Former NFL Kicker Jay Feely Joins Wave of Athletes Running for Congress

Jay Feely, a former NFL placekicker who played for the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals before becoming an analyst for “NFL on CBS,” is pursuing the congressional seat being vacated by retiring Republican Rep. David Schweikert in Arizona. Feely’s transition from professional sports to politics reflects a broader trend of athletes leveraging their experience in competitive environments to pursue public office.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Feely emphasized how his football career equipped him with skills directly applicable to legislative work. He stressed the importance of managing pressure and recovering from failure, qualities he said would prove invaluable navigating political challenges and serving constituents effectively.

Feely also credited his time in NFL locker rooms with exposing him to individuals from different racial backgrounds and ideological perspectives. He recalled rooming with teammates LeVar Arrington and Brandon Short while with the Giants, describing how those relationships fostered understanding across different life experiences and worldviews—preparation he believes will help represent a diverse district.

The former kicker pointed to a specific moment testing his resilience: after a poor performance against the Seattle Seahawks and a subsequent “Saturday Night Live” sketch, Philadelphia Eagles fans played footage of his misses on the stadium’s video board during his next game-winning kick attempt. Despite the psychological warfare, Feely made the kick and extended his career nine additional years.

Feely will face Democrat Amish Shah, a former state representative and New York Jets team doctor, in what has become a competitive race for the Arizona seat. His candidacy exemplifies how athletes increasingly view their professional experiences as preparation for elected office.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner, formerly a cornerback for the Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers, represents another successful athlete-to-politician transition. Turner told Fox News Digital that football taught him discipline, teamwork, perseverance, and humility—values he carries into his cabinet role and previous service in the Texas House.

Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, drew parallels between her mixed martial arts background and congressional service. With a 5-1 amateur MMA record and brief professional fighting career in 2013, Davids joked that “getting punched in the face is pretty good preparation for Congress” while highlighting how fighting taught her that challenges require discipline and respect rather than aggression alone.

Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, who coached at Auburn University, brought his football mentorship approach to his 2021 Senate campaign, viewing it as assembling a championship team. He is now running for Alabama governor.

Historical examples abound, including Jack Kemp, a journeyman NFL quarterback in the 1950s and 1960s who served nearly 20 years in Congress representing western New York and later led HUD before becoming Bob Dole’s vice presidential running mate in 1996. Kemp credited professional football with giving him perspective on public service, noting he had already experienced being “booed, cheered, cut, sold, traded, and hung in effigy.”

Other athletes with congressional records include former Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jon Runyan Sr., who served two terms representing South Jersey; Heath Shuler, a former quarterback who served in Congress after playing for the Washington franchise; and Colin Allred, a former Tennessee Titans player who served until 2025 before unsuccessfully challenging for a Texas Senate seat.

Additional notable athlete-politicians include Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, who left Congress in 2022; Hall of Famer Steve Largent, a former Seattle Seahawks receiver who represented Oklahoma; Pittsburgh Phillies pitcher Jim Bunning, who later served in the Kentucky State Senate and U.S. Senate; and New York Knicks star Bill Bradley, who represented New Jersey in the U.S. Senate during the 1980s and 1990s.

The list extends to former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne, who briefly played for the Redskins and later served in Congress; early football pioneer Adam Wyant, who played in the 1890s before entering Pennsylvania politics; Green Bay Packers player Laverne Dilweg, who represented Wisconsin as a Democrat in the 1920s and 1930s; and Arizona Democrat Mo Udall, who spent three decades in Congress after a stint with the Denver Nuggets.

Olympic decathlete Bob Mathias, who won gold at the Helsinki Games, represented California as a Republican beginning in 1967. Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, remains the only active House member with an NFL background, having played safety for the New York Jets before shifting to politics.