Many NFL players have attended Ivy League schools before starting their professional careers. Some notable former NFL players who received an Ivy League education include Zak DeOssie, Chuck Bednarik, Sid Luckman, Steve Jordan, Calvin Hill, Matt Birk, Nick Lowery, Gary Fencik, George Starke, Marcellus Wiley, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kevin Boothe, and Mike Pyle. These players have excelled both in the NFL and academically.
Zak DeOssie, a former long snapper for the New York Giants, attended Brown University before entering the NFL. He had a successful 13-year career, winning two Super Bowls and being selected for two Pro Bowl teams. Chuck Bednarik, known as “Concrete Charlie,” was a two-way player who attended the University of Pennsylvania and played for the Philadelphia Eagles. He retired in 1962 and was inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame.
Sid Luckman, a quarterback who attended Columbia University, played 12 seasons for the Chicago Bears, winning four Super Bowls and earning all-pro honors multiple times. Steve Jordan, a tight end from Brown University, enjoyed a 13-season career with the Minnesota Vikings. Calvin Hill, a running back who attended Yale University, competed for multiple NFL teams, including the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, and The Hawaiians of the World Football League.
Matt Birk, a Harvard University graduate, played as a center for the Minnesota Vikings and the Baltimore Ravens. Nick Lowery, a kicker from Dartmouth College, spent most of his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs and held the record for most field goals at the time of his retirement. Gary Fencik, who attended Yale University, won a Super Bowl with the Chicago Bears. George Starke, a Columbia University alum and former Washington Redskins player, studied physics before his 13-year NFL career.
Marcellus Wiley, a former football defensive end who attended Columbia University, played for several NFL teams and was nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award three times. Ryan Fitzpatrick, a quarterback who played for Harvard before entering the NFL, had a long and successful career with multiple teams. Kevin Boothe, an offensive lineman from Cornell University, won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants. Mike Pyle, who played football at Yale University, spent his entire NFL career with the Chicago Bears and captained the last unbeaten and untied Yale football team in 1960.
