Phil Robertson, of “Duck Dynasty” fame, quit the Louisiana Tech football team because football season interfered with his passion for duck hunting. This decision opened the door for the great Terry Bradshaw to take over as the quarterback of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and also allowed Phil Robertson to start a duck call empire. Phil Robertson’s college football story is certainly intriguing, but he is not the only celebrity with a college football past. Surely, you have heard of all the household names on this list, but I bet you did not know about their ties to college football.
President George W. Bush
Admittedly, President George W. Bush did not actually play college football during his time at Yale, but he was a cheerleader known for his spirit. That is actually a far more interesting bit of college football trivia than if he had lined up with the football squad.
Dean Cain
Prior to his stint as Superman, Dean Cain played football for the Princeton Tigers.
The “NCIS” star played quarterback for the UCLA Bruins during his college days. His dad was a Heisman Trophy winner so it must run in the family.
Tommy Lee Jones
Did you know that Tommy Lee Jones went to Harvard and was roommates with Al Gore? Crazy, right? He also played on the football team’s offensive line during the legendary 1968 season when Harvard went undefeated. Ivy League football fans may also recall that as the season of the 29-29 tie between Harvard and Yale.
Nick Nolte
Nick Nolte’s troubled youth led him to attend a few different colleges. During his time at Eastern Arizona College he played for the school’s football team.
Ed O’Neill
Ed O’Neill became a household name from his role as Al Bundy, the character who famously scored four touchdowns in a single game for Polk High. In real life, O’Neill played on the defensive line for Ohio University and later Youngstown State prior to his career as an actor.
Rick Perry
Rick Perry seems like the kind of rugged guy that would play college football. He never played football during his days at Texas A&M;, but he was a “yell leader.”
Burt Reynolds
The iconic film actor played college football for Florida State University but a series of injuries sidelined him and led him to his career in Hollywood. Another interesting sports related tidbit about Burt Reynolds is that his college roommate was Lee Corso.
Before he was known as John Wayne, the legendary actor was known by his birth name, Marion Morrison. The young John Wayne, err Marion Morrison, played football for the USC Trojans.
The contributor is a film and sports enthusiast and loves seeing the intersection of his two passions.
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