14 Athlete Performances In Movies That Deserve A Spot In The Hall Of Fame

Bob Uecker was a catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers and three other MLB teams. Uecker’s pro career isn’t packed with MVP awards or impressive stats; however, he more than earned the moniker Mr. Baseball with his impressive career as a broadcaster. Uecker served as the play-by-play announcer for the Brewers starting in 1971, and he was associated with the team up until his death in January 2025. Uecker went on to have a nice career on the small screen playing George in the television series Mr. Belvedere, which ran for six seasons. He also hosted Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports and Bob Uecker's War of the Stars. However, most movie fans know him for his hilarious role as Harry Doyle in the 1989 sports comedy Major League and its two (less well-regarded) sequels. His line, “juuuuuuust a bit outside” to describe a pitch a mile from the strike zone has become ubiquitous. The sometimes intoxicated Doyle delivers his rich and sarcastic play-by-play dialogue with the precision of a professional comic.

Carl Weathers’s professional sports career as a linebacker with the Oakland Raiders lasted just eight games in the early 1970s. However, his film and movie career lasted for decades. Weathers appeared in the Rocky franchise, Predator, Happy Gilmore, and Arrested Development. He even earned an Emmy nod for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama for his performance as Greef Karga in The Mandalorian. Weathers's energetic, bombastic, confident performance as Apollo Creed in Rocky IV is probably the actor's best role. At the beginning of the film, Creed comes out of retirement to fight Russian boxer Ivan Drago - a much bigger, stronger, and younger opponent. It's only an exhibition match but Creed treats it as a Cold War battle. The match takes place in Las Vegas, and Creed puts his patriotism on full display with an over-the-top ring entrance to James Brown singing “Living in America." The consequences are fatal for Creed. His sudden death forces Rocky to fight Drago.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar played in the NBA for 20 seasons. He was a six-time MVP, won six championships, and is considered one of the greatest players ever. The center plays co-pilot Roger Murdock in the 1980 hit parody Airplane! It isn’t a huge role, but Abdul-Jabbar perfectly handles the part of a pilot pretending to not be an NBA great, even though everyone can easily recognize him (the pilot outfit doesn’t cover up the fact he’s 7' 2") The famous scene when young Joey visits the cockpit to meet the pilots is one of the funniest bits in a movie filled with laugh-out-loud lines: Joey: Wait a minute. I know you. You're Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. You play basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers. Roger Murdock: I'm sorry, son, but you must have me confused with someone else. My name is Roger Murdock. I'm the co-pilot. Joey: You are Kareem! I've seen you play. My dad's got season tickets. Roger Murdock: I think you should go back to your seat now, Joey. Right, Clarence? Captain Oveur: Nahhhhhh, he's not bothering anyone. Let him stay here. Roger Murdock: Alright, but just remember, my name is… [showing his nametag] ROGER MURDOCK. I'm an airline pilot. Joey: I think you're the greatest, but my dad says you don't work hard enough on defense. [Kareem gets angry] Joey: And he says that lots of times, you don't even run down court. And that you don't really try... except during the playoffs. Roger Murdock: [breaking character] The hell I don't! LISTEN, KID! I've been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA. I'm out there busting my buns every night! Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes!

Jim Brown played fullback for the Cleveland Browns for nine seasons. He is considered one of the greatest running backs in NFL history. He won three MVP awards and an NFL championship in 1964. Brown was also incredibly charismatic. In 1966, he decided to abruptly retire in his prime at the age of 29 to pursue acting. Brown’s filmography is packed with almost 60 acting credits. He co-starred in several B movies and Blaxploitation films. A few of his films include Black Gunn, The Running Man, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, He Got Game, and Any Given Sunday. It’s difficult to pick his best role. However, his second film, 1967’s The Dirty Dozen, can’t be ignored. The violent action war drama features a group of 12 death row inmates sent on a mission to kill German officers during WWII. Brown played Robert Jefferson, one of the inmates, who ruled the unruly crew with confidence and strength. The Dirty Dozen announced to the world that Brown was a legitimate actor, not just a football player.

Terry Crews played linebacker and defensive end in the NFL for five teams from 1991-1996. He never became a big star player, but he went on to have an impressive career in TV and movies. When Crews retired from football in 1997, he headed to Tinsel Town to pursue a new career in acting. In 1999, he scored his breakout role as T-Money in the extreme sports show Battle Dome. Not every wanna-be actor has that elusive “it factor,” but the gregarious Crews is immensely likable and oozes star power. Crews makes memorable appearances in several big-time movie comedies, including Friday After Next, White Chicks, Soul Plane, The Longest Yard, and Idiocracy. Crews also co-stars on the hit sitcoms Everybody Hates Chris and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Crews has had such a prolific career in film that it’s hard to pick just one great role. However, his scene-stealing performance in 2014’s Blended upstages movie stars Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. In the rom-com, Crews plays Nickens, a way-over-the-top singer and dancer who entertains guests at a high-end resort in Africa. Nickens is lewd, jovial, and downright hilarious. He’s the comic relief that Blended needs and the best part of the movie.

Dwayne Johnson, AKA the Rock, was a professional wrestler for the WWF/WWE. He is considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers ever. Perhaps no athlete turned actor has had a more successful movie career than Johnson. His films have grossed billions worldwide. In 2022, he was the highest-paid actor in Hollywood and earned around $20 million per picture. Johnson may not have any Academy Awards on his shelf, but he has a likability factor that makes him the perfect movie hero. With just a quirk of his eyebrow and a bright smile, he can win over any audience member. The actor has co-starred in several standalone and franchise movies, including six installments of Fast & Furious, Central Intelligence, The Rundown, and two Jumanji films. But what’s the actor’s best role? His first Fast & Furious film came in 2011’s Fast Five when the world was introduced to his character Luke Hobbs. Hobbs's job in Fast Five is to arrest Brian and Dom’s crew after they are framed for the death of three DEA agents. Eventually, Hobbs switches sides. Prior to Fast Five, the franchise had arguably become stale. Johnson’s high-octane persona pumped much-needed energy into the franchise, which has grown to a dozen movies and is still going strong.

Terry Bradshaw played quarterback for 14 seasons in the NFL all with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He won four Superbowls in six years. After retiring from football, Bradshaw stayed busy as a co-host on Fox NFL Sunday and even released several country music albums. Bradshaw got a taste of Hollywood in several different TV shows and films, often doing a cameo performance as himself. However, he stepped up his acting game in the 2006 romantic comedy Failure to Launch. In the movie, Bradshaw plays Al, the father to Matthew McConaughey’s Tripp. Tripp is a 35-year-old man who refuses to move out of his parent’s house. Kathy Bates plays Al’s wife in the film. Failure to Launch didn’t earn rave reviews, but Bradshaw uses his natural charisma in a winning performance as a loving but frustrated father. It's also notable that Bradshaw was game to do a nude scene for the sake of trying to score comedy gold. The scene is the most memorable in an otherwise forgettable rom-com. During an interview on Julian Edelman’s podcast, Bradshaw said that the film’s director Tom Dey asked if he wanted to go totally nude or wear boxers. As he explained: This was my last movie. I decided to go out with a bang! Nobody would expect me to get naked. I got a good image. I'm a wholesome guy. I just dropped my drawers.

Michael Jordan played in the NBA for 15 seasons and won six championships with the Chicago Bulls. He changed the game of basketball and excited fans from all over the world who had previously never heard of the NBA. He is widely considered the best player ever. The GOAT starred in the 1996 part live-action part-animated sports comedy Space Jam. Jordan plays a fictionalized version of himself and more than holds his own in the family comedy. Jordan mostly acts opposite a green screen in the movie. However, he manages to make his performance alongside the likes of famous cartoon characters like Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and Bugs Bunny completely engaging. Jordan also doesn't mind making himself the butt of some of the jokes.

Ray Allen played in the NBA for 18 seasons and was one of the best three-point shooters in the history of the game. The former shooting guard made his acting debut at 22 years old in Spike Lee's 1998 sports drama He Got Game. Despite being green, Allen had no problem keeping up with Denzel Washington, who played his character’s father Jake, a convicted felon. Allen’s Jesus Shuttlesworth is at a crossroads and must decide whether to go to college or enter the NBA draft. Allen shines as a young man with father issues trying to make the biggest decision in his life. The scene at the end of the movie when Jesus and Jake play one on one to decide the player’s fate is one of the most engaging scenes in Lee’s canon. Allen goes head to head with a two-time Oscar winner and comes out on an even playing field.

Lawrence Taylor played linebacker for the NFL's New York Giants for 13 seasons. Taylor is considered one of the greatest defensive players ever and won two Super Bowl Championships. Taylor got a taste of Hollywood by appearing in the films The Waterboy, Mercy Streets, and In Hell. However, his standout performance came in Oliver Stone’s 1999 sports drama Any Given Sunday. In the film, Taylor plays Luther “Shark” Lavay, an aging middle linebacker with an addiction issue. The character mirrors Taylor in several ways, from his off-field issues to his game-changing ability on the gridiron. Taylor was in a mandated drug rehab center when Stone beckoned him to audition for the role. “He’s a complicated man, but I really liked him,” said Stone. While many athletes-turned-actors appear in comedic roles, Taylor needed serious dramatic chops to play a character who is one hit away from being permanently disabled or even killed. Any Given Sunday features an ensemble cast with dozens of characters; however, Taylor's emotionally charged performance is one of the most memorable, even alongside Hollywood veterans like Al Pacino and Jamie Foxx.

Juan Hernangómez is a Spanish basketball player who played in the NBA for seven seasons. He made his acting debut as construction worker/street basketball player Bo Cruz in the 2022 Netflix movie Hustle. The sports drama stars Adam Sandler in one of the more serious roles in his career. Hernangómez is so good in Hustle that the average spectator will be left wondering if the power forward is a professional actor. He’s not; as of 2024, Hustle is his only acting credit. Sandler and Hernangómez have excellent chemistry as Sandler’s scout-turned-coach character tries to get the Spanish street player ready to try out for the NBA. Hernangómez impressed Sandler with his natural acting ability. Sandler said: [He] auditioned, just for fun. The guy happened to be this incredible actor. He was just so natural. I knew Juancho a little bit from the [Denver] Nuggets and the [Minnesota] Timberwolves, and I thought, ‘that guy is smooth with a great shot.’ When a guy is an NBA player, he will be able to do anything. I knew there was a lot of dribbling stuff to do [in the film] and that Juancho would be incredible. He was incredible], and everybody in [the film] could play for real.

Kevin Garnett played in the NBA for 21 seasons. He won one championship, the MVP award in 2004, and is in the conversation as one of the greatest power forwards ever. Garnett plays a fictionalized version of himself in the 2019 Safdie Brothers gambling drama Uncut Gems. It's the player’s first big screen role; however, he is so natural in the film that he looks like a pro. In fact, if a viewer doesn't know that Garnett is a former NBA player, they may think he's been acting his whole life. The Safdie Brothers are die-hard New York Knicks fans, and at first, did not want any part of Garnett in their movie. However, they changed their mind when they met the former all-star. Josh Safdie talked about how impressed he was with Garnett: When we met him in person it was just like, ‘His personality comes out of every part of his body. He’s incredible. He tells stories in a way that’s so engaging. And it’s so three-dimensional in a weird way. He’ll set up where everybody was sitting, what was happening. Then he shifts the stories based on who’s paying attention. He’ll give it a shape. It’s like, ‘OK, this guy can act. That’s acting.’

Shaquille O’Neal played for six teams over 19 years in the NBA. He has four championship rings and is considered one of the greatest centers ever. Shaq has diversified his career portfolio outside of basketball. He’s released four rap albums, is a sports analyst on Inside the NBA, has appeared on a few of his own reality shows, and starred in several movies and TV shows. His biggest film role came in 1996’s musical fantasy comedy Kazaam. In the family film, Shaq plays a 5,000-year-old rapping genie who pops out of a boombox to grant a 14-year-old boy three wishes. Kazaam didn’t do well critically or at the box office. However, O’Neal’s easy charm oozes from the big screen. Kazaam is a movie for kids, not critics. Shaq won’t win any awards for his turn as a genie, but there is enough '90s nostalgia and Shaq-charisma to entertain any young person with a penchant for magical realism.

LeBron James is, at the very least, in the conversation as the greatest NBA player. King James has four NBA championships and is the all-time leading scorer in the league’s history. He can also act. James made his big screen debut in Judd Apatow’s 2015 raunchy romantic comedy Trainwreck. He plays himself in a supporting role opposite Amy Schumer and Bill Hader, and more than holds his own alongside the comedians. James is a natural presence in the film; he does not look like he’s acting. The power forward is game to take himself down a notch despite his real-life superstar status. His character desperately wants his bestie Aaron (Hader) to be happy in love. James is funny and affable in what is a winning role.