In real life, Ed O’Neill’s football glory days were played on the college fields of Youngstown and Ohio University as a burly defensive lineman who got there on a scholarship. At his peak, the gifted athlete was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. When he was cut at training camp, O’Neill went for acting instead. On Married with Children, he was Al Bundy, the uproarious shoe salesman who, from his permanent position on the couch, bemoaned his glory days as a high school football star while his bimbo wife, Peg, never missed a chance to emasculate him with biting wit.
He bit back. O’Neill hit it big again as a different kind of dad with Modern Family, for which he has been nominated for three Emmys. As an athlete, he stays in shape, playing handball and practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He earned his black belt in 2007.
Jane Lynch
Jane Lynch towers at 1.83m, so it should come as no surprise that the Glee star was a super basketball and softball player before she hit our screens. While she was really good, especially due to her height, she actually wasn't a big fan of basketball, but she did love softball.
She is a proud club fan these days, and by the looks of her character, Sue, from Glee, she's probably a monster on the court.
Gwen Stefani
It's no accident that Gwen Stefani has one incredible body. While she may maintain it with a rigorous workout routine, the No Doubt solo-ist got her amazing stature and strength from being on the swim team at Loara High School.
These days, the 43-year-old religiously sticks to cardio exercises and jumping around on stage, admitting that the only way to maintain her body is "to eat healthily, work out, and torture yourself!" she told Harper's Bazaar ."
Chuck Connors
As a seriously incredible athlete shining in both the NBA and MLB, Chuck Connors was a household name. Sure being in both sports may have been more acceptable in the 1940s, but that was still mightily impressive.
The old legend went from owning the sports field to conquering the screen with a successful career in mostly television Westerns. His most famous part was as the star in "The Rifleman," which ran for 168 episodes.
Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum made his way into the entertainment industry as a male stripper at an exotic dance club. But, how do you think he got that great body? The fact is, he’s an incredible athlete who played college football on a scholarship, excelled at all sports in high school, and trained in martial arts. Exotic dancing turned into a modeling career with Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, and Nautica all clamoring for his chiseled bod.
A fortuitous spot on Ricky Martin’s music video, “She Bangs,” earned him four hundred bucks and a big break into film acting. We all know him in 21 Jump Street, Coach Carter, Step Up, and She’s The Man. Just as his stint as an exotic dancer prepared him for Magic Mike, his martial arts and tough tackling skills cued him for action roles. By 2012, Channing became the “sexiest man alive,” according to People magazine.