The 15 Most Successful Multi-Sport Athletes of All-Time

Jim-Thorpe

While playing a second sport and actually excelling in it is difficult, sometimes there are people out there who are just given such god-given talent that they can do it quite easily. And just as I’ve pointed out some athletes who failed at trying to be two-sport stars, here are 15 players who were able to do it to perfection, as they’re the most successful multi-sport athletes of all-time.

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Danny-Ainge

15. Danny Ainge

Best known, these days, as the general manager of the Boston Celtics, Danny Ainge isn’t just your typical sit-at-the-desk kind of paper pusher. That’s because Ainge is a former Wooden Award winner while at BYU, a two-time NBA champ and played three seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays in the MLB from 1979-’81, showing he had some serious athleticism.

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Herschel-Walker

14. Herschel Walker

An absolute freak of nature, Herschel Walker is an all-around athlete who has proven to do it all. In peak condition and explosive as anyone who has ever played football, Walker won the 1982 Heisman Trophy while at Georgia, is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, competed in the 1992 Winter Olympics in the two-man bobsled and has had an MMA career in the past few years. Makes you feel really good about yourself, doesn’t he?

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Tony-Gonzalez

13. Tony Gonzalez

The greatest tight end in NFL history and a surefire Hall of Famer when he’s eligible, the only thing that Tony Gonzalez didn’t accomplish during his playing days was winning a Super Bowl. Prior to playing all those years and breaking all of those records in the NFL, though, Gonzalez played on the Cal Bears basketball team, showing he had strength and soft hands grabbing rebounds as if he were catching footballs.

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Todd-Helton

12. Todd Helton

He put together a, potential, Hall of Famer career in the MLB after playing for the Colorado Rockies for all those years, but before his baseball days, Todd Helton was a quarterback for the University of Tennessee Volunteers. Starting ahead of some guy named Peyton Manning in 1994, Helton’s injury opened the door for Manning to move into the starter’s role for good.

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Antonio-Gates

11. Antonio Gates

One of my favorite players growing up because he went to nearby Kent State, San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates has turned himself into quite the football player. A borderline Hall of Famer, many might remember him for the way he lead his college hoops team to the Elite Eight in the 2002 NCAA tourney, becoming a household name before turning in a superb NFL career.

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Brian-Jordan

10. Brian Jordan

Playing for 15 seasons in the MLB, Brian Jordan made an All-Star Game as an outfielder, as well as playing safety for three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons prior to his big-league career. That’s pretty impressive to completely give up on one sport and dedicate—and excel—at another. Just ask another guy with the same last name who wasn’t able to do it successfully.

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Jeff-Samardzija

9. Jeff Samardzija

An All-American and winner of the Biltenikoff Award for the nation’s top wide receiver at Notre Dame, Jeff Samardzija might have actually been better at football than he was at baseball while back in college. Unfortunately, for all those NFL teams looking for a dominant wideout, Samardzija chose the route of baseball, becoming a pitcher and an All-Star in 2014 before signing a big-time contract with the Chicago White Sox this offseason.

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Dave-Winfield

8. Dave Winfield

While he made his name as an MLB player, making it into Cooperstown after a 22-year career, Dave Winfield helped lead the Minnesota Golden Gophers to the 1972 Big Ten title as a member of the hoops team. Don’t forget that Winfield was also the only guy to be drafted in four different sports—twice in pro hoops when the ABA was still existent, the MLB and the NFL, even though he never played football.

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Jackie-Robinson

7. Jackie Robinson

Everyone knows that Jackie Robinson was the first African American big-leaguer, breaking the color barrier in MLB back in 1947, but did you know he was more than just a renaissance man? That’s because he also won the 1940 NCAA outdoor long jump title while in college at the UCLA, showing that he had some serious resolve and athletic prowess.

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Deion-Sanders

6. Deion Sanders

A member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame, Deion Sanders had the game to go with all of the flash that he put on display on the side. A two-time Super Bowl champ, Neon Deion is the only guy to have played in a MLB game and an NFL game in the same day.

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bo-jackson

5. Bo Jackson

Bo knows how to play two sports. A freakish athlete who had the speed of a cheetah and the strength of an elephant, Jackson won the 1985 Heisman while with the Auburn Tigers and, eventually, went on to play in a Pro Bowl with the L.A. Raiders and an MLB All-Star Game with the Kansas City Royals. All-around great athlete who could do it all.

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Charlie-Ward

4. Charlie Ward

Some may not have put former Florida State Seminoles quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward this high on their list, but after a long NBA career with the New York Knicks—in which he won the Eastern Conference with in 1999—he deserves this spot. Of course, that’s added to the prestige he received from winning the bronze statue while in college.

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Bob-Hayes

3. Bob Hayes

A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, former Dallas Cowboys player Bob Hayes proved that he was more than just a speedster. Although, he was pretty good at that, too, as he earned the nickname of “Bullet Bob” after winning the gold medal in the 100 meter and 4×100 meter at the 1964 Olympics, earning the title as the fastest man in the world.

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Jim-brown

2. Jim Brown

You can call whomever you want to the best running back in the history of football, but I’m going to give Jim Brown my vote. More than just playing for my hometown Cleveland Browns, Brown was a freak, leading the league in rushing in eight of his nine pro seasons. Oh, and he also lettered in lacrosse while at Syracuse, too, finding himself in the Hall of Fame in that sport.

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Jim-Thorpe-hurdles

1. Jim Thorpe

Arguably the best athlete to ever play a sport, Jim Thorpe was more than just a great football player—with the Thorpe Award going to the defensive back of the year—but he also one a gold medal in both the pentathlon and decathlon in the 1912 Summer Olympics.

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Written by Nick Dimengo

Graduate of the University of Kentucky. Cleveland sports fan. Frustrated respecter of LeBron James. Influencer of bad ideas. In addition to Worthly/Housely, I'm a regular contributor to Bleacher Report, Scout, Esquire and Maxim, and run or bike way too much for my own good when not writing. The day a Cleveland sports team wins a title is the day I can officially say my life is complete.