Athletes who are loved by non-sports fans

Even though Shaq has been retired for years, it seems like you can’t catch a commercial break without seeing his face pop up. The Hall of Fame basketball player got to star in a couple of (admittedly not very good) movies in “Kazaam” and “Steel.” Plus, let’s not forget that he got his own video game “Shaq Fu.”

LeBron is arguably the biggest athlete in the world right now. Even if you’ve never watched the NBA, you’ve heard his name. You may have also seen him in ads, movies or speaking out for racial equality while also opening his own school in Akron, Ohio.

Johnson got his start as a somewhat successful college football player before becoming a huge star as The Rock in the WWE. After being the biggest wrestler in the world, Johnson decided to try his hand at acting. Now he’s one of the top movie stars in the world. There’s seemingly nothing he can’t do.

Beckham is so well-known and popular that he got people to pay attention to MLS, which hasn’t always been easy. Even though he’s British, Beckham was probably the most prominent soccer player to American fans for a while. His modeling career and marriage to Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice, also helped.

Strahan was a great defensive end and seemed prime to fall into a career as a talking head on football shows. Then, suddenly, he took his TV career to the next level. You can now see Strahan on “Good Morning America” or hosting the game show “The $100,000 Pyramid.”

When she was in UFC, Rousey was the most famous MMA fighter in the world. Though she’s retired from the octagon, she now plies her trade in WWE, where she has already taken things by storm. On top of her burgeoning pro wrestling career, Rousey has appeared in a few movies. She’s only 32. There’s a lot left ahead of her.

If only for “Space Jam,” Jordan belongs on this list. However, beyond that he dominated the world of the NBA to such a degree that he was ubiquitous in the media for a while. Nike basically exists as it currently stands thanks to Air Jordan, and the same may be true for Gatorade. Sometimes you are so good at a sport that even people who have never seen you play know who you are.

When The Great One was traded from Edmonton to Los Angeles, he basically made hockey popular in L.A. Going to see the Kings became trendy. Gretzky is still the face of hockey to many people, even though he retired nearly two decades ago. That’s what happens when you break almost every record there is.

Williams has dominated women’s tennis, and since she’s American, she gets more attention than, say, the equally dominant Roger Federer. Williams also has a more notable sense of fashion than Federer, and she is also quite unspoken. On top of that, she’s married to Alexis Ohanian, one of the co-founders of Reddit.

The name Dale Earnhardt gave Junior a bit of a leg up in terms of notoriety, but he’s done plenty in his own right. In addition to being quite the popular NASCAR driver, Earnhardt has appeared in a few movies and TV shows as well as also a couple of music videos. Though he’s retired, you might still see him in Mountain Dew ads alongside Danny McBride.

Though he was polarizing in his time, few athletes ever transcended sports like Ali. His quick wit won a ton of fans, and who can forget the moment when he lit the torch at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta? When he died, there was wall-to-wall coverage of his life, which is something that only happens when you reach people beyond sports.

Curry is one of the best players in the NBA, and he plays for a great team. If you are aware of sports at all, you are aware of Curry. He’s also the kind of athlete even casual sports fans love. Curry isn’t a giant, and at 6-foot-3 he is downright small by NBA standards, but he can jack up threes with the best of them. He generally seems like a good guy too, which helps.

Cena played a little football in college and then went into bodybuilding, but he’s primarily known as a WWE Superstar. However, that may change soon. Cena has started to appear more and more in films, so he could find himself to be the next Dwayne Johnson. His role in “Trainwreck” was a good sign.

Watt is a great football player, though he’s been banged up the last couple of years. What’s helped him gain fans beyond sports, though, is his charity work. Watt set out to raise $200,000 for victims of Hurricane Harvey. In the end, he raised over $37 million, a truly stunning accomplishment.

The newly minted Juventus man has been a huge name in sports for years. Ronaldo actually has the second-most Instagram followers of anybody, and he’s in the top 10 in Twitter followers. He also gets some bonus points for the much-memed bust of his face, which didn’t exactly look like the Portuguese soccer star.

You can’t have Ronaldo without Messi. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, and Messi is arguably the biggest star in the sport. World Cup coverage focused on him, and his club team, Barcelona, is immensely beloved around the globe. Whenever you see any ad involving soccer in the United States, Messi will probably be involved.

Crews had a brief, if forgettable, NFL career, and then he decided to turn to acting after retiring in 1997. That ended up turning out pretty well. Crews has made many indelible appearances both on TV and in films. He’s best known for his ongoing role on the sitcom “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” Additionally, Crews has become arguably the male face of the #MeToo movement, further earning admiration from those who have no idea he ever played football.

If you ask non-sports fans to name a current hockey player, they will probably say Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin. Crosby is great, but his personality is less than gripping. Ovechkin, on the other hand, is exuberant and fun-loving, which is why he’s the one who gets to be in more ads. Plus, his exploits after winning his first Stanley Cup last summer certainly earned him more recognition, not to mention more fans.

Madden might be the most recognized name in sports. You can thank the eponymous video game series for that. If you know anything about football or video games, you know about the "Madden" series. Even if you don’t remember Madden as the coach of the Raiders or as a TV commentator, you have heard his name countless times over. Madden is inescapable.

Who would have thought an athlete would become famous for grilling? Foreman was a well-known and successful boxer in his time. Then his name and face got attached to the George Foreman Grill. The ads were ubiquitous, and the product was immensely popular. That lean, mean, grilling machine has guaranteed Foreman his place in the culture outside of sports forever.

Barkley declared once upon a time he wasn’t a role model, but the occasionally controversial former NBA player does have a ton of fans. Chuck certainly speaks his mind, and that has gotten him plenty of television appearances, not to mention a stint hosting “Saturday Night Live.” His golf swing also has its fans, but only among those who enjoy laughing at it.

Patrick didn’t have the most successful career in terms of victories, but her mark on the sports world is undeniable. She was a woman traversing, and occasionally excelling, in a world dominated by men. Also, she made a bunch of ads for GoDaddy, which certainly made her a familiar face, for better or worse.

Brady’s potential political leanings have taken some of the sheen off him to some, but you can’t argue with his Q Rating. In addition to being a superstar with dozens of advertising campaigns to his name, he’s married to Gisele Bundchen, who is just as famous as he is. They are a true power couple. And if you’ve ever watched a Super Bowl, there is a good chance you’ve seen Brady take the field.

Since retiring from the NBA as the league’s all-time leading scorer, Kareem has done a lot of interesting things. He’s a cultural commentator, he wrote a novel about Mycroft Holmes and he was in an episode of “New Girl.” However, if we’re being honest, he’s here because of his role in “Airplane!” That’s a true pop culture legacy.

There is an entire Wikipedia page called “Jeff Gordon in Popular Culture,” if you needed proof he belonged here. Gordon had a ton of success in NASCAR, which led to plenty of screen time and advertising deals. He used to shill Pepsi, after all. The legendary racer also made frequent appearances on David Letterman’s show and “Good Morning America.” He now calls races on Fox as well.

Rodgers’ play on the field has certainly earned him a lot of admirers. He is the kind of athlete who becomes loved by casual sports fans due to his skill. On top of that, he was at the center of a series of (arguably irritatingly) ubiquitous ads for State Farm mimicking his trademark touchdown celebration. He’s also found himself in the tabloid eye thanks to relationships with actress Olivia Munn and race car driver Danica Patrick.

Who doesn’t love Big Papi? Yankees fans, perhaps, but even they have probably come around on him now that he’s retired. His larger-than-life persona draws people to him. While Ortiz’s big bat made him a favorite of baseball fans, his undeniable charms are what makes non-sports fans gravitate toward him. They were happy to learn that he has left the hospital following a shooting in his native Dominican Republic.

The Olympics draw in a lot of non-traditional sports viewers, which makes it easier for Olympians to capture the national imagination. Weir certainly did that with his flamboyant performances on the ice, including a bronze-winning effort in 2008. After he retired, Weir teamed up with Tara Lipinski to call figure skating events at the Olympics, and from there, two stars were born…

After capturing hearts as a kid at the Olympics, Lipinski appeared in several TV shows trading off her newfound fame. As an adult, though, she and Johnny Weir have become seemingly everybody’s favorite duo. In addition to their beloved figure skating commentary, the two have worked together at the Kentucky Derby and the National Dog Show and were last seen hosting a wedding cake competition show on Food Network.

Uecker wasn’t a great baseball player, but he become a beloved announcer for the Milwaukee Brewers. He was a frequent guest on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show,” and Carson dubbed him with the nickname “Mr. Baseball.” His most memorable announcing work probably came in the movie “Major League,” and let’s not forget about his role in “Mr. Belvedere” either. Uecker also has the honor of being in both the Baseball and WWE Halls of Fame. How many people can say that? Not even Pete Rose!

Carano was something of the proto Ronda Rousey. After finding great success in MMA, she decided to move into acting. Steven Soderbergh made her the star of his film “Haywire,” and she had a role in “Deadpool.” Carano was also one of the original cover athletes for the first “Body Issue” of “ESPN the Magazine,” for better or worse.

OK, so maybe the film “Thunderstruck” didn’t light the world on fire. Durant is doing just fine. Despite spending most of his career in Oklahoma City, Durant has become a superstar who has gotten plenty of attention in the public eye. You may have seen him in an ad for Google at one time, but if you follow basketball at all, you are certainly aware of Durant and his tremendous talent, which he now takes to Brooklyn.

Bradshaw has put his good ol’ boy charms to good use for Fox’s football coverage for years, earning him plenty of fans. That affable nature has also been used in many television and movie roles, including as Matthew McConaughey’s dad in “Failure to Launch.” Oh, and did you know he has released six albums and had a top-20 hit on the country charts?

"Neon Deion" willed himself to be famous, and it worked. He was flashy and wasn’t above appearing in an MC Hammer music video. His schtick seemed to work, and the fact he was able to play both baseball and football professionally helped. Back in the day, he seemed to be pitching any product you could find, such as Nike, Pepsi and Pizza Hut. He still works as a TV commentator, keeping him in the spotlight.

As a star for America’s Team, the Dallas Cowboys, Smith was destined to grab casual sports fans. You don’t become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and not turn into a household name. However, it’s something else Smith did with his feet that locked up his spot on this list. Smith won the third season of “Dancing with the Stars,” making him the first athlete to do so.

Speaking of athletes who have won “Dancing with the Stars,” Rippon accomplished that soon after returning from the 2018 Winter Olympics as a newfound star. Rippon’s unapologetic personality and flair made him an instant favorite, and he will likely be able to stay in the spotlight for as long as he wants. Few athletes have the natural charisma Rippon possesses.

Ward’s appearance as a zombie on “The Walking Dead” probably doesn’t do much to get him on this list, but that’s only one of his pop culture appearances. The former Pittsburgh Steeler and Super Bowl MVP is another “Dancing with the Stars” winner, and he had a cameo in “The Dark Knight Rises” as well. On the humanitarian side of things, the Korean-American has done work both in the U.S. and in South Korea to try to fight racial discrimination.

Johnson cameoed as himself on “The Simpsons,” which is about as lofty an accomplishment as you can have. However, there is so much more to Magic’s legacy that has led to his lasting popularity. He has his name on a chain of movie theaters, and though his talk show was not a success, it was still a notable accomplishment. He most recently was president of the Lakers before stepping down from that post earlier this year, but Johnson will always be remembered for helping to make the NBA popular in the ‘80s with his flashy, effective play.

Walton’s playing career was hindered by injuries, but his spirit and enthusiasm have never been dampened. He’s the patron saint of every Grateful Dead fan and is still loved by the counterculture baby boomer set. Every time he says something delightfully bizarre, it is sure to trend on Twitter, keeping him in the limelight for everybody, sports fans or otherwise.

Jeter spent most of his career as the most popular player on the most popular baseball team in the world: the New York Yankees. If you rooted for another baseball team, you might have begrudgingly accepted his skills without outright liking him, and he even got to host “Saturday Night Live.” And if you didn’t like him, you could at least enjoy watching him get shot in “The Other Guys.” Everybody wins.

Though Weathers was a pro football player, he made his name pretending to be a purveyor of a different sport. We all know Weathers as Apollo Creed, the iconic boxer from the “Rocky” series. The man is in a Best Picture winner! He is also loved by “Arrested Development” fans for imparting knowledge on how to get a stew going.

From 2008 until 2016, Bolt was arguably the star of the Summer Olympics. He was the fastest man in the world, and who can help but be enamored by that? He benefited from the fact that he had more personality than a lot of athletes, making him as interesting as he is speedy. His days as an elite sprinter may be over, but the goodwill shall remain.

Yamaguchi earned her admiration when she won the gold medal in figure skating at the 1992 Olympics. This made her one of the most well-known and admired athletes in the country for a time. She even got to be in “D2: The Mighty Ducks!" After some time out of the spotlight, she returned with a win in “Dancing with the Stars,” the best way for pro athletes to gain popularity among non-sports fans.

Perhaps the greatest American Olympic hero of them all, at least of the last few decades, is Strug. The diminutive gymnast helped lead the United States to gold by completing a vault routine on a seriously injured ankle. This earned her an appearance on the cover of a Wheaties box, “SportsCenter” ads and a “Saturday Night Live” cameo. She remains well-liked, at least enough to appear in a Zaxby’s ad in 2008.

Kournikova’s popularity speaks to the somewhat unfortunate landscape of women’s sports. Though she never won a WTA tournament, Kournikova was arguably the most popular tennis player in the world. This was due to her appearance, which was generally considered quite attractive. Google searches for images of her in her heyday were among the most prevalent on the search engine, and there was even a computer virus built around the promise of photos of her.

Fox had a solid NBA career, including time spent with the Lakers that made sure he was in the public eye quite a bit. However, even when he was playing, he began an acting career. He got his start in basketball projects like “Eddie” and “He Got Game,” but since then he has appeared in the likes of “Oz,” “Shameless” and “Ugly Betty.” Like a lot of former athletes, he has been on “Dancing with the Stars,” but he’s also competed on “Chopped” and been a guest judge on “Ru Paul’s Drag Race.” On top of all that, Fox is now deeply involved in the world of professional gaming.

Harmon was the starting quarterback for UCLA, but he didn’t take his football career beyond that. He got into acting in the ‘70s, and in 1996 he was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive. Now, of course, he stars on your parents’ favorite show, "NCIS," which he has been the lead of since 2003. It may not be a critical darling, but the show's ratings speak for themselves.

Horton played 24 seasons in the NHL, mostly with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and was elected to the Hall of Fame posthumously in 1977. Also, he opened a doughnut shop named after himself in 1964. That store expanded into Tim Horton’s, the preeminent coffee shop of Canada, and is also a fixture in some parts of the United States. Horton has more name recognition than most athletes, and he owes it all to doughnuts.

You probably know Jones from his roles in films such as “Snatch,” “Gone in 60 Seconds” and “X-Men: The Last Stand.” However, if you were a fan of English soccer in the ‘90s, you may also know Jones from his time as a midfielder for teams such as Chelsea and Wimbledon. To many, Jones was the quintessential “hard man,” the soccer equivalent of an enforcer. This tough-guy energy has certainly earned him fans for his acting.

Long was a great football player, who sired two more fine football players in Chris and Kyle Long. He had enough personality, and enough of an action-star image, to make a go of it as an actor. Unfortunately, films such as “Firestorm” and “Broken Arrow” weren’t all that good. On the other hand, he has appeared in tons of ads over the year, including popular Radio Shack ads alongside Teri Hatcher. He and Terry Bradshaw are also seen on Fox’s NFL coverage.