10 NFL Players and Coaches Who Would Make the Best Politicians

The list of NFL players who made the career switch from football to politics is growing. Former star offensive tackle Jon Runyan and former quarterback Heath Shuler are both serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Hall of Famer Lynn Swann recently ran for Pennsylvania Governor.

With their substantial media exposure, as well as their ability to take hits unscathed, NFL players are uniquely suited to a career in politics.

A politician has to be an entertainer; NFL players have entertained fans for years. A politician has to appeal to voters; NFL players already appeal to fans. The crossover is natural.

Here are the ten players would would make the best politicians.

Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow already looks presidential. The hair, the immaculate suits and the practiced media persona give him an air of importance that politicians all try to perfect.

Tebow was ready made to be a politician: he has a built in constituency in Florida or Colorado, he already has a grasp of some of the issues and he has an incredibly media savvy.

All in all, you might not agree with everything Tebow says or does, but he definitely has a cult of followers around him that could make the transition to politics a breeze.

Chad Ochocinco

If Chad Ochocinco changes his name back to Chad Johnson, he definitely has the entertainment value to make it into politics.

With entertainers Jesse Ventura, Al Franken,and Ronald Reagan all becoming successful politicians, Ochocinco is uniquely primed to make that list as both an entertainer and an athlete.

He might not know the issues, but his media savvy and use of social media is tremendous. He's certainly not qualified to run for Congress, but his campaign would be the most entertaining in history.

Bill Belicheck

His hoodies might not be presidential, but Bill Belicheck has the mindset to make it in politics.

First of all, Belicheck is supremely intelligent. He knows football like the back of his hand, and given some time, he could know Congress just as well.

Secondly, Belicheck is absolutely impenetrable with secret information. Watch his media press conferences; he is the king of non-answers. The President could tell Belicheck anything, and he would keep it under wraps.

Third, and most importantly, Belicheck isn't afraid to deal in some unscrupulous actions. Politics is a less than honorable career choice for most people, and Belicheck has a kind of Nixonian disregard for the rules that could give him an edge.

From Watergate to Spygate, from Nixon to Belicheck, this makes a lot of sense. Belicheck could just as easily be a career politician rather than a coach.

Terrell Suggs

Terrell Suggs might just be the most entertaining player in the NFL right now, but he's also articulate, media savvy and very persuasive.

In his regular appearances with Skip Bayless, Suggs often came out strong as the controversial but well-versed analyst. His debates with Bayless could lend Suggs the skills necessary to move these debates to Washington.

Suggs is also one of the best users of social media in the NFL, regularly updating his Facebook page and his Twitter account. His updates are entertaining, but he never has to put his foot in his mouth, showing that he understands the perilous but potentially wonderful realm of social media.

His entertainment value and his intelligence make Suggs uniquely primed for a career in politics.

Drew Brees

Drew Brees already represents the city of New Orleans to the media and the world; would it be so crazy for him to do it in Congress as well?

Brees is intelligent, charming, charismatic and popular. He has an extensive resume working with charities, and his character has been infallible to this point.

Opponents would have trouble finding dirt on Drew Brees, making him a potential politician.

Billy Cundiff

The Ravens seem poised to bring Cundiff back after the biggest choke job in Ravens history.

Simply put, if Cundiff can talk the Ravens into bringing him back after such a horrific miss, then he can talk anyone into anything. 

Cundiff sounds like a natural politician to me.

Santana Moss

This may seem like an unusual selection, but Santana Moss deserves more respect than he gets.

Moss is a solid receiver, but more importantly, he is a leader on a team devoid of hope. Despite going through several coaches, quarterbacks and coordinators, Moss has continued to stay quiet and classy.

Some politicians complain rabidly about other politicians, and voters get sick of hearing it. Santana Moss would be a nice alternative to the whiners currently in office.

Antonio Brown

With reports of Antonio Brown spending so much time with a lucky fan, it's clear that Brown knows the value of networking.

Brown spent most of a week with a fan in Indianapolis, and the two became fast friends. Clearly, Brown has a natural charisma and down-to-earth sensibility that could appeal to voters.

If Brown could work that magic on an entire city, he could easily find himself in a position of power in a few years.

Tom Coughlin

Tom Coughlin might be a little late to the game, but he has all the requisite abilities to be a politician.

Coughlin knows what it's like to sit on the hot seat. He has occupied it firmly for five years now, never batting an eye. Instead, Coughlin comes up big when it matters most. His Giants have now had two remarkable playoff runs under his watch.

The United States could use a grizzled, unflappable politician to take on the important issues when the pressure is on.

Coughlin wouldn't care about getting reelected, and he wouldn't cater to the whims of special interests. He would simply do what he thought was best, and he would win in even the most pressure-filled situations.

Ray Lewis

There is a political position called the whip. The whip's responsibility is to ensure all members of his or her political party vote with the party-line. They achieve this through intimidation and persuasion. Who is more intimidating or persuasive than Ray Lewis?

Imagine 5'7" representative Dennis Kucinich going against the partyline, voting on the opposite side as the rest of his colleagues.

Enter Ray Lewis. Lewis, as the whip, must persuade Kucinich to change his mind. Ray Lewis wins that battle every time.

Lewis could be the most persuasive man in the world. He has complete control of the Ravens' locker room and, in short time, could have complete control of Congress.