What NFL player was a Rhodes Scholar?

The prominent NFL player who was a Rhodes Scholar is Myron Rolle, a former Florida State safety drafted by the Tennessee Titans, who famously delayed his NFL career to study at Oxford University, earning a Master's degree before becoming a neurosurgeon. Rolle is known for his remarkable journey from football star to Rhodes Scholar to a practicing pediatric neurosurgeon.

What famous people were Rhodes Scholars?

Famous Rhodes Scholars include U.S. Presidents (Bill Clinton), politicians (Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Susan Rice, Bill Bradley), musicians (Kris Kristofferson), journalists (Rachel Maddow, George Stephanopoulos, Ronan Farrow), scientists (Edwin Hubble), and authors (Naomi Wolf, Robert Penn Warren). The scholarship attracts leaders from diverse fields, recognizing academic excellence and leadership potential for study at Oxford University.
 

Has anyone from the RGV made it to the NFL?

Yes, several players from the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) have made it to the NFL, including prominent names like Roberto Garza, Norm Evans, Tom Landry, and more recently, Sergio Castillo, with many others having successful careers in the league, demonstrating a strong pipeline from the RGV to professional football.
 

What NFL player became a brain surgeon?

Myron Rolle, now 39, a former NFL player became a neurosurgeon at 38, showing that one chapter doesn't define your whole story. From the football field to the operating room, his journey reflects discipline, sacrifice, and Black excellence. 🧠🏈

What athletes are Rhodes Scholars?

The list of 2026 Rhodes Scholars includes five NCAA student-athletes: Stanford's Sydney Barta, Army West Point's Johnathan Pinc, MIT's Alice Hall, Colby's Dan Juzych and the University of the South's Kylene Monaghan.

Meet the Rhodes Scholar Who Was Also an NFL Player

What NFL players were Rhodes Scholars?

There are only two NFL players that have actually been Rhodes scholars - Haden and Byron White. Must mention Byron White, Rhodes Scholar and future Supreme Court Justice. Frank Alex Loved Him he was a great humanitarian as well.

How rare is a Rhodes Scholar?

According to the Rhodes Trust, the overall global acceptance rate stands at 0.7%, making it one of the most competitive scholarships in the world.

Who is the most famous football player with CTE?

The most famous and pivotal NFL player linked to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is Mike Webster, the Hall of Fame center for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as his posthumous diagnosis brought the disease to public light, leading to the movie Concussion and widespread awareness about head injuries in football. While other famous players like Junior Seau, Aaron Hernandez, and Vincent Jackson were also diagnosed, Webster's case was the first and foundational in the fight for player safety. 

What level of CTE did Aaron Hernandez have?

Aaron Hernandez had Stage 3 Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), an advanced form of the degenerative brain disease, with damage particularly severe in his frontal lobes, resembling findings usually seen in individuals much older, despite him being only 27 at his death. This diagnosis was confirmed by researchers at Boston University's CTE Center. 

What NFL player has a PhD?

Urschel played his entire NFL career with Baltimore before announcing his retirement on July 27, 2017, at 26 years old. Urschel has bachelor's and master's degrees (both from Penn State) and a PhD (from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), all in mathematics.

What NFL player has autism?

Former NFL offensive tackle Joe Barksdale is a prominent example of an NFL player publicly sharing his autism diagnosis, receiving it as an adult and finding it helped him understand himself better as he transitioned to music; other players like Kendrick Bourne, Brian O'Neill, and Duron Harmon have supported the autism cause through campaigns like "My Cause My Cleats". While many players have neurodiversity or learning disabilities (like Jamaal Charles), Barksdale is a key figure known for his personal diagnosis and advocacy.
 

Is number 69 allowed in football?

Yes, you can have the number 69 in football, especially in the NFL where rules expanded to allow it for linemen and other positions, but it's most famous as an offensive/defensive lineman number, requiring players to declare as eligible receivers on certain plays. While historically tied to linemen (50-79 range), recent NFL rule changes (2021) opened up more numbers for skill positions, and players like Hall of Famer Jared Allen (a defensive lineman) made it famous.
 

Has anyone from a D3 school made it to the NFL?

Yes, many Division III (D3) football players have made it to the NFL, often signing as undrafted free agents, with players like Quinn Meinerz (Denver Broncos), Jake Kumerow (Buffalo Bills/Packers), and Dan Arnold (Jacksonville Jaguars/Panthers) being prominent recent examples, proving D3 players can succeed in the pros despite fewer opportunities to get drafted.
 

Is Rachel Maddow a Rhodes Scholar?

She was the recipient of a Rhodes Scholarship and began her postgraduate study in 1995 at Lincoln College, Oxford. She had also been awarded a Marshall Scholarship the same year but turned it down in favor of the Rhodes. This made her the first openly lesbian winner of the Rhodes Scholarship.

What actor was a Rhodes Scholar?

Farewell Rhodes Scholar, Army Captain, songwriter, singer, actor and good person, Kris Kristofferson.

Was Bill Clinton a Rhodes Scholar?

Upon graduating from Georgetown in 1968, Clinton won a Rhodes Scholarship to University College, Oxford, where he initially read for a B.Phil. in philosophy, politics, and economics but transferred to a B.Litt. in politics and, ultimately, a B.Phil. in politics.

Who had the worst CTE?

McKee, who studied Hernandez's brain, says she has examined over 700 cases of CTE and found that Hernandez's brain “was the worst CTE I have seen in a person who died at that age (27).”

Did any NFL players go to Aaron Hernandez's funeral?

Yes, several NFL players, primarily former teammates from the University of Florida and New England Patriots, attended Aaron Hernandez's private funeral, including twin centers Mike and Maurkice Pouncey and linebacker Brandon Spikes, who all played with him in college and professionally. 

How much money did Aaron Hernandez's daughter receive?

Aaron Hernandez left his daughter, Avielle, assets that included his NFL pension and funds from his estate, with his former fiancée Shayanna Jenkins managing them, leading to court scrutiny over spending on the child's behalf, though substantial amounts, including annual pension payments and proceeds from asset sales, were designated for her future, protected from creditors. 

What position in football has the highest rate of CTE?

The cornerback position gets the most concussions. This was realized when the NFL conducted a study that examined all 459 concussions that occurred during the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

Can you fully recover from CTE?

Unfortunately, at this time there is no cure for CTE. However, the CTE Center is currently conducting ongoing clinical research aimed at discovering how CTE develops and progresses, risk factors for the development of the disease, and how to diagnose the disease during life.

Did Tom Brady ever tear ACL?

Yes, Tom Brady tore his ACL (and MCL) in his left knee during the first game of the 2008 NFL season against the Kansas City Chiefs, a season-ending injury that he successfully recovered from to win multiple more Super Bowls. The injury occurred when Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard rolled into his knee, a moment often compared to later ACL tears by quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes.
 

Who is the youngest Rhodes Scholar?

Devi Sridhar, an eighteen-year-old UM senior, is the youngest ever recipient of the prestigious Rhodes Scholar award and the first from UM since 1987.

Which US college has the most Rhodes Scholars?

Look no further than…Harvard University with 369 Rhodes Scholars.

Do Rhodes Scholars get paid?

The Rhodes Scholarship covers University of Oxford course fees, as well as providing an annual stipend. For the 2025-26 academic year, the stipend is £20,400 per annum (£1,700 per month) from which Scholars pay all living expenses, including accommodation.