The 10 Best Athlete Cameos on TV Shows

The recent announcement that Kobe Bryant will appear on an upcoming episode of ABC's Modern Family got us thinking about some of greatest athlete cameos ever on television.

Athletes have long appeared on television, including some of the best and most recognizable programs. But only a select few could make it as the best and thus the most memorable.

Look inside to see who made the cut.

10. Kevin McHale: Cheers

It was the perfect match between a local hero and the setting of a show. Kevin McHale, the Celtics star, came into the local bar in a 1991 episode of Cheers.

McHale was a guest at Norm's birthday, but the barflies ended up screwing up McHale's game by making him wonder how many bolts were in the floor at the Boston Garden.

9. Bill Belichick: Rescue Me

Bill Belichick made a random cameo on FX's Rescue Me as a guest at a funeral service.

The Patriots' head coach appearance was simple and rather understated, but what made it great is that the cameo fit Belichick's general demeanor.

Win or lose, Belichick treats his post-game press conferences as if he offers a eulogy.

8. Tom Brady: Entourage

Tom Brady took a break from rehabbing his knee to make an appearance on Entourage.

The Patriots quarterback suffers the ire of Giants fan Turtle for much of the episode before inviting Vinny's wingman and his girlfriend over to Brady's crib for dinner with him and Gisele.

Brady's appearance is capped when Drama snaps Brady's driver in half.

7. Joe Namath: The Simpsons

Joe Namath had a brief yet unforgettable appearance on The Simpsons.

Bart is trying to become a star quarterback when it just so happens Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath, who is having car troubles, strolls into his backyard.

Namath is about to offer Bart the one needed thing to become a great quarterback—that is, until his wife calls and says she found the issue. Namath walks away and leaves Bart hanging.

He later appears to warn viewers of the threats of vapor lock.

6. Muggsy Bogues: Curb Your Enthusiasm

Larry David and his best pal Richard Lewis spend much of this 2004 episode talking about manhoods.

Well, during a collective trip to the bathroom, in comes an extremely random cameo of former NBA point guard Muggsy Bogues.

Larry and Richard can't help but get a look at Bogues' package, which sparks a confrontation. Larry feigns a heart attack to avoid trouble.

5. Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams: Seinfeld

It's arguably one of the best episodes of Seinfeld.

George Costanza forfeits sex in order to get more out of his brain. The result was George explaining the physics of home run hitting to Bernie Williams and a very young Derek Jeter.

While George pops home runs into the bleachers of Yankee Stadium, Jeter and Bernie look on and wonder if George was responsible for a shoddy hotel assignment.

The following exchange is one of the greatest back and forths in Seinfeld.

George: Do you wanna talk about hotels, or do you wanna win some ball games?

Jeter: We won the World Series...

George: Yeah...in six games...

4. Peyton Manning: Saturday Night Live

The number of Peyton Manning commercials has long been debated, but the Colts quarterback brought a whole new level of performance when he arrived on the Saturday Night Live stage in 2007.

The United Way is one of the NFL's leading charities, and Manning shows his care when he spends a day with local youth in this skit. What ensues is nothing short of greatness.

3. Paul O'Neill: Seinfeld

Seinfeld and the Yankees deliver again.

Kramer's hunt to retrieve the organization's birthday card to George Steinbrenner leads him to a hospital room. There, a little boy asks Kramer to get Paul O'Neill to hit two home runs for him in exchange for the birthday card.

O'Neill's reaction to the request is a legendary moment in athlete cameos.

2. Shaquille O'Neal: Curb Your Enthusiasm

Shaq gave a historic performance on Curb Your Enthusiasm. In his appearance, Larry David sits courtside and trips Shaq, leading to an injury and a city-wide disdain of the Seinfeld creator.

Larry spends the rest of the episode avoiding barbs and trying to mend fences with Shaq, who turns out to be a huge Seinfeld fan.

1. Keith Hernandez: Seinfeld

It is the gold standard for athlete cameos on television. Keith Hernandez's Seinfeld appearance was amazing in so many ways.

From trying to pick up Elaine, to Jerry's insecurities about helping a man move, to "the spitter," Hernandez delivers in a way that no athlete has matched since.