NFL Players Who Love Running Marathons

The marathon is one of the ultimate tests of endurance for any athlete, requiring months of training and mental fortitude to push through the gruelling 26.2 miles. For NFL players, whose bodies are often put through the wringer during the gruelling football season, taking on the marathon may seem counterintuitive.

Yet, there are a handful of players who have put their strength and stamina to the test on the roads and tracks of marathons around the country. Let’s look closer at some NFL players who are also accomplished marathoners.

Eddie George

Former NFL player Eddie George has always been passionate about fitness. He started running marathons in 2006, and he notched up a personal best at the 2015 Chicago Marathon. The current Tennessee State head coach featured for the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans throughout his extinguished career playing pro ball and he has been quoted as saying that running marathons helped him stay focused and disciplined, traits he carried throughout his career in the upper echelons of the sporting world.

Terrell Davis

Retired Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis is a Hall of Famer who has proven his athletic abilities on and off the field. Davis is the Coloradao outfit’s all-time rushing leader and as such, it will come as no surprise to hear that his prowess on the ground has also translated into a nack for running marathons. The 50-year-old has participated in various charity marathons, such as Run for a Reason and the Colfax Marathon, to raise funds for children with disabilities, as well as regularly featuring in the Boston marathon.

Willie Gault

Retired wide receiver Willie Gault was a member of the only Chicago Bears Super Bowl championship-winning team way back in 1985. The 63-year-old is considered one of the fastest NFL players of all time and he was a member of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, an event which the United States boycotted due to the ongoing cold war. As a talented hurdler, it won’t shock many to hear that the former University of Tennessee standout is a talented runner and he regularly competes in Marathons.

The Bears icon is also a motivational speaker in present times and an active participant in various charities, such as the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, which supports the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Alan Page

Before he was a Minnesota Supreme Court Justice, Alan Page was a standout defensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings in the 1970s. He became an NFL champion back in 1969 and is one of only two few defensive players in football history to have won the NFL MVP award, an honour he claimed back in 1971.

But even during his football career, the former Notre Dame Fighting Irishman made time for running and completed his first marathon in 1979. Since then, he has run over 20 marathons, including in Boston and New York. He has also used his running as a philanthropic endeavour, raising over $300,000 for his foundation, the Alan Page Education Foundation, through his endeavours.

Tiki Barber

Iconic New York Giants running back Tiki Barber is another player who has turned to marathons after leaving the field. On the gridiron, the 46-year-old is one of just five players to have racked up over 5,000 rushing and 5,000 receiving yards throughout the course of his illustrious career, in which he also claimed Pro Bowl honours on three separate occasions. He the New York City marathon in 2011 and has been an avid runner ever since.

Nnamdi Asomugha

Nnamdi Asomugha was a first-round draft pick by the Oakland Raiders back in 2003. He went on to have an illustrious career in the NFL, turning out for the aforementioned Raiders as well as NFC giants in the form of the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers, two teams that are battling it out for both Conference and Super Bowl Glory this term. Both teams have started the new NFL season with a perfect 5-0 record and websites providing NFL spreads and futures have made the latter a +325 favourite and the former a +700 third favourite for the Lombardi this season.

The 42-year-old is a former cornerback, and he completed his first marathon in 2014. In the past, he has said that running a marathon was a way to challenge his mind and body, much like he did when he was playing football.

Russel Wilson

Current Broncos’ quarterback Russel Wilson is the only active player on our list. He was a revelation during a nine-year stint with the Seattle Seahawks where he claimed Pro Bowl in each of his seasons in Washington state, as well as becoming a champion with a lopsided victory – ironically against the Broncos – at Super Bowl XLVIII. In recent times, however, he has struggled and the Empower Field side currently sits rock bottom of the AFC West with just one victory and four defeats so far this term.

The former Wisconsin Badger regularly runs marathons alongside his pop star wife Ciara. The couple has run in several marathons together, including the 2018 New York City Marathon. Wilson even shared a heartfelt post on his Instagram, praising his wife for her achievement in completing the challenging race.