5 NFL players who were in the military
We consider NFL players to be heroes in the loosest sense of the word and the military personnel heroes in the truest sense. The former are well-paid athletes who sometimes lead a lavish lifestyle but do sacrifice years of preparation to entertain us. Then there are the military personnel who are ready to sacrifice their lives to keep us safe.
We look at some players who began in the military. Note that this list does not include many honorable people who began as NFL players and then transitioned to the military like the great Pat Tillman. Here we only look at such heroes who were in the military before playing in the NFL.
Military personnel who played in the NFL
#1 - Chuck Bednarik
Chuck Bednarik was drafted into the Army at the age of 18 and was a World War II veteran before joining the NFL. He had 30 missions flying over Germany and for his efforts he was awarded with the Air Medal, four Oak Leaf Clusters and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon.
He played in the NFL from 1949 to 1962 for the Philadelphia Eagles and lined up on both sides of the ball. For his achievements on the football field, he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
#2 - Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1964. As a graduate of the Naval Academy, he had to serve in the military for five years before he could finally join up with his franchise.
Having kept himself match ready during his assignments to Vietnam, he played 11 seasons as a quarterback from 1969, winning two Super Bowls along the way. He was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1985.
#3 - Chad Hennings
Chad Hennings is another Dallas Cowboys player who served in the military prior to joining up with the team. He was drafted in 1988, but as part of the Air Force, he could only begin his career in 1992. He subsequently played nine seasons as a defensive tackle in the NFL, winning three Super Bowls.
#4 - Bryce Fisher
Bryce Fisher was also in the Air Force for two years before joining up with the Buffalo Bills in 2001, having been drafted in 1999. A defensive lineman, he also played for the St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans.
#5 - Caleb Campbell
Caleb Campbell, like the two military heroes above, joined the NFL two years after he was drafted in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.
His branch of service, though, was the Army. His primary position was defensive back.