The Philadelphia Eagles will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday at the 57th Super Bowl to see who will hoist the infamous Lombardi Trophy.
Related: Track Speed on the Gridiron: Current NFL Players who Competed in Track & Field
Both the Chiefs and the Eagles feature two of the fastest athletes in the NFL on their rosters, who either previously or currently showcased their speed on the track and in the field. The Eagles also feature a quarterback who excelled in the field events.
Mecole Hardman of the Kansas City Chiefs was a member of the University of Georgia’s track and field team as a member of the 4×100 relay team for two seasons. For the Eagles, Devon Allen has made his name on the track since his days as a member of the Oregon Ducks track and field team. The speedy receiver still competes as a professional track athlete, and has the third fastest time in history in the 110 hurdles. Quarterback Jalen Hurts for the Eagles was a district champion in his home state of Texas, throwing the shot put back in high school.
That leads to the question, which NFL athletes were also successful on the track? Here are some notable names who stand out.
“Bullet” Bob Hayes
Hayes was one of the most electrifying forces to ever play the game of football, and was an ace on the track as well. The NFL and Track and Field Hall of Famer set the world record in the 100m in 1964 with his personal best time of 10.06. Most notably, he was a part of the world record 4×100 relay team who won in thrilling fashion at the 1964 Olympics. Hayes ran the anchor leg, and took his team from fifth place to first, setting the world record at the time in the relay (39.00). For the past 58 years, the Bob Hayes Invitational has been held in honor of the sprinter.
On the gridiron, Hayes was a speedy receiver who wreaked havoc on opposing defenses. He played for the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers during his career. The Bullet won a Super Bowl with the Cowboys, and he finished his career with 7,414 yards and 71 touchdowns. He played college football for Florida A&M and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
Bob Hayes is the only person to win both an Olympic Gold Medal and a Super Bowl ring.
Willie Gault
Gault was a beast on the track in addition to the football field. He attended the University of Tennessee, where he played both football and ran track. During his collegiate years on the track, he was an 11-time All American for the Vols. He was a member of the 1983 USATF World Championship team in Helsinki, and won a bronze medal in the 200m. Gault was also a member of the 4×100 team that broke the world record in the event in Helsinki. He holds multiple world records for the Masters age group, including his most recent record in the Master’s 100m in 2011 with a time of 10.88.
On the field, Gault achieved great success in his 11 year career in the NFL. He recorded 6635 yards receiving, scoring 44 touchdowns. He also tallied 1088 yards in the kickoff return game, scoring one touchdown. He was a member of the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears team that won the Super Bowl.
Ed Reed
Many people recognize Reed as arguably the best safety to ever play the game of football, but he was also a standout performer on the track and in the field. Reed competed for the University of Miami’s track and field team in addition to the Hurricanes football team. He won the Big East Championship in the javelin in 1999, and he also competed in the long jump.
On the football field, Reed established himself as one of the best safeties to ever play the game of football. A member of the Baltimore Ravens for a majority of his career, Reed patrolled the Ravens’ defense, recording 61 interceptions, with 7 of his interceptions being returned for touchdowns. He won the Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, and was a key member of the Ravens’ Super Bowl run in 2012. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
Marquise Goodwin
Marquise Goodwin is one of the most athletic athletes in the NFL. To those who’ve seen him compete in the long jump, his athleticism is no surprise. Goodwin dominated the collegiate scene at the University of Texas, winning two outdoor national titles in the long jump while competing for the Longhorns. He also won two USATF outdoor titles in the event, and qualified for the London Olympics in 2012. His personal best in the event is 8.33m.
On the football field, Goodwin has proven in his nine-year career to be a steady force as a deep threat receiver. He’s played for the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears, and he’s tallied 2837 total yards and 17 touchdowns. He’s scored five rushing touchdowns as well.
Renaldo Nehemiah
Nehemiah was one of the greatest 110 hurdlers to ever grace the track, having recorded three world records during his time as a hurdler, and has a lifetime best of 12.93 in the event. He attended the University of Maryland, where he won three national titles during his time at the University. He was unable to compete at the 1980 Olympic Games due to the U.S. boycott of the Olympic Games.
On the field, Nehemiah played for the San Francisco 49ers in his three year NFL career. He finished with 754 yards and four touchdowns, and was a member of the 1984 Super Bowl team for San Francisco.
Nehemiah remains connected to the track as one of the sport’s top agents, representing some of the most notable sprinters in the game, including Justin Gatlin, who’s now retired, and Sha’Carri Richardson.
Ollie Matson
A dynamic powerback who doubled as a track and field athlete? That was Ollie Matson. The running back held off on signing with the then Chicago Cardinals in order to compete in the 1952 Olympic Games. At those games, he ran 46.8 to snag a bronze medal in the 400m. He was also a member of the 4x400m relay squad that won the silver medal at the games in Finland.
On the field, Matson used his speed and strength to punish opponents. In his 14 year career, he ran for 5,173 yards and scored 40 touchdowns, recorded 3285 receiving yards, scoring 23 touchdowns, while also recording 3746 yards in the return game for 6 touchdowns. He was a five-time All-NFL selection during his career. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972.
James Jett
His name fits his skillset. Jett enjoyed success in the NFL, as well as on the track. He was a 100m and 200m runner on the track, and he finished as the runner-up in the 100m and the 200m competing for West Virginia at the NCAA Outdoor National Championships. He finished 5th at the Olympic Trials in the 100m, and was a member of the 1992 Olympic 4×100 relay team that won the gold medal in Barcelona.
On the field, Jett was a matchup nightmare during his time as a member of the Oakland Raiders. He made the PFWA All-Rookie Team after recording 771 yards receiving. He finished his 10 year career, all with the Raiders, with 4420 yards receiving and 30 touchdowns.
Johnny Lam Jones
The speedster from Texas made a huge mark on the track before his NFL career. He was a high school prep star in the sport of track and field in the state of Texas. When he was just 18-years-old, Jones made the 1976 Olympic Team in Montreal, where he was a member of the 4×100 relay squad that won the gold medal. He was an All-American during his track and field career at Texas.
On the field, he was an All-Conference performer during his time at the University of Texas. He was drafted No. 2 overall by the New York Jets in the 1980 NFL Draft, and he spent his five seasons in the league with the Jets. He finished his career with 2322 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns.
James Trapp
Trapp took the track and field world by storm in the late 80’s and early 90’s. During his time competing for Clemson, he was a 14-time ACC Champion and a 10-time All-American as a sprinter, and won the 200m indoor national title in 1992. In 1993, he won the IAAF (now World Athletics) Indoor World Championship in the 200m. He was also a member of the 1992 Olympic team as an alternate for the 4×100 relay.
On the field, Trapp was drafted in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. In addition to playing for the Raiders, he was also a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, as well as the Baltimore Ravens, where he won a Super Bowl with the team in 2001. He recorded 324 tackles and intercepted nine passes in his 10 year career.
Other notable athletes include, but are not limited to: Michael Carter, Sam Graddy, Michael Bates, Marvin Bracy-Williams, Raghib “Rocket” Ismail, Eric Metcalf, Allen Rossum, Kendall Sheffield, Michael Timpson and John Capel.
Comment below to tell us about other notable multi-sport athletes who also made a name for themselves on the track.
Danny Peebles , Nyheim Hines , Alvis Whitted all former NC St stand outs . Plus Darrell Green , Ron Brown