etc, were sprinters at least in high school and a lot of linemen were throwers at least at the high school level.

Art Monk, White Plains High School

Michael Timpson, wide receiver for the Patriots and Bears, owns many Penn State records in the sprints and hurdles. I believe if he had concentrated on it, he had Olympic potential in the 400 intermediate hurdles.

Vince Wilfork, current nose tackle for the Patriots, was the Florida state champion in the shotput; he's surprisingly nimble. He holds the state record according to his bio (68 feet).

Terry Bradshaw, as many have mentioned on this board, was one of the best javelineers in the country when he was in high school.

Many NFL players competed at the high school level..several studs at the college level..not yet mentioned Rocket Ismail, Michael Bennet, Robert Smith, ..I believe Harvey Glance played some too.

Michael Carter, HSR holder in the shot (81+ ft?).

Thomas and Julius Jones were both state champs in the hurdles.

Julius set both state records, and was #11 in the country that year in 110's, after only having run the race in two meets that season-district and state, against no competition.

Both were mid-40's triple jumpers

Devin Hester (Chicago Bears)did LJ while at U of Miami, Back a few years but Jay Novacek (Dallas Cowboys) did Decathlons while at U of Wyoming. Of course James Jett (O. Raiders many time All -American while at W.V.)

Rashard Mendenhall (RB for U of I and the Steelers) was an all-stater in track at Niles West high school.

Darrell Green- 10.13 100m

Santana Moss- Big East Record champion in 60m and long or triple jump.

Ron Brown and Michael Bates were Olympic medalists and in the NFL

Hurdlers Willie Gault, Earl McCulloch. and Richmond Flowers were NFL stars

I think they biggest one in trying to convince them is Jeff Demps. Hopefully they've heard of him before since he was one of the better players on the National Championship team and qualified for the Olympic Trials while in high school. I remember reading not too long ago in an article that he credited his speed on the football field to running track. I couldn't seem to find the article when I just looked but i'll keep looking. I think they'll relate much more to a person closer in age who is a very successful football player while still running track.

Jeff Demps might be yr best selling point for a HS player; he got game time for NCAA champ Florida as a freshman.

The Rod Woodson who was the DB for the Steelers in the 90s was an All-America hurdler at Purdue. (There was another Rod Woodson, the Heisman winner at Michigan, not sure he did track)

Eric Metcalf who was All-Pro with Cleveland in the 1990s was a national champion long jumper.

Willie Gault is an older-timer but he loved T&F so much that while he was in the NFL he'd enter open meets in the LA area under assumed names (many NFL contracts prohibit other sports in the off season)

calirunner wrote:

Hey all, I am the head track and field coach at a high school in California, and I'm trying to recruit some of the football players. Unfortunately, I'm having a tough time trying to convince them that track will actually improve their performance in football, regardless of the position. It will make them a better overall athlete. I know there are a lot of NFL players that were studs in track and field, but I can only think of a couple (ie Reggie Bush in high school). Can anyone help with some names of guys that competes in track and are now in the NFL? Any PRs also help. Thanks!

It would be nice if my son's high school football coaches would allow the football players to do spring track. But, he stopped allowing them a few years ago. They have to do 'football specific' training in the spring. It really hurt our sprint relay teams.

I hear this is not unusual now, as more and more hs coaches want their athletes focused on a single sport.

Tim Dwight

Jonathan Ogden

Deon Sanders and FSU. Sam Graddy - Tennessee - Was on the 4x100 at LA Olympics and set a world record.

PS - When did Jeffery Demps jump to the NFL???? Oh, he didn't yet.

8-time Pro Bowler Paul Warfield was a world-ranked long jumper while at Ohio State.

James Jett

Alvis Whitted

Ollie Matson

Willie Gault

OJ Simpson

James Lofton

Eric Metcalf

Ray Norton

Frank Budd

Buddy Young

Homer Jones

Clarence Childs

Butch Woolfolk

Charles Frazier

Ken Burrough

Wesley Walker

Bob Boyd

Lenny Lyles

Earl McCullouch

Bob Hayes

Tommie Smith

Jimmy Hines

Henry Carr

Richmond Flowers

Bo Roberson

Cyril Pinder

Mel Renfro

Terry Metcalf

Cecil Turner

Johnny Jones

Travis Hannah

Terry McDaneil

Michael Bennett

Robert Smith

Curtis Conway

Rocket Ismail

Bo Jackson

Herschel Walker

Travis Williams

JD Hill

Alexander Wright

Anthony Miller

Michael Haynes

Curtis Conway

Phil Epps

Cliff Branch

Herkie Walls

Tony Jones

Reyna Thompson

Johnny Hector

Bobby Mitchell

Sam Graddy

Mike Miller

Ron Brown

Latin Berry

Paul Warfield

Rod Jones

Dokie Wiliams

Darin Nelson

Michael Timpson

James Trapp

Eddie Kennison

Sammie Parker

Deion Sanders

Terrence Newman

James Owens

Renaldo Nehemiah

James McAlister

Rod Barksdale

Micheal Bates

Vance Johnson

John Roderick

Stone Johnson

Larry Burton

Tim Dwight

Len Willis

Chris Sanders

Jerome Mathis

Stanford Routt

Jermaine Lewis

Warrick Dunn

Gerald Tinker

Willie McGee

Pat Johnson

Russell Carter

Johnny Thomas

JJ Birden

Bennie Brazille

Paul Robinson

Nolan Cromwell

Fair Hooker

Steve Odom

Terdell Middleton

Champ Bailey

Quadry Ismail

Isacc Curtis

Mel Gray

Bennie McRae

Gene Washington

Tyrone Wheatley

Kareem Kelly

Former Packer quarterback Don Majkowski was a 7 foot high jumper.

Algae Crumpler was a field events athlete at UNC the entire time he was there, what a class act that guy is...