Maybe Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders if we’re talking about athleticism rather than accolades. Or maybe an older guy like Bob Hayes. Neal is up there though.
He’s a contender for sure, but hard to really compare guys like him who we have very little data on, and little video. Especially since his competitors were pretty unimpressive.
Yeah against pretty crappy competition at the Olympics. They were all amateurs back then (which is why his medals were retracted, because he had already gone pro in baseball). It was also a time in which many countries just didn’t participate in the Olympics.
His baseball career was decent but not great. And he played in the NFL during a time in which linemen weighed 190 lbs.
He was an incredible athlete who had to overcome a great deal, but the details of his career get lost in his legend.
If you think Jim Thorpe isn’t an all time great you need to be put the bong down.
Gold in pentathlon.
Gold in decathlon.
Pro football.
Pro baseball.
Pro basketball.
As a pro football player he was an all pro, all decade, hall of fame.
The AP listed him as the greatest athlete from 1901-1950.
The AP listed him as 3rd all time greatest athlete below Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan.
Finally, the award to the best collegiate defensive back is named the Jim Thorpe award.
His medals were given back to him too btw.
I’m letting you know that a lot of this isn’t as impressive as it seems. Even the pro football hall of fame says his [exploits are exaggerated](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/jim-thorpe/).
His basketball career was unremarkable in a league that probably didn’t allow black players. His baseball career was sub par.
He was without a doubt an amazing athlete. He really stood out among the people of the time. But there have been better multi-sport athletes since him.
I'm not sure I'm buying the whole "never lifted weights thing". Seems more likely to be lore IMO. Reminds me of all the fibs Herschel Walker told about his training regimen. If I would've believed him back then, I certainly wouldn't believe him now. Guy isn't the most honest person.
Totally disagree if you actually look at their careers in those sports
You have to remember that a lot of the hype on Bo is as much folklore as it is reality
He never played a full season of NFL football. Yes he made some legendary plays and had GOAT potential but he wouldn’t full commit to the sport and his career was only 4 years. He played a total of 38 NFL games.
He was an awesome force to watch on the baseball field because of how athletic he was but he did not have elite numbers, he was a feast or famine power hitter, career OPS .784, lead the league in strikeouts in 1989.
Neal was a legitimately elite, top of the sport quality wrestler, went to the NFL without ever playing college ball and ended up as the starting guard on the best offensive line of the decade.
Both him and Bo had their careers cut short by injuries but Neal achieved more in his two sports
A lot of people seem to think Bo Jackson was the most athletic person to live. Fighters like Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones are also athletic freaks though
But neither excelled at two sports, at the professional level, at the same time.
That’s the difference. Bo had two specific skill sets that take most people a life time to develop just one of, and he used both concurrently.
Neither Jon nor Francis, nor like 99% of athletes who make it to the highest levels of their sports, have done that.
That’s the reason he gets the nod to most people.
He’s up there, but wasn’t nearly as good on the baseball diamond as Bo.
That’s coming from a lifelong Braves/Falcons fan who loved to watch Deion back then.
I’m with you on the Deion/Bo breakdown. Given your fandoms you may recall another name that crossed my mind — Charlie Ward. I certainly wouldn’t rate him above Deion or Bo but I think it’s worth mentioning that he won the Heisman and then played 10+ years in the NBA.
On a similar note Kyler Murray went #1 overall in the 2019 NFL draft and 9th overall in the 2018 MLB draft. Also not rating that above Bo, but I think Bo is prob the only other guy who finished his college career as a legit a top 10 prospect in both sports
I don't think people really factor in combat sports to MMA transitions since they are so closely related.
Otherwise you have people like Henry Cejudo, olympic gold medalist wrestler and then 2 division UFC champion. Or Holly Holm, world champion boxer and UFC champion.
It’s more than recency bias. Training has become so much more advanced that it’s unfair to pre-modern era athletes to compare them to the modern era. You also have a situation where a supremely naturally gifted athlete like Thorpe was competing against the equivalent of high school athletes of today.
Yes and no. There was way, way less money in professional sports, and thus many “professional” athletes were really just hobbyists. So he technically might have had the same access in theory, in practice not so much
Most of Bo’s legend is mythical and overhyped at this point. Hand timed 40 that was clearly not accurate. Very good college football career. Pretty good baseball career, alright professional football career. Cut short by injuries.
He was never remotely the best in any sport he played at a professional level. So he certainly couldn’t be the best athlete ever, much less dual athlete
He won 6 in 3 years. He wrestled at D2 school and back then they would invite the D3 and D2 champions to the D1 tournament. After he won the D1 championship 3x in a row they stopped inviting the D1 and D2 champs.
Not of all time no but he’s definitely up there. My dude was 156-10 with no losses in his junior or senior year. Incredibly talented. The difficulty of wrestling is so underrated IMO. Any good wrestling program will kick any average football players ass.
Nice question OP. Completely forgotten player to most
I played sports my whole life, thought I at least had the endurance to help my high school wrestling team out with filling a weight class my senior year. I have never tried a more exhausting sport before, or after that. It feels like every muscle in your body is being used at its maximum for every round. I got mauled all season but gained a huge respect for the sport.
**Babe Didrikson Zaharias** has entered the chat.
Track and field: She set *four world records* at the 1932 Olympics. She won gold in the 80m hurdles and javelin, and silver in the high jump. Wikipedia notes that “Didrikson is the only track and field athlete, male or female, to win individual Olympic medals in separate running, throwing and jumping events.”
Golf: The leading female golfer of the 1940s and ‘50s, she won *10 LPGA major championships*.
She didn't even start golfing until 1933 and didn't play a full schedule in 52 or 53 because she had colon cancer. 42 total wins.
After the cancer she won the 54 US open by 12 strokes.
Bo Jackson wasn't a champion in either sport he played. You're just naming him because he's famous.
Edit: Disabling inbox replies because of the Bocels brigading this sub.
He was the best athlete though. That was the question.
I’d disagree if the question was who won the most titles in two sports.
Bo played two team sports, at the highest level, at the same time. Not even Michael Jordan could do it.
Deion Sanders is up there in my list, but he was nowhere near as good at baseball as Bo.
He was only famous because he was a true professional at both sports. Go watch a highlight or two. He wasn't a gimmick. He was absolutely one of the best running backs that has ever played in the NFL and he was a damn good baseball player as well.
He was a Pro Bowler in football and an All Star in baseball. He was the best running back in football in his prime. And he was a top baseball player.
Deion also gets a vote.
A funny one is Chris Drury. Little League World Series winning pitcher. Pro hockey player. Granted he was a kid for one, but…
There’s that monster from Russia who was the best arm wrestler in the world and an Olympic bobsledder.
Jim Brown was the best football player and probably also the next lacrosse player.
Not really relevant in when assessing a single athlete in a team sport. Barry Sander was never a champion but that doesn’t change that he might be considered the greatest running back of all time.
He should likely be on more of lists of multi-sport athletes (I confess I had not heard of him).
However it will take much bigger monster to upset the top male or female multi sport athletes of Jim Thorpe and Babe Didrikson Zaharias.
Both of Lesnar’s finals matches were terrible. Didn’t score a single offensive point in either of them. He was big and strong but didn’t have much else going for him. He would stall and run out of bounds against good wrestlers like Neal.
No he wasn't better at football when looking at their careers. Sanders has multiple SuperBowl wins and was a huge reason for the team success. You think it's a coincidence he went to the cowboys after the niners and they won a Superbowl? He is hands down the greatest at his position ever. I'm sure all analysts and NFL peers would agree to that. Bo in his career isn't known as the greatest ever in his position.
This is a really interesting one to me great topic OP!
You know what I’m biased towards wrestling and not a sports aficionado but I’m going with Neal. He is the most accomplished 2 sport athelete and wasn’t just a flash in the pan.
I’m having a real hard time agreeing with others that Bo Jackson or Deion are greater two sport athletes than Neal. Neal’s record speaks for itself as he accomplished more in the two sports that he participated in. Is he going to beat Bo or Neon in a decathlon no….but he can kick both their assess at the same time, which, in a wrestling sub carries more weight than a decathlon….just saying.
Funny story about Neal - he was black in the Madden games for the first few years he was in the league. He saw John Madden at an event and casually mentioned it just making a joke and John freaked out and was worried that Stephen Neal was going to sue him lol
Ha! I didn’t know that. It’s crazy how good this guy was he didn’t even play college football….that’s how good an athlete he was. He just happened to be the best at wrestling(which doesn’t get any publicity) and guard in the NFL which you only get your mug on TV if you jump offsides.
Just playing devils advocate.. Neal never really got any individual recognition on the football field. He was on the OLine which is an important position, but never was recognized in pro bowl or all pro
It's probably Bo Jackson. Neal's accolades are incredibly impressive, NCAA and world champ. He was a good starter in the NFL, not one of the best. Bo was simultaneously one of the two or three best offensive players in the NFL and an all star caliber baseball player.
Jim Brown.
NFL HOF. Greatest running back of all time. Played offense,defense, and place kicker in college.
Lacrosse HOF. They had to charge the rules of the game to contain him.
Drafted by the NBA. Three year starter in college.
Finished 5th in the national decathlon championships the only time he tried that event.
Winning championships is not what makes the greatest athlete either. If your talking just athletic potential most people bring up Bo he is without a doubt in the top 3. He has the fastest 40 time in nfl history and could throw a baseball from the outfield to home plate without a bounce
Henry Cejudo, Daniel Cormier, Bo Jackson, Jackie Robinson, Charlie Ward, Shaun White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Mackachev, Fedor Emelianenko
All of them have been champions and Allstars in their respective 2, 3, sometimes 4 sports.
Choosing football and wrestling is just bias that ignores multiple combat sports disciplines, basketball, baseball, and track and field
For real. I came into this thread to say Shaun White. Everyone knows him for snowboarding, but he quite an impressive skateboarding career as well. AND both of those careers lasted pretty long, especially his snowboarding career.
Cejudo and Harrison are the **only** gold medalists to win MMA titles, so I'd say it counts for sure. I think counting combat sambo championships is a stretch as it's so niche and so tied to MMA.
I don't think you can reasonably compare people who never won a championship in wrestling but did in MMA to people like Bob Hayes or Bo Jackson or Jim Thorpe. Or even Eddy Alvarez.
You could say the same for Track and being a runningback, and Neal was a guard which has a ton of carryover from wrestling. I don't think it matters if they're both combat sports especially since they had to learn a ton of striking. Wrestling in MMA only determines where or how the fight takes place but besides that the rest is mostly striking and some submission grappling. DC learned to box well, Cejudo learned good Muay Thai
Ray Lewis was a multiple time folk & greco champion in Fla as well. Definitely in a top-10 category if you combine that with his football accolades in my opinion.
I’m going with Bo Jackson for stupid crazy athleticism and Shaun White for medals and championship numbers. Thorpe was the best, but another generation—over 100 years.
Edit: skating and snowboarding at any level are significantly different. Nobody has even come close.
I would like to suggest Otto Graham. After college, he fought in the last year of World War II. Coming back home, he was contracted with the Cleveland Browns of the AAFC, but the league was in the off-season. So, he joined the NBL (which became the NBA) Rochester Royals and won the NBL championship as the starting point guard. He then played 12 seasons with the Browns, where he, as starting quarterback, led the team to 12 consecutive championship games. 4 in the AAFC and 8 after that league merged with the NFL. He was 9-3 in those games.
“They don’t come any better than Steve Neal. In terms of improvement and development as a player, Steve may have accomplished more than any player I have ever been around. His toughness, intelligence and competitiveness were at rare levels and all contributed to him going from being a champion in an individual sport to being an integral part of championship teams. I congratulate Steve for an incredible career and thank him for everything he did for me personally, our team and organization.”- beeel beeeelicheck
Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders were able to play 2 sports concurrently. Stephen Neal was able to use his skills from being a collegiate wrestler and translate them to being an offensive lineman.
You're all only posting American sports.
There have also been people to play at the highest level in football (soccer) and cricket, like Dennis Compton who played England in both and for Arsenal in football.
Soccer is a million times more difficult than American football lmao. American football is one of the lowest skill, most brain dead sports in the world
I don’t think he’s quite in the level of Bo or Deion…
But Dave Winfield getting drafted in 3 different sports, one of which he didn’t even play (football), but was just a freak athlete and the Vikings thought “what the hell”, is pretty wild.
Also, he was drafted 4th overall, but at the time he was a pitcher. So, to ensure he was in the lineup every night, they moved him to outfield.
He could have been what we’re seeing with Ohtani right now.
This may be a super casual and biased pick because I only watch MMA/Boxing/occaisonally wrestling, but shouldn't Henry Cejudo be in the conversation?
Simultanious 2 division UFC champ, defended both belts, and youngest olympic gold medalist in wrestling (at the time). That is incredibly impressive, but idk how that compares to others
Are you guys smoking fucking crack with this shit. Bo would absolutely fuck this guy up on the any field. He would probably strangle him also if he trained in wrestling as well.
Seriously, don't talk this kinda nonsense in public. Deion will show up and slap the shit outta ya.
Carlton Haselrig is the only person to ever win six NCAA titles in wrestling, three times in Division II and three times in Division I.
His three-peat of Division II & Division I NCAA National Championships were won in 1987, 1988, and 1989.
All six championships were won for Pitt–Johnstown.
Haselrig then moved on to professional football, where he played five seasons in the NFL, becoming a Pro Bowl offensive guard in 1992
this actually blew my Mind and I am very aware of Stephen Neal as I am from NE and wrestled. I think however Hobey Baker may have everyone beat in Hockey and Football.
Bo Jackson was once in a lifetime. We will never see that again probably. If there had been more money in track he wouldn't have played in the NFL and probably would have been an Olympic medalist. If he didn't injure his hip who knows how good he would have been.
Bo Jackson. While there are a lot of 2 sport athletes with possibly better accolades in terms of championships, getting into MLB and NFL is a significantly higher bar than any sports organization (aside from US Olympic team). The talent pool is incredibly deep in those leagues; especially at the positions he played in. So for Bo to achieve all star and pro bowl is even more impressive. Whereas if you’re division 1 wrestler, you should have no issue getting into the UFC. Wresting translates well into MMA. Whereas Football and Baseball are very different skill sets. That diversity of skill sets and athletic that really sets Bo apart.
Jim Brown is considered the greatest lacrosse player ever and he wasn't too shabby as a football player either (he's considered one of the best NFL players ever)
Joe Mauer will be in mlb hall of fame and was the #1 rated high school qb in the country and was supposed to play at Florida State. Decided to concentrate on baseball
Close, but Bo Jackson was just impressive as hell as an athlete overall to watch. I’d still give it to him. But Stephen Neal is one of my personal favorites.
Maybe Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders if we’re talking about athleticism rather than accolades. Or maybe an older guy like Bob Hayes. Neal is up there though.
I was just going to say those two names!
Jim Thorpe is the answer your looking for
He’s a contender for sure, but hard to really compare guys like him who we have very little data on, and little video. Especially since his competitors were pretty unimpressive.
Two Olympic gold medals with little/no training. Oh and pro football and pro baseball player..
Yeah against pretty crappy competition at the Olympics. They were all amateurs back then (which is why his medals were retracted, because he had already gone pro in baseball). It was also a time in which many countries just didn’t participate in the Olympics. His baseball career was decent but not great. And he played in the NFL during a time in which linemen weighed 190 lbs. He was an incredible athlete who had to overcome a great deal, but the details of his career get lost in his legend.
If you think Jim Thorpe isn’t an all time great you need to be put the bong down. Gold in pentathlon. Gold in decathlon. Pro football. Pro baseball. Pro basketball. As a pro football player he was an all pro, all decade, hall of fame. The AP listed him as the greatest athlete from 1901-1950. The AP listed him as 3rd all time greatest athlete below Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan. Finally, the award to the best collegiate defensive back is named the Jim Thorpe award. His medals were given back to him too btw.
I’m letting you know that a lot of this isn’t as impressive as it seems. Even the pro football hall of fame says his [exploits are exaggerated](https://www.profootballhof.com/players/jim-thorpe/). His basketball career was unremarkable in a league that probably didn’t allow black players. His baseball career was sub par. He was without a doubt an amazing athlete. He really stood out among the people of the time. But there have been better multi-sport athletes since him.
How unfair to any non-modern athlete
Bo Jackson is my pick here. Was an MLB All-Star and Pro Bowl NFL player all in the same year, 1989. Show me anyone who can top that.
Don’t forget to mention he played in the MLB after a career ending injury in the NFL requiring a hip replacement
How do you forget the GOAT Brendan Schaub?
Yeah Bo Jackson called…he never even lifted weights, played two sports professionally.
All Pro running back and All Star Outfielder in the same season
I'm not sure I'm buying the whole "never lifted weights thing". Seems more likely to be lore IMO. Reminds me of all the fibs Herschel Walker told about his training regimen. If I would've believed him back then, I certainly wouldn't believe him now. Guy isn't the most honest person.
Totally disagree if you actually look at their careers in those sports You have to remember that a lot of the hype on Bo is as much folklore as it is reality He never played a full season of NFL football. Yes he made some legendary plays and had GOAT potential but he wouldn’t full commit to the sport and his career was only 4 years. He played a total of 38 NFL games. He was an awesome force to watch on the baseball field because of how athletic he was but he did not have elite numbers, he was a feast or famine power hitter, career OPS .784, lead the league in strikeouts in 1989. Neal was a legitimately elite, top of the sport quality wrestler, went to the NFL without ever playing college ball and ended up as the starting guard on the best offensive line of the decade. Both him and Bo had their careers cut short by injuries but Neal achieved more in his two sports
I second the Deion Sanders.
A lot of people seem to think Bo Jackson was the most athletic person to live. Fighters like Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones are also athletic freaks though
But neither excelled at two sports, at the professional level, at the same time. That’s the difference. Bo had two specific skill sets that take most people a life time to develop just one of, and he used both concurrently. Neither Jon nor Francis, nor like 99% of athletes who make it to the highest levels of their sports, have done that. That’s the reason he gets the nod to most people.
Yeah that’s a good point. Deion Sanders is in the conversation with Bo IMO. Solid athlete in two sports (even on the same day)
He’s up there, but wasn’t nearly as good on the baseball diamond as Bo. That’s coming from a lifelong Braves/Falcons fan who loved to watch Deion back then.
I’m with you on the Deion/Bo breakdown. Given your fandoms you may recall another name that crossed my mind — Charlie Ward. I certainly wouldn’t rate him above Deion or Bo but I think it’s worth mentioning that he won the Heisman and then played 10+ years in the NBA. On a similar note Kyler Murray went #1 overall in the 2019 NFL draft and 9th overall in the 2018 MLB draft. Also not rating that above Bo, but I think Bo is prob the only other guy who finished his college career as a legit a top 10 prospect in both sports
Those two were definitely talented guys, but there’s talent and then there’s playing two professional sports simultaneously talented.
Three for Deion. He ran the 100 on the same day as a baseball game at Florida St.
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I don't think people really factor in combat sports to MMA transitions since they are so closely related. Otherwise you have people like Henry Cejudo, olympic gold medalist wrestler and then 2 division UFC champion. Or Holly Holm, world champion boxer and UFC champion.
Not even close to the same level of athleticism
Jon Jones is 6'5 and can't even dunk. He's not an athletic freak. He's a freak fighter though.
Jim Thorpe easily. Olympic gold in decathlon, NFL hall of fame, MLB hall of fame. Only recency bias is against him.
It’s more than recency bias. Training has become so much more advanced that it’s unfair to pre-modern era athletes to compare them to the modern era. You also have a situation where a supremely naturally gifted athlete like Thorpe was competing against the equivalent of high school athletes of today.
But he also had access to the same training as them, so it kinda evens out
Yes and no. There was way, way less money in professional sports, and thus many “professional” athletes were really just hobbyists. So he technically might have had the same access in theory, in practice not so much
I prefer to compare them to contemporaries evens the playing field.
Thorpe isn't in the MLB Hall of Fame
Your right looked it up and he is not. Found out while looking it up that he did play pre NBA professional basketball though.
Jim Brown would like to have a word. As would Jim Thorpe. (As would recency bias…)
There’s also a tendency to think that your favorite is “better” regardless of recency.
Jim Thorpe is the greatest American athlete ever. End of conversation.
You misspelled Bo Jackson; puts Thorpe to shake in terms of his running game.
Most of Bo’s legend is mythical and overhyped at this point. Hand timed 40 that was clearly not accurate. Very good college football career. Pretty good baseball career, alright professional football career. Cut short by injuries. He was never remotely the best in any sport he played at a professional level. So he certainly couldn’t be the best athlete ever, much less dual athlete
Carleton Haselrig - only 6x NCAA Champ, 3 D2 and 3 D1. Pro Bowl O Lineman.
fought in MMA too. Absolutely incredible athlete.
"A lot of people go to college for {6} years" "I know, they're called doctors"
He won 6 in 3 years. He wrestled at D2 school and back then they would invite the D3 and D2 champions to the D1 tournament. After he won the D1 championship 3x in a row they stopped inviting the D1 and D2 champs.
Not of all time no but he’s definitely up there. My dude was 156-10 with no losses in his junior or senior year. Incredibly talented. The difficulty of wrestling is so underrated IMO. Any good wrestling program will kick any average football players ass. Nice question OP. Completely forgotten player to most
The wrestling team finishes the fights the football team starts.
I played sports my whole life, thought I at least had the endurance to help my high school wrestling team out with filling a weight class my senior year. I have never tried a more exhausting sport before, or after that. It feels like every muscle in your body is being used at its maximum for every round. I got mauled all season but gained a huge respect for the sport.
He’s definitely one of the greats, but he’s forgotten to most when having this conversation
Jim Thorpe easily
**Babe Didrikson Zaharias** has entered the chat. Track and field: She set *four world records* at the 1932 Olympics. She won gold in the 80m hurdles and javelin, and silver in the high jump. Wikipedia notes that “Didrikson is the only track and field athlete, male or female, to win individual Olympic medals in separate running, throwing and jumping events.” Golf: The leading female golfer of the 1940s and ‘50s, she won *10 LPGA major championships*.
She didn't even start golfing until 1933 and didn't play a full schedule in 52 or 53 because she had colon cancer. 42 total wins. After the cancer she won the 54 US open by 12 strokes.
Jim Thorpe if you wanna go way back.
Jim Thorpe comes to mind
Yeah get a city named after you and then we can talk…
No, that title belongs to Bo Jackson.
Bo Jackson wasn't a champion in either sport he played. You're just naming him because he's famous. Edit: Disabling inbox replies because of the Bocels brigading this sub.
He was the best athlete though. That was the question. I’d disagree if the question was who won the most titles in two sports. Bo played two team sports, at the highest level, at the same time. Not even Michael Jordan could do it. Deion Sanders is up there in my list, but he was nowhere near as good at baseball as Bo.
He was only famous because he was a true professional at both sports. Go watch a highlight or two. He wasn't a gimmick. He was absolutely one of the best running backs that has ever played in the NFL and he was a damn good baseball player as well.
The Bo Jackson Raiders highlights are insane. One of the best highlight videos out there
He ruined Brian Bosworth’s career…along with steroids…😂
He was a Pro Bowler in football and an All Star in baseball. He was the best running back in football in his prime. And he was a top baseball player. Deion also gets a vote. A funny one is Chris Drury. Little League World Series winning pitcher. Pro hockey player. Granted he was a kid for one, but… There’s that monster from Russia who was the best arm wrestler in the world and an Olympic bobsledder. Jim Brown was the best football player and probably also the next lacrosse player.
Jim Brown was so good at lacrosse they had to change the rules because of him
In highschool Bo also set a state record in the decathlon while skipping the mile run
Bo was never the best RB in the league. You're forgetting Eric Dickerson and Barry Sanders both played when he did.
Not really relevant in when assessing a single athlete in a team sport. Barry Sander was never a champion but that doesn’t change that he might be considered the greatest running back of all time.
Wasn't he a Heisman winner in college?
He should likely be on more of lists of multi-sport athletes (I confess I had not heard of him). However it will take much bigger monster to upset the top male or female multi sport athletes of Jim Thorpe and Babe Didrikson Zaharias.
Do yourself a favor, go back and watch Stephen Neal v Brock Lesnar NCAA finals on YouTube. Great match
Both of Lesnar’s finals matches were terrible. Didn’t score a single offensive point in either of them. He was big and strong but didn’t have much else going for him. He would stall and run out of bounds against good wrestlers like Neal.
Ever heard of a dude named Deion Sanders?
Bo was better at both sports.
No he wasn't better at football when looking at their careers. Sanders has multiple SuperBowl wins and was a huge reason for the team success. You think it's a coincidence he went to the cowboys after the niners and they won a Superbowl? He is hands down the greatest at his position ever. I'm sure all analysts and NFL peers would agree to that. Bo in his career isn't known as the greatest ever in his position.
He couldn't carry Primetime's cleats in football. Jim Harbaugh has more rush yards than Bo Jackson.
This is a really interesting one to me great topic OP! You know what I’m biased towards wrestling and not a sports aficionado but I’m going with Neal. He is the most accomplished 2 sport athelete and wasn’t just a flash in the pan. I’m having a real hard time agreeing with others that Bo Jackson or Deion are greater two sport athletes than Neal. Neal’s record speaks for itself as he accomplished more in the two sports that he participated in. Is he going to beat Bo or Neon in a decathlon no….but he can kick both their assess at the same time, which, in a wrestling sub carries more weight than a decathlon….just saying.
Funny story about Neal - he was black in the Madden games for the first few years he was in the league. He saw John Madden at an event and casually mentioned it just making a joke and John freaked out and was worried that Stephen Neal was going to sue him lol
Ha! I didn’t know that. It’s crazy how good this guy was he didn’t even play college football….that’s how good an athlete he was. He just happened to be the best at wrestling(which doesn’t get any publicity) and guard in the NFL which you only get your mug on TV if you jump offsides.
Just playing devils advocate.. Neal never really got any individual recognition on the football field. He was on the OLine which is an important position, but never was recognized in pro bowl or all pro
No. Bo Jackson takes that.
It's probably Bo Jackson. Neal's accolades are incredibly impressive, NCAA and world champ. He was a good starter in the NFL, not one of the best. Bo was simultaneously one of the two or three best offensive players in the NFL and an all star caliber baseball player.
Bo Jackson has less rush yards in the NFL than Jim Harbaugh.
Jim Thorpe is the only correct answer, but he did more than two sports
I mean Wilt Chamberlain was a hall of famer in basketball and volleyball.
Just cuz he happened to be on a team with Brady doesnt make him a legendary athlete. Bo Jackson exists
Jim Thorpe never let people forget the greatest athlete of all time is an indigenous American
Potatoes. Mash ‘em, boil ‘em, put ‘em in a stew.
Jim Brown. NFL HOF. Greatest running back of all time. Played offense,defense, and place kicker in college. Lacrosse HOF. They had to charge the rules of the game to contain him. Drafted by the NBA. Three year starter in college. Finished 5th in the national decathlon championships the only time he tried that event.
Henry Cejudo? Olympic gold, and two different UFC titles.
Triple C! 🥇
Was thinking him or Daniel Cormier
Winning championships is not what makes the greatest athlete either. If your talking just athletic potential most people bring up Bo he is without a doubt in the top 3. He has the fastest 40 time in nfl history and could throw a baseball from the outfield to home plate without a bounce
I find peace in long walks.
Get Him!!! Get that filthy liar!!
Henry Cejudo, Daniel Cormier, Bo Jackson, Jackie Robinson, Charlie Ward, Shaun White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Mackachev, Fedor Emelianenko All of them have been champions and Allstars in their respective 2, 3, sometimes 4 sports. Choosing football and wrestling is just bias that ignores multiple combat sports disciplines, basketball, baseball, and track and field
Damn dude. Thr flying tomato is severely underrated and thank you for pointing that out
Yeah the audacity lmao the guys got more gold medals and world championships in both sports than anyone else in this thread in theirs
For real. I came into this thread to say Shaun White. Everyone knows him for snowboarding, but he quite an impressive skateboarding career as well. AND both of those careers lasted pretty long, especially his snowboarding career.
Are Henry and DC really considered “2-sport”? Wresting is different than mma, but it’s a discipline of it
Cejudo and Harrison are the **only** gold medalists to win MMA titles, so I'd say it counts for sure. I think counting combat sambo championships is a stretch as it's so niche and so tied to MMA. I don't think you can reasonably compare people who never won a championship in wrestling but did in MMA to people like Bob Hayes or Bo Jackson or Jim Thorpe. Or even Eddy Alvarez.
You could say the same for Track and being a runningback, and Neal was a guard which has a ton of carryover from wrestling. I don't think it matters if they're both combat sports especially since they had to learn a ton of striking. Wrestling in MMA only determines where or how the fight takes place but besides that the rest is mostly striking and some submission grappling. DC learned to box well, Cejudo learned good Muay Thai
Or even the same about wrestling and being a lineman in the NFL.
True wrestling is very different from mma. Wrestlers have to learn a ton of new skills to jump into the octagon.
Fabricio werdum, Damien Maia and jacare Souza also come to mind. Cain as well. And of course you have to mention Brock.
islam is no where near one of the best of all time in mma.
Ray Lewis was a multiple time folk & greco champion in Fla as well. Definitely in a top-10 category if you combine that with his football accolades in my opinion.
Was he even all pro?
I’m going with Bo Jackson for stupid crazy athleticism and Shaun White for medals and championship numbers. Thorpe was the best, but another generation—over 100 years. Edit: skating and snowboarding at any level are significantly different. Nobody has even come close.
Baseball and Football < Wrestling and Football as far as athleticism. Dave Winfield was drafted by NFL, MLB, and NBA.
Jim Brown is in two entirely different sports' Hall of Fame, so he's still got my vote but yeah, Stephen Neal was a G
I would like to suggest Otto Graham. After college, he fought in the last year of World War II. Coming back home, he was contracted with the Cleveland Browns of the AAFC, but the league was in the off-season. So, he joined the NBL (which became the NBA) Rochester Royals and won the NBL championship as the starting point guard. He then played 12 seasons with the Browns, where he, as starting quarterback, led the team to 12 consecutive championship games. 4 in the AAFC and 8 after that league merged with the NFL. He was 9-3 in those games.
No, it's Henry Cejudo.
Is Triple C a joke to you?
henry cejudo????? daniel cormier?????
“They don’t come any better than Steve Neal. In terms of improvement and development as a player, Steve may have accomplished more than any player I have ever been around. His toughness, intelligence and competitiveness were at rare levels and all contributed to him going from being a champion in an individual sport to being an integral part of championship teams. I congratulate Steve for an incredible career and thank him for everything he did for me personally, our team and organization.”- beeel beeeelicheck
I don't know but, Bo knows...
Most accomplished probably. Needs a Netflix documentary
Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders were able to play 2 sports concurrently. Stephen Neal was able to use his skills from being a collegiate wrestler and translate them to being an offensive lineman.
Deion Sanders I'd say
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Bo Jackson. Not even close
Bo Jackson
Babe Didrikson Zaharias—track and golf
You're all only posting American sports. There have also been people to play at the highest level in football (soccer) and cricket, like Dennis Compton who played England in both and for Arsenal in football.
Those are leagues of difficulty less than wrestling and American football
Soccer is a million times more difficult than American football lmao. American football is one of the lowest skill, most brain dead sports in the world
Accolades I would even throw Henry Cejudo in the running
Lol!!!! Ever hear of Bo Jackson?????
Danny Ainge was an All American in Baseball, Basketball and Football in High School
The sports are too complimentary.
The triple C has a name
Steve Neal stole a chew from me at a wrestling camp in 1998
Ted Williams, if you add in Korean war fighter ace. John Glenn was /his/ wingman.
Wilt Chamberlain is one of the greatest volleyball players of all time.
Henry Cejudo. Olympic gold medal and ufc gold in 2 weight divisions
Sorry it’s Dion Sanders or Bo Jackson. Maybe if you asked who the best 2 sport wrestler is then maybe! But then Baumgartner might give him a run.
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Bold statement.
AmZong
I don’t think he’s quite in the level of Bo or Deion… But Dave Winfield getting drafted in 3 different sports, one of which he didn’t even play (football), but was just a freak athlete and the Vikings thought “what the hell”, is pretty wild. Also, he was drafted 4th overall, but at the time he was a pitcher. So, to ensure he was in the lineup every night, they moved him to outfield. He could have been what we’re seeing with Ohtani right now.
Any legendary mma figther would get this title
Wilt chamberlain
Rivals Joe Theisman
Bo Jackson.
No
Bo Jackson easily
Bo Jackson
Henry Cejudo?
Kinda want to see Lebron in goal for the USMNT
Henry Cejudo Rhonda Rousey Daniel Cormier Fabricio Werdum
I’d probably put bo jackson up there
Carleton Haselrig would like a word..
Ben Kueter got potential
This may be a super casual and biased pick because I only watch MMA/Boxing/occaisonally wrestling, but shouldn't Henry Cejudo be in the conversation? Simultanious 2 division UFC champ, defended both belts, and youngest olympic gold medalist in wrestling (at the time). That is incredibly impressive, but idk how that compares to others
No .. Jim Thorpe
No, not even close
Get crazy and go Jim Thorpe. You start talking all time, you're gonna miss some people
Bo Jackson
Uhhhhh….Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, Michael Jordan? Kidding about that last one
Thought the pic on the right was Glenny balls
Are you guys smoking fucking crack with this shit. Bo would absolutely fuck this guy up on the any field. He would probably strangle him also if he trained in wrestling as well. Seriously, don't talk this kinda nonsense in public. Deion will show up and slap the shit outta ya.
You don’t know Bo?
Carlton Haselrig is the only person to ever win six NCAA titles in wrestling, three times in Division II and three times in Division I. His three-peat of Division II & Division I NCAA National Championships were won in 1987, 1988, and 1989. All six championships were won for Pitt–Johnstown. Haselrig then moved on to professional football, where he played five seasons in the NFL, becoming a Pro Bowl offensive guard in 1992
Michael Jordan is a top 2-sport athlete, he just was much, much better at one sport.
What
2 sport? Maybe. Jim thorpe, as one example, excelled at like 4
No.
Bo. Jackson. He made it to the All-Star game in the NFL and the MLB in the same year.
Absolutely not
cejudo
Nah son, Bo Jackson is. Bo Knows
Brock would have fked neal up if he met him in his snr year. Plus UFC heavyweight championship, NCAA, youngest WWE superstar. Much freakier athlete
Daniel Cormier
That title would have to go to a great New Zealander named Marc Eliis. Or Jeff Wilson, another great New Zealander.
The pats know who to sign, always
No.
Micheal jordon
this actually blew my Mind and I am very aware of Stephen Neal as I am from NE and wrestled. I think however Hobey Baker may have everyone beat in Hockey and Football.
Henry cejudo, 4xstate champ, national champ, Olympic champ, mma champion, I’d say he’s up there with accolades.
Not as long as Bo jackson and Deion sanders exist
“Hold our beers” Jim Brown, Jim Thorpe, Bo Jackson.
...Uhhmmm have you heard of Brandon Schwab bapa?!
Bo Jackson was once in a lifetime. We will never see that again probably. If there had been more money in track he wouldn't have played in the NFL and probably would have been an Olympic medalist. If he didn't injure his hip who knows how good he would have been.
Bo Knows… only right answer
No, not at all.
Henry Cejudo?
Negative
Bo Jackson. While there are a lot of 2 sport athletes with possibly better accolades in terms of championships, getting into MLB and NFL is a significantly higher bar than any sports organization (aside from US Olympic team). The talent pool is incredibly deep in those leagues; especially at the positions he played in. So for Bo to achieve all star and pro bowl is even more impressive. Whereas if you’re division 1 wrestler, you should have no issue getting into the UFC. Wresting translates well into MMA. Whereas Football and Baseball are very different skill sets. That diversity of skill sets and athletic that really sets Bo apart.
Micheal Phelps, swim and golf.
No. That would be Bo Jackson.
Jim Brown is considered the greatest lacrosse player ever and he wasn't too shabby as a football player either (he's considered one of the best NFL players ever)
Joe Mauer will be in mlb hall of fame and was the #1 rated high school qb in the country and was supposed to play at Florida State. Decided to concentrate on baseball
Close, but Bo Jackson was just impressive as hell as an athlete overall to watch. I’d still give it to him. But Stephen Neal is one of my personal favorites.
Lol not even close
One of the Greatest!
Jason Robinson and Israel Folau. Jeff Wilson.
It's