Football is the most popular North American sport, with National Football League (NFL) stars earning astronomical sums and finding themselves permanently in the spotlight. Elite-level NFL players are household names, one of the primary reasons reality television producers clamber to sign them up for their shows. NFL players often have larger-than-life personalities and attract audiences who would not ordinarily watch a reality TV program.
Over the years, dozens of NFL stars have graced reality TV shows with their presence. Some gained millions of new fans, but others hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. This article looks at five former football stars who starred on reality TV. How many do you remember?
Rob Gronkowski – The Masked Singer
Rob Gronkowski is an NFL icon. Affectionately known as “Gronk,” Gronkowski is regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time. He won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while being named to five Pro Bowls. Gronkowski’s incredible football skills influenced games and the odds offered by the best mobile betting apps and sportsbooks.
Gronkowski was no stranger to the media throughout his football career, appearing on the covers of world-famous magazines and in the video sports game Madden NFL17. He appeared in an episode of Family Guy and The Simpsons, but his memorable performances on reality TV stood out.
In 2020, Grownkowsi competed in the third season of The Masked Singer. Gronk was the “White Tiger” reaching the Super Nine on Week 8. After wowing the judges with renditions of “Ice Ice Baby,” “Good Vibrations,” and “We Will Rock You,” Gronkowski’s version of Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy” fell flat, and he was eliminated.
Reggie Bush – Keeping Up With The Kardashians
Reggie Bush is widely regarded as one of the best college football players ever. His performances for USC ultimately resulted in the New Orleans Saints selecting him second overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. Bush spent five seasons with the Saints, winning the Super Bowl in 2009, before playing for the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, and San Francisco 49ers and ending his career in 2016 with the Buffalo Bills.
Bush retired with 5,490 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns and enjoyed 3,598 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns. His undoubted skills earned Bush over $62 million during his ten-year professional career.
At the 2007 ESPY Awards, another NFL star, Matt Leinart, introduced Bush to socialite Kim Kardashian. They dated for two years, and Bush appeared in the early seasons of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. However, the demands of Bush’s football career and Kardashian’s desire to become an A-lister resulted in the pair splitting up.
Aaron Ross – The Real Housewives of Atlanta
Defensive players often do not receive the credit they deserve, with the media focusing on offensive-minded stars. However, Aaron Ross‘s performance as a cornerback earned him the coveted Jim Thorpe Award while playing for the Texas Longhorns in 2006. He then embarked on an eight-year NFL career that saw him earn $14.2 million in salaries.
The New York Giants selected Ross as the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he won the Super Bowl in 2007 and again in 2011, defeating the Patriots on both occasions. Ross spent one season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but injuries limited his playing time. He rejoined the Giants but spent most of the campaign in the treatment room. Ross signed for the Baltimore Ravens but tore his Achilles tendon in July 2014 and never fully recovered, retiring in August 2015.
Ross married four-time Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross in February 2010, and their wedding was featured on WE TV’s Platinum Weddings. In 2022, Richards-Ross became a regular on Season 14 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta and was recalled for Season 15. Ross frequently appears throughout the two seasons, although his wife’s role is more prominent.
Antonio Brown – Dancing With the Stars
NFL pundits did not hold out much hope that Antonio Brown would make it in the professional football world after he was the 195th pick in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. However, Brown became one of the best wide receivers of the 2010s, mostly playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In his second season with the Steelers, Brown became the first-ever NFL player to rack up 1,000 receiving and returning yards in a single regular season. Brown spent eight seasons in Pittsburgh before falling out with the team’s quarterback and coaching staff, leading to him joining the Oakland Raiders. Unfortunately, Brown was plagued with off-the-field controversies and never played for the Raiders.
Brown moved to the New England Patriots in 2019, playing once, then started only seven games in two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before calling time on his career.
In 2016, at the height of his career, Brown was a contestant on Season 22 of the ABC network’s Dancing with the Stars. The show paired Brown with professional dancer Sharna Burgess. Brown and Burgess navigated to the semifinals, where they were eliminated alongside Wanya Morris and his partner Lindsay Arnold.
Travis Kelce – Catching Kelce
Travis Kelce is 35, meaning his professional career is nearing its end, but he leaves behind a shining legacy. A three-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, Kelce has earned over $111 million during an illustrious football career.
Everyone knows Kelce is the partner of pop princess Taylor Swift, but that has not always been the case. In 2016, Kelce appeared as himself in a celebrity dating reality TV show entitled “Chasing Kelce.” The show pitted 50 women from 50 states, each vying to win Kelce’s heart. Maya Benberry won the show and dated Kelce from April 2016 to January 2017.
Dating shows aside, Kelce has appeared in a feature-length documentary with his brother, Jason, has made dozens of television appearances, and hosts a weekly podcast with his brother.
