Before Ryan Coogler became a great filmmaker, he was a college football player.
The 38-year-old director’s past as a college football player is one that is certainly interesting to learn about.
Ryan Coogler’s Football Career Powered His Path to Hollywood
A long time ago, well before Coogler directed the hit movie “Sinners”, he was a star on the gridiron for Sacramento State.
After transferring from St. Mary’s College due to the school cancelling its football program, Coogler ended up totalling 112 passes for 1,213 yards and six touchdowns during his college career.
What might be more impressive than the numbers he put up was the fact that he was a three-time Big Sky Conference All-Academic Award winner. Being a great athlete is one thing, but it is totally different when you are both a great athlete and a great student at the same time.
His college days proved that he was ready for a place like Hollywood.
Other Notable Cinema Stars Who Played College Football
While there aren’t many directors and filmmakers who played college football, there are plenty of well-known actors who made their mark on the gridiron back in the day.
The likes of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (Miami), Ed O’Neill (Youngstown State), Terry Crews (Western Michigan), and Channing Tatum (Glenville State) all played college football.
Burt Reynolds was the starting running back at Florida State in 1954 and even roomed with college football legend Lee Corso. Of course, Mark Harmon was the quarterback for the UCLA Bruins back in the 1970s before he got into acting. Also, fans cannot forget about the late, great Carl Weathers, who played at San Diego State and in the NFL too before rising to prominence as a legendary actor.
It is not at all uncommon to discover that plenty of cinema’s brightest stars have a past connection to the sport of football. Perhaps that is what led to them becoming great entertainers on the big screen.
KEEP READING: Analyst Greg McElroy Reveals His Top 10 Running Backs for 2025
For a great director like Coogler, there is no doubt that football played a strong role in his life early on. Now, he appears to be benefiting from that in a big way.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball!
