Athletes Who Have Played in Multiple Pro Leagues

Many people aspire to be professional athletes and spend years perfecting their craft as well as developing their physical bodies to overcome whatever obstacles their sport throws at them. So, when different athletes take up different sports, it can be impressive.

Only a few have managed to play in a professional sports league and had the dedication to try out something entirely new. In this article, we’ll outline the top athletes who have played in multiple professional leagues, including what sports they played, what years they played and the results of their multi-professional sports career.

Jim Thorpe – New York Giants (baseball) 1913

Jim Thorpe is known as the first-ever pro athlete to double up on pro baseball and football at the same time. Thorpe is a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and helped found the American Pro Football Association (NFL). In 1913, Thorpe moved from the Pine Village Pros football team in Indiana to the New York Giants baseball team. Afterward, he joined the Canton Bulldogs football team to help them win three championships starting in 1915. Not only this, but Thorpe was a decathlon and pentathlon Olympic Gold Medalist from the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, showcasing that he truly deserves praise considering he’s one of the few athletes who have played in multiple professional leagues.

Bo Jackson – Las Vegas Raiders 1987

Another multi-talented athlete we all know and love is the legendary Bo Jackson, arguably the best raw athlete out of all other athletes who have played in multiple professional leagues. Jackson was one of the multi-pro league athletes who started at the Kansas City Royals for five years and split time with the Las Vegas Raiders from 1987-1990. Impressively, out of his 38 NFL games, Jackson caught 16 touchdowns, 40 passes and gained 352 yards. It’s without a doubt that Bo Jackson showcased his incredible skills in both pro baseball and football at the same time, making him another one of the legendary athletes who have played in multiple professional leagues.

Deion Sanders – Atlanta Falcons 1992

Continuing the baseball-football pairing as one of the few athletes who have played in multiple professional leagues is Deion Sanders, starring for both the Atlanta Falcons and Braves in 1992. The MLB and NFL schedules did overlap some days, but Sanders made it his goal to make it to a Braves away game and a Falcons away game on the same day when it occurred. In the end, Sanders won two separate Super Bowls and was inducted into several football halls of fame. If you take into account his athletic flexibility and sheer skill in both baseball and football, it’s no surprise Deion Sanders is one of the prestigious athletes who have played in multiple professional leagues.

Michael Jordan – Chicago White Sox 1994

Most of us have heard of Michael Jordan’s incredible basketball career, but did you know he also played pro baseball for a small amount of time? Jordan, back in 1994, was signed to the Chicago White Sox, making him the only athlete on this list to have played in two pro leagues not involving football, but basketball instead. Following the tragic murder of his father, Jordan made a deal in 1994 to play Double-A Minor League Baseball with the Birmingham Barons. Before leading the Bulls to a three-peat in the NBA, Jordan would be second on the Barons for stolen bases. Regardless of the length of his baseball career, Jordan highlighted his athletic ability and will go down as one of the scarce athletes who have played in multiple professional leagues.