A spectacular summer of sport continues with the 105th renewal of the National Football League. The NFL 2024/25 campaign begins in earnest on Thursday, 5th September, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, where the Kansas City Chiefs play the Baltimore Ravens. A highly exciting game awaits, opening what’s sure to be another fast-paced and unpredictable campaign. Sports fans can follow the play live on television and the best live-streaming apps.
Are you excited for the new season? Between now and the Super Bowl in New Orleans in February, the world will catch football fever. Which team do you expect to blaze a trail of glory and be crowned champions before millions of viewers in Louisiana? The most popular apps offering Vegas betting online predict a successful year for Kansas, with the Chiefs installed as the early betting favorites. Odds-makers also have high hopes for the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, and the Cincinnati Bengals.
With football trades, predictions, and gossip dominating the headlines, it got us thinking about some musically-minded football stars. In this article, our music content writers and sports fans took the opportunity to combine our passions and create an article that’s a little different. We reveal a list of our three favorite NFL stars who are also talented musicians. Some of those mentioned on this page are better than others, but every name shares a passion for the industry and has used their substantial savings to bankroll a second career.
We have an explosive running back who released a mixtape and a wide receiver who achieved success on the field and in front of the mic. Do you know about the Arizona Cardinals player who is a remarkable pianist? Keep reading as we shine the spotlight on these multi-talented men with an unrelenting will to succeed in everything they do, including music.
Le’Veon Bell
Football fans will remember Le’Veon Bell for his performances as an explosive NFL running back. He broke onto the scene with the Pittsburgh Steelers, instantly becoming a fan favorite thanks to his all-action style of play. But he had more to offer the world than his football skills, and Bell didn’t keep his love for music in the locker room.
Bell shared his talent for rap music with his Steelers teammates before making the jump and releasing a mixtape during the 2017 season. Combining his passions, Le’Veon often rapped about the struggles and pressures of playing professional football and being in the public eye, giving fans an insight into his private life and what goes on behind the scenes. The mixtape proved a success, leading to his debut album a year later. Entitled Life’s a Gamble, critics praised its authenticity and bravery.
Juggling careers in football and music is no mean feat, but Bell used rap as a way to help offload some of the pressures of life. He’s not the first athlete to use rap as an outlet for self-expression, but Bell is certainly one of football’s more talented rappers.
Cole Beasley
If you follow the National Football League on television, chances are you’ll know the name Cole Beasley. The well-traveled wide receiver enjoyed a successful football career, appearing for major teams, including the Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills. He was respected in the game as a reliable pair of hands, but did you know he also possessed a talent for music?
Beasley is another football player who loves rap music. He has released music that confronts his battles and experiences both on and off the field of play. Cole released his debut album in 2018, and it was well-received by both football fans and critics thanks to its upbeat, catchy lyrics. A talented songwriter, Cole is one of only a few athletes who is genuinely respected by his peers in the music industry.
Playing football and winning games was always Beasley’s priority, but he used music as a way to express himself and offload some of the pressures of competing at the top level. Thanks to an unrelenting work ethic and genuine passion for his craft, he is able to balance both careers.
Larry Fitzgerald
Larry Fitzgerald will go down in sporting history as one of the most talented wide receivers ever to play in the NFL. Enjoying legendary status in the game, Larry enjoys a global following thanks to his performances in the famous colors of the Arizona Cardinals, where he played his entire career. He remains a Cardinals legend, but his football success overshadows a real talent for playing the piano.
Fitzgerald began taking piano lessons as a small boy, developing a passion for the instrument that he followed into adulthood. You may wonder how one of the game’s great players could find time to perfect the piano, but he used it as a tool to help him find balance in his life. He often played the piano after games and during the off-season as a way to relax, escaping from the mental fatigue of a results-driven and unforgiving business.
Unlike Bell and Beasley, Fitzgerald preferred to keep his passion for music private, playing only for family, friends, and teammates. However, his skills were well known and respected in the sport, reminding fans that not all skills need to be commercialized. Music helped bring Larry peace, and his performances in the NFL proved that it worked. He’s certainly one of the game’s most talented figures.
Notable mentions
The three men mentioned in this article stand apart as football’s most talented musicians. They used music to help them cope with the demands of life as professional athletes and celebrities. But they were also trailblazers, showing the next generation of footballers how music can enhance their lives and how they can share their passions with the world.
Bell, Beasley, and Fitzgerald aren’t the only talented musicians from the NFL, of course. Football hardman Brandon Marshall deserves a mention. He released several hip-hop tracks, while the hard-hitting Derrick Henry is a talented singer. These men are remembered in sports as players with the bravery to step out of their comfort zones and prove they are much more than footballers.