|
Sport
|
|
Player
|
|
Sport Played/Experience
|
|
State
|
|
Office Held
|
|
Term
|
|
Party
|
|
Football
|
|
Colin Allred
|
|
Played for the Tennessee Titans
|
|
TX
|
|
U.S. Representative
|
|
2019–2025
|
|
Democratic
|
|
Basketball
|
|
Dave Bing
|
|
Hall of Fame shooting guard at Syracuse University and three NBA teams, including the Detroit Pistons
|
|
MI
|
|
Mayor of Detroit
|
|
2009–2013
|
|
Democratic
|
|
Ice hockey
|
|
Brandon Bochenski
|
|
Played wing for the University of North Dakota and several AHL and NHL teams
|
|
ND
|
|
Mayor of Grand Forks
|
|
2020–present
|
|
Republican
|
|
Basketball
|
|
Bill Bradley
|
|
Hall of Fame small forward at Princeton University, 1964 Olympic gold medal team, and the New York Knicks
|
|
NJ
|
|
U.S. Senator
|
|
1979–1997
|
|
Democratic
|
|
Baseball
|
|
Jim Bunning
|
|
Hall of Fame pitcher with the Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Los Angeles Dodgers
|
|
KY
|
|
U.S. Representative/U.S. Senator
|
|
1987–1999/1999-2011
|
|
Republican
|
|
Judo
|
|
Ben Nighthorse Campbell
|
|
Captain of the US team at the 1964 Summer Olympics
|
|
CO
|
|
State Representative/U.S. Representative/U.S. Senator
|
|
1983–1987/1987-1993/1993-2005
|
|
Democratic (before 1995)/Republican (1995–present)
|
|
Mixed martial arts
|
|
Sharice Davids
|
|
Fought professionally, 2013–2014
|
|
KS
|
|
U.S. Representative
|
|
2018–present
|
|
Democratic
|
|
Basketball
|
|
Raymond Flynn
|
|
Professional and collegiate men's basketball player
|
|
MA
|
|
Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives/Mayor of Boston
|
|
1971–1975 and 1975–1978/1984-1993
|
|
Democratic
|
|
Football
|
|
Gerald Ford
|
|
Center, linebacker, and long snapper for University of Michigan, 1932–1935, assistant varsity football coach for Yale University, 1935–1937, junior varsity head football coach for Yale University, 1938[1]
|
|
MI
|
|
U.S. Representative/Vice President/President
|
|
1949–1973/1973-1974/1974-1977
|
|
Republican
|
|
Football
|
|
Napoleon Harris
|
|
Collegiate and professional linebacker, played for Northwestern and four NFL teams
|
|
IL
|
|
Member of the Illinois Senate
|
|
2013–present
|
|
Democratic
|
|
Basketball
|
|
Maura Healey
|
|
Professional and collegiate women's basketball player
|
|
MA
|
|
Attorney General of Massachusetts/Governor of Massachusetts
|
|
2015–2023/2023-present
|
|
Democratic
|
|
Football
|
|
Anthony Gonzalez
|
|
Ohio State University, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots
|
|
OH
|
|
U.S. Representative
|
|
2019–2023
|
|
Republican
|
|
Professional wrestling
|
|
Glenn Jacobs
|
|
Independent circuit (1992–1995) and in WWE (1995–present), most notably as Kane. Also played football and basketball at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State University).
|
|
TN
|
|
Mayor of Knox County
|
|
2018–present
|
|
Republican
|
|
Football
|
|
Edward J. King
|
|
Guard and Defensive end for the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Colts
|
|
MA
|
|
Governor of Massachusetts
|
|
1979–1983
|
|
Democratic
|
|
Football
|
|
Fob James
|
|
All-American halfback for Auburn University, 1952–1955 and Montreal Alouettes, 1956
|
|
AL
|
|
Governor of Alabama
|
|
1979–1983/1995-1999
|
|
Democratic/Republican
|
|
Basketball
|
|
Kevin Johnson
|
|
University of California, Berkeley, 1983–1987; Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns, 1987–2000
|
|
CA
|
|
Mayor of Sacramento
|
|
2008–2016
|
|
Democratic
|
|
Football
|
|
Jack Kemp
|
|
Played quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, 1962–69
|
|
NY
|
|
U.S. Representative
|
|
1971–1989
|
|
Republican
|
|
Football
|
|
Steve Largent
|
|
Hall of Fame wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks, 1976–89
|
|
OK
|
|
U.S. Representative
|
|
1995–2003
|
|
Republican
|
|
Football
|
|
Greg Lashutka
|
|
Played college football for Ohio State, drafted into the NFL by the Buffalo Bills
|
|
OH
|
|
Mayor of Columbus
|
|
1992–2000
|
|
Republican
|
|
Basketball
|
|
Tom McMillen
|
|
Played for the University of Maryland and the Buffalo Braves, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and Washington Bullets
|
|
MD
|
|
U.S. Representative
|
|
1987–1993
|
|
Democratic
|
|
Football
|
|
Tom Osborne
|
|
Head football coach for the University of Nebraska, 1973–97; University of Nebraska athletic director, 2007–2013
|
|
NE
|
|
U.S. Representative
|
|
2001–2007
|
|
Republican
|
|
Football
|
|
Burgess Owens
|
|
Safety for the University of Miami (1970–72), New York Jets (1973–79), and Oakland Raiders (1980–82)
|
|
UT
|
|
U.S. Representative
|
|
2021–present
|
|
Republican
|
|
Football
|
|
Alan Page
|
|
Played for University of Notre Dame and the Minnesota Vikings
|
|
MN
|
|
Associate Justice of the State Supreme Court
|
|
1993–2015
|
|
Independent
|
|
Football
|
|
Jon Runyan Sr.
|
|
Offensive tackle for University of Michigan, and in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans (1996–99), Philadelphia Eagles (2000–08), and San Diego Chargers (2009)
|
|
NJ
|
|
U.S. Representative
|
|
2011–2015
|
|
Republican
|
|
Running
|
|
Jim Ryun
|
|
The last American to hold the world record in the mile run, competitor in the 1964, 1968, and 1972 Summer Olympics, first high schooler to break the four-minute mile
|
|
KS
|
|
U.S. Representative
|
|
1996–2007
|
|
Republican
|
|
Football
|
|
Jim Schwantz
|
|
Linebacker for Purdue University, and in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, and San Francisco 49ers
|
|
IL
|
|
Mayor of Palatine
|
|
2009–present
|
|
Independent
|
|
Bodybuilding
|
|
Arnold Schwarzenegger
|
|
Mr. Olympia from 1970 to 1973
|
|
CA
|
|
Governor
|
|
2003–2011
|
|
Republican
|
|
Football
|
|
Heath Shuler
|
|
Played for the University of Tennessee and the New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders
|
|
NC
|
|
U.S. Representative
|
|
2007–2013
|
|
Democratic
|
|
Football
|
|
Robert R. Thomas
|
|
NFL kicker
|
|
IL
|
|
Judge of the circuit court of DuPage County/Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court/Chief Justice of Illinois Supreme Court
|
|
1988–1994/2000-2020/2005-2008
|
|
Republican
|
|
Football
|
|
Jim Tressel
|
|
Played for Baldwin Wallace University; assistant coach at University of Akron, Miami University, Syracuse University, and the Ohio State University; head coach at Youngstown State University and the Ohio State University
|
|
OH
|
|
Lieutenant Governor of Ohio
|
|
2025–present
|
|
Republican
|
|
Football
|
|
Tommy Tuberville
|
|
Played for Southern Arkansas University; assistant coach at Arkansas State University, the University of Miami, and Texas A&M University; head coach at the University of Mississippi, Auburn University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Cincinnati
|
|
AL
|
|
U.S. Senator
|
|
2021–present
|
|
Republican
|
|
Professional wrestling
|
|
Jesse Ventura
|
|
American Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Federation
|
|
MN
|
|
Mayor of Brooklyn Park/Governor of Minnesota
|
|
1991–1995/1999-2003
|
|
Independence
|
|
Football
|
|
J. C. Watts
|
|
Played for University of Oklahoma and the Ottawa Rough Riders
|
|
OK
|
|
U.S. Representative
|
|
1995–2003
|
|
Republican
|
|
Baseball
|
|
Frank White
|
|
World Series champion who played for the Kansas City Royals for 18 years.
|
|
MO
|
|
Member of the Jackson County Legislature/Executive of Jackson County
|
|
2014–2016/2016-2025
|
|
Democratic
|
|
Football
|
|
Dwayne Woodruff
|
|
Cornerback with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1979–1990)
|
|
PA
|
|
Judge of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
|
|
2005–present
|
|
Independent
|
