5 NFL superstars who ended up playing for their favorite childhood team
The NFL Draft determines that franchises choose players, and even NFL superstars end up playing their careers at teams they never supported. Take the case of someone like Tom Brady, a San Francisco 49ers fan who has never played for them; instead, leading the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to glory. Such is the norm for most NFL superstars. However, some exceptional players have been lucky enough to play with their childhood or hometown team. Here we look at five such NFL superstars.
NFL superstars who played for the team of their childhood
#1 - Jack Ham, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jack Ham is perhaps the greatest outside linebacker of all time. He made it to the First Team All-Pro 6 times, Second Team All-Pro 2 Times, 8 Pro Bowls, and won 4 Super Bowls. He did all this while paying for his home state team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Jack Ham's 53 takeaways are the most ever by a non-defensive back in NFL history. #GoldJacketSpotlight https://t.co/B7VLNmyDmH
He was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He played college football at Penn State and showed just how dominant he could be. His performances got him selected as the best Penn State University athlete of all time. The boy from Western Pennsylvania would then take the final step with his hometown team and become a vital cog in the Steel Curtain defense.
#2 - Red Grange, HB, Chicago Bears
In the league's early years, Red Grange was perhaps the first NFL superstar to bring fans to the stadium due to his star pull. Known as the Wheaton Iceman, he grew up in the Chicago suburb of Wheaton. He would then play for the University of Illinois and ended up with more than 3000 yards and 31 touchdowns in 20 games.
With the Chicago Bears, he was christened the Galloping Ghost; such was his elusiveness and speed. He was a bonafide NFL superstar in the first season, and people came to watch him. Such was his pull, he signed for the New York Yankees before coming back to join the Bears again. He would win two NFL Championships with the team and was a two-time First-Team All-Pro.
#3 - Chuck Bednarik, C, LB, Philadelphia Eagles
The last 60 minutes player, who played on both sides of the ball, Chuck Bednarik, was a local boy making good. He was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Famed for his toughness on the field, he joined the University of Pennsylvania after completing his stint in the Air Force.
He played for 14 years with the Philadelphia Eagles and won the NFL Championship in 1949 and 1960. An NFL superstar in the truest form, he was a First-Team All-Pro 10 times and made it to 8 Pro Bowls. His signature moment came in the 1960 NFL Championships when he blocked Green Bay star Jim Taylor at the 8-yard line as time expired.
#4 - Dick Butkus, LB, Chicago Bears
Dick Butkus is perhaps the greatest tackler to have ever played football. He redefined what it means to be a middle linebacker, and every player who has followed in that position, in some way or another, is measured up to him. He was born in Chicago and played for the University of Illinois before joining the Chicago Bears.
With the Bears, he played for nine seasons and made it to 8 Super Bowls. He was inducted into the NFL All-Decade Teams of the 1960s and the 1970s. His loyalty to his hometown team was such that despite being an NFL superstar who any other team would have gladly liked to have, he competed on an average Bears team that lost more than they won. He never won a Super Bowl but is still revered as the best in his position.
#5 - Mike Haynes, CB, Los Angeles Raiders
Mike Haynes was born a Texan, but he finished his schooling in Los Angeles. Unlike others on this list, he did not start with the Los Angeles Raiders in his career. Rather, he was an NFL superstar with the New England Patriots. Instead, he joined the Raiders in 1983 and immediately won a Super Bowl with them.
Twenty-three years ago today, Mike Haynes was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
#OnceARaiderAlwaysARaider I @MikeHaynesNFL https://t.co/HNMlE4x0cG
He notched one interception, two pass deflections, and two tackles in the Super Bowl XVIII as they defeated the Washington Redskins. With the Raiders, he would be selected to the First-Team All-Pro twice in his career, in 1984 and 1985.