Athletes on Reality Shows

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
May 15, 2008

Athletes on Reality Shows

Jason Taylor

All-Pro defensive end Jason Taylor broke convention by participating on the show while still an active NFL player. One of the favorites throughout the competition, Taylor made the final three.

Deion Sanders

Fans can catch a glimpse of Deion Sanders' personal life in his own reality series Deion and Pilar Sanders: Primetime Love.

Kristi Yamaguchi

Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi translated her grace and light feet onto the dance floor to reach the final three of Dancing With the Stars.

Angela Ruggiero

Angela Ruggiero was a member of the gold medal-winning 1998 United States Olympic Hockey team in Nagano as a defender. Her Olympic medal was not enough to impress Donald Trump, who fired her on the Apprentice: L.A.

Mark Philippoussis

The 30-year-old tennis pro had to choose between the twentysomething "Kittens" and the over-40 "Cougars" in this Bachelor-like format. He selected 25-year-old Amanda Salinas, a hockey team dancer for the Nashville Predators.

Christian Okoye

Okoye played for the Chiefs as an NFL running back from 1987-92, but on this show he was more like an Oakland Raider as part of crew that sought lost treasures in the Caribbean. The crew played the role of the turk, cutting the Nigerian Nightmare loose in the second episode. Maybe CBS can cast Barry Word in season two.

Apolo Anton Ohno

The Olympic gold medal speed skater stood tall on the podium again, winning the season four competition with help from partner Julianne Hough.

Mallory Snyder

Before launching a career as an SI swimsuit model, Snyder was a shy girl from the Midwest who gave up her soccer scholarship at Iowa State to participate in The Real World. She also took part in Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno in 2004.

Jesse Palmer

The former Florida Gators and New York Giants quarterback selected Jessica Bowlin, a 22-year-old California law student, from the 25 women competing for his affection on the fifth season of this show. He chose not to propose to her on the show, however, and a few weeks later they broke up.

Jose Canseco

A self-admitted steroid user (Canseco), Sandi Denton of "Salt n Pepa," Caprice, Bronson Pinchot, Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth and a three-legged dog all shared the same house for season five of this series.

Sugar Ray Leonard

The former Olympic gold medalist and world champion co-hosted this on-air tournament in which young fighters competed against each other. Peter Manfredo Jr., who lost a super middleweight title bout, is one of the alums.

John Rocker

After washing out as a major-league closer, Rocker took part in season one of this show where former athletes take on the weekend warrior types. Other former stars included Jim McMahon, Jerry Rice, Clyde Drexler and Bo Jackson.

Chris Young

Young and five other members of the Diamondbacks organization were profiled as they fought their way through the minor leagues on the way to the majors.

Emmitt Smith

The NFL's all-time leading rusher is used to winning -- his Cowboys won three Super Bowls -- so it shouldn't have come as a surprise when he partnered with Cheryl Burke to beat out actor Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff in the season three final.

Jerry Rice

Perhaps the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, Rice partnered with Anna Trebunskaya in season two of this hit show. They placed second.

Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

HBO followed the two fighters as they prepared for their championship fight in May 2007. The show was a huge success and was credited with drumming up record sales for the pay-per-view fight -- a reported $120 million of revenue -- which Mayweather won by split decision.

Clyde Drexler

Former NBA All-Star and Olympic Dream Teamer Drexler partnered with Elena Grinenko, but they became the fourth couple to be eliminated that season.

Evander Holyfield

Holyfield was the first retired athlete to appear on this show, but he didn't last long. Holyfield and partner Edyta Sliwinska were the second couple voted off in the first season. At least he didn't get his ear bitten off.

Shaquille O'Neal

Shaq helped kids lose weight as a way to draw attention to the growing problem of childhood obesity in the U.S.

Gabrielle Reece

Retired volleyball pro Reece was among 12 celebrity drivers who partnered with six of stock car racing's up-and-coming drivers to learn to compete for the checkered flag. The series, which also starred John Elway, Jewel, William Shatner, Tony Hawk, John Salley, among others, premiered in 2007.

Laila Ali

The daughter of Muhammad Ali and an undefeated boxing champion in her own right, Ali and partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy made it to the finals of the 2007 season. Ali made it through the whole season despite dealing with two bad knees.

Venus & Serena Williams

The tennis queens were profiled in a six-part series in 2005 about their daily lives off the court.

Dennis Rodman

The NBA's ex-king of the boards takes ordinary people and gives them a taste of his wild lifestyle. Plots for this show, which debuted in February, included outing a secretary as a stripper and introducing volunteers to bondage, oil wrestling and even pimping.

Gary Hogeboom

Years after he had been sacked by the Bears' 46 defense, Hogeboom took on an alias -- "Gary Hawkins" -- for Survivor: Guatemala. Unfortunately for him, one of the other contestants was Danni Boatwright, a sports radio talk show host from Kansas City who recognized him and ended up taking the prize.

Athletes on Reality Shows