Who Are The 10 Best Multi-Sport Athletes in History?

Although playing multiple sports at a professional level is not as common today as it was in the past, that doesn't mean there isn't an incredible history of athletes doing just that. 

After all, professional athletes have a rare ability on the field, court or ice. 

They are gifted beyond belief. Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates, both of whom just missed this list, are great examples. They were both excellent basketball players before deciding football was their future.

That said, FOX Sports Research compiled the list of the 10 best multi-sport athletes in history.

What are the 10 best multi-sport athletes in history?

10. Kyler Murray

Everyone knows Murray has skills on the football field. He has been successful at the college level, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2018, and was drafted first overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 2019. However, he easily could've pursued a baseball career. In 2018, Murray was selected ninth overall by the Athletics but chose to stick with football. With that, though, he became the first player to be selected in the first round of both the NFL and MLB drafts.

9. Gene Conley

Conley was an elite athlete dating back even to his high school days when he was all-state in basketball and baseball and a state champion in long jump. That translated to the pros as well, allowing him to play in both the MLB and the NBA. Conley would play 11 years in pro baseball, earning four All-Star selections, and six years in the NBA where he became a three-time champion.

8. Dave Winfield

An elite athlete, Winfield is truly one of a kind. That athletic ability allowed him to have options of which sport to pursue professionally. And he had his pick, becoming the first athlete in history to be drafted by four different sports leagues. In the end, he chose Major League Baseball, where he ended up collecting over 3,000 hits to go with 465 homers and a ticket to Cooperstown.

7. Bob Hayes

As if being a star football player wasn't enough, Hayes also delivered as a track and field star. He won a gold medal in the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, competing in the 100-meter dash and the 4 x 100-meter relay. Those gold medals, combined with his 11 seasons in the NFL and eventual induction into Canton, make him one of the most decorated athletes in history.

6. Jackie Robinson

Robinson, a baseball star who broke the game's color barrier, is an icon far bigger than any one sport or performance. That said, he had a ton of success during his college and professional career. He became a Hall of Famer after an 11-year MLB career. He was an NCAA champion in the long jump, while also lettering at UCLA in four different sports (football, basketball, track and field and baseball) — the first and only Bruin to ever have achieved this feat.

5. Jim Brown

Arguably the greatest NFL player of all time, Brown was far more than just a star running back. Aside from his nine years in Cleveland and eventual ticket to Canton, Brown also made the Lacrosse Hall of Fame with standout performances in both high school and in college at Syracuse. Moreover, he also excelled in both basketball and track and field, showcasing his power and speed combo.

4. Charlie Ward

Ward was a tremendous athlete and showed it on the field. His best year in football came in 1993 for Florida State, when the star signal-caller earned nearly all the major awards a QB could get, while also capturing the Heisman Trophy and leading the team to a national championship. The next year, Ward was selected 26th overall in the first round of the NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. Ward went on to play 11 years in the NBA.

3. Bo Jackson

If you asked people to name the greatest multi-sport athlete, most would instantly think of Jackson, who was a legend at Auburn. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1985 and eventually turned that into becoming a College Football Hall of Famer, as well as the first overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft. He would play four years with the Raiders at the same time as he was playing for the Kansas City Royals. His baseball career lasted four years longer, as he ended up playing professionally in the majors for nine seasons, making one All-Star team and the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame.

2. Jim Thorpe

A true triple threat, Thorpe did it all. An Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon and pentathlon, Thorpe also played eight years in the NFL. During his time in pro football, he earned a spot on the NFL All-Decade team and was a first-team All-Pro. All that eventually led to his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Thorpe wasn't done there, though. He also managed to fit a six-year MLB career in as well.

1. Deion Sanders

If Jackson isn't the first answer most think of when asked for the best multi-sport athlete, Sanders is undoubtedly the next most common one. He was anything but common, however. Sanders had wheels like no other and dominated on the field, playing 14 years in the NFL. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1994 and claimed two Super Bowl titles in his career. His success in both pro and college would earn him a spot in both Hall of Fames. Sanders managed to work in a nine-year MLB career as well. He also ran track for Florida State while at school.

Honorable mentions:

• Marquise Goodwin
• Shaun White
• Kirk Gibson
• Antonio Gates
• Tony Gonzalez
• John Elway
• Danny Ainge
• Jeff Samardzija
• Babe Didrikson-Zaharias
• Tony Gwynn 

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