8 Big Four athletes who played in multiple professional sports leagues

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A few exceptional athletes have managed to compete in multiple professional sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL - often referred to as the 'Big Four' leagues in the US. These athletes had incredible talent and work ethic that allowed them to excel in more than one sport, even sometimes playing two sports concurrently. The article profiles 8 of these multi-sport stars, including Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, Bob Hayes, Jim Thorpe, Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, and Michael Jordan.

Why it matters

Becoming a professional athlete in even one major league is incredibly difficult, as it requires years of intense training and dedication to master a single sport. The ability of these athletes to compete at the highest levels in multiple professional leagues showcases their exceptional athletic abilities and proves that it is possible, though extremely rare, for someone to excel in more than one sport.

The details

The article profiles 8 athletes who played in multiple 'Big Four' professional sports leagues in the US - the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. Some, like Kyler Murray and Jameis Winston, balanced football and baseball in college before focusing on one sport professionally. Others, like Russell Wilson and Bo Jackson, played both football and baseball professionally. A few, like Jim Thorpe and Deion Sanders, achieved stardom in both football and baseball during their careers. And Michael Jordan famously took a break from the NBA to play minor league baseball before returning to the Chicago Bulls and winning more championships.

• In 2018, Kyler Murray was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the MLB Draft but returned to the University of Oklahoma for one more football season.
• In 2007 and 2010, Russell Wilson was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the MLB Draft before focusing on his college and NFL football career.
• Jameis Winston was drafted by the Texas Rangers out of high school in 2012 before playing football at Florida State University.
• Bob Hayes won two gold medals at the 1964 Summer Olympics before being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys and becoming a star in the NFL.
• Jim Thorpe won gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Summer Olympics before playing professional baseball and football.