5 NFL players who were in the military

We consider NFL players to be heroes in the loosest sense of the word and the military personnel heroes in the truest sense. The former are well-paid athletes who sometimes lead a lavish lifestyle but do sacrifice years of preparation to entertain us. Then there are the military personnel who are ready to sacrifice their lives to keep us safe.

We look at some players who began in the military. Note that this list does not include many honorable people who began as NFL players and then transitioned to the military like the great Pat Tillman. Here we only look at such heroes who were in the military before playing in the NFL.

Military personnel who played in the NFL

#1 - Chuck Bednarik

Chuck Bednarik was drafted into the Army at the age of 18 and was a World War II veteran before joining the NFL. He had 30 missions flying over Germany and for his efforts he was awarded with the Air Medal, four Oak Leaf Clusters and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon.

Since the military is being recognized at the #SBLIII we wanted to share the story of Chuck Bednarik. “Concrete Charlie” left for training before he could pick up his high school diploma...he joined the US Army Air Corps. Read ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/M5p7wiTecx

— College Football Hall of Fame (@cfbhall) February 3, 2019

He played in the NFL from 1949 to 1962 for the Philadelphia Eagles and lined up on both sides of the ball. For his achievements on the football field, he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

#2 - Roger Staubach

Roger Staubach was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1964. As a graduate of the Naval Academy, he had to serve in the military for five years before he could finally join up with his franchise.

Roger Staubach gave up 4 years of his NFL prime to serve his country. He volunteered to go to Vietnam... And yeah, he's absolutely one of the 10 best QBs ever. pic.twitter.com/Yp95Oux9LR

— Ian O'Connor (@Ian_OConnor) December 28, 2019

Having kept himself match ready during his assignments to Vietnam, he played 11 seasons as a quarterback from 1969, winning two Super Bowls along the way. He was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1985.

#3 - Chad Hennings

Chad Hennings is another Dallas Cowboys player who served in the military prior to joining up with the team. He was drafted in 1988, but as part of the Air Force, he could only begin his career in 1992. He subsequently played nine seasons as a defensive tackle in the NFL, winning three Super Bowls.

Happy birthday @usairforce – As we celebrate #NFL100, it is important to honor those who serve including the brave men and women of our Air Force, which turns 72 today.Chad Hennings (below) won three Super Bowls with the @dallascowboys after serving four years in the Air Force. pic.twitter.com/w3k9jS28vd

— NFL (@NFL) September 18, 2019

#4 - Bryce Fisher

Bryce Fisher was also in the Air Force for two years before joining up with the Buffalo Bills in 2001, having been drafted in 1999. A defensive lineman, he also played for the St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans.

Bryce Fisher was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1999, but he would have to wait before taking the field. He served two years of active duty in the Air Force. He rejoined the Bills in 2001, & played for the St. Louis Rams and won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks in 2005. pic.twitter.com/y71vb9FkHd

— Operation Hat Trick (@SupportOHT) June 3, 2021

#5 - Caleb Campbell

Caleb Campbell, like the two military heroes above, joined the NFL two years after he was drafted in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

Detroit drafts Caleb Campbell, S Army, with the 218th pick.

— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) April 27, 2008

His branch of service, though, was the Army. His primary position was defensive back.