5 families with 3 generations of NFL talentÂ
Making it to the NFL is an extremely difficult task for any football player. It's been estimated that only about 6.5 percent of high school football players go on to play at the NCAA level. Meanwhile, less than two percent of college football players get drafted into the NFL, and even fewer make it to the final roster of a team.
Many former players dream about their kids one day making it to the same level that they did as a professional athlete. They often got their children into football at a young age and hoped they would fall in love with it the way they did. They hope that their genes will help provide them with enough talent to one day make it to the NFL.
While that may be the ultimate dream, it takes a lot more than a recognizable name and a strong desire to get all the way to the pros. While the sons of former players may have a slight edge over many other potential prospects, it's still an extremely difficult goal to achieve.
The high level of difficulty in making it to the professional ranks makes it no surprise that there hasn't been a ton of NFL players' children making it to the same level. While second-generation NFL players are rare, third-generation players have been nearly impossible. Nonetheless, here are five football families who have accomplished third-generation feats so far.
The Kupp family
Cooper Kupp had an historic year during the 2021 season, winning the elusive triple crown for wide receivers and also being selected as the Super Bowl MVP. He has emerged as a superstar, but is also the most recent third-generation player.
Craig Kupp, Cooper's father, was drafted by the New York Giants in 1990 and played for the Arizona Cardinals during the 1991 season. Jake Kupp, Cooper's grandfather, played 12 seasons with four teams and made it to the Pro Bowl after being drafted in 1964.
The Chickillo family
Anthony Chickillo was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015, where he spent five seasons before playing a sixth with the Denver Broncos. His father, Tony Chickillo, played two seasons with the San Diego Chargers and one with the New York Jets.
Anthony Chickillo talks about the transformation he has made since college, his experience on defense and more. https://t.co/zyFxR8YFPe
Preceding both of them was Nick Chickillo, Anthony's grandfather. He was drafted in 1953 by the Chicago Cardinals, who would eventually become the Arizona Cardinals many years later. All three of the Chickillo's were defensive players, while Tony and Nick also spent some time as offensive linemen.