Will Eli Manning Make This List? Top 5 Athletes to Host SNL

Last night, Saturday Night Live announced that Eli Manning will be the next superstar athlete to host the famous late-night sketch comedy show.

After winning this year’s Super Bowl to become one of the few active quarterbacks to win multiple championships, he will now have the chance to join another exclusive club.

Manning will be just the 10th football player of all time to claim the title “host of Saturday Night Live” and the 35th sports figure of all time on the program.

So, how can he do compared to the previous 34? Well, we'll see on May 5th, but until then, here’s a list of the top five SNL performances of all time by a professional athlete.

5. Derek Jeter

There is no doubt that the No. 5 spot was the most difficult hole to fill. Tom Brady, Nancy Kerrigan, Walter Peyton and Lance Armstrong all put up a good enough fight to be named. However, at the end to the day, Jeter just had one or two more funny sketches than the rest.

The highlights of his night were most notably "Yankee Wives" and "Jeter’s Taco Hole."

To Jeter’s credit, it’s possible he had the funniest single line by any athlete on this list: “Jeter looks like what would happen if The Rock had sex with a Muppet.”

4. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

It might not be fair to put the Rock on this list considering he probably counts more as an actor these days than an athlete. However, we can’t overlook greatness.  Is greatness being the all-time leader in guest hosts for Saturday Night Live for an athlete? Well, for the purposes of this article, we’ll say yes.

The Rock is definitely the most charismatic person on our list, and some of his sketches have been able to show off his ability to act as well.

“The Rock Obama” was a good recent sketch, but in my eyes “Mr. Peepers Meets Papa Peepers” is a hands-down classic.

Unfortunately, I had to dock him points for having an unfair advantage due to his semi-successful acting career after leaving the WWE.

(And, yes, I know he recently came back, but that was after the fact.)

3. Michael Jordan

Not to take anything away from the greatest basketball player of all time, but he only ranks third on this list.

Jordan had an OK performance on SNL. However, his hosting appearance benefited greatly from being on the most-known SNL sports sketch of all time, and a favorite of many. Of course, I’m talking about “Super Fans talk to Michael Jordan.”

…But hey, no one is taking rings away from Pippen because Jordan helped him out, so I’m sure Jordan will take it.

Daaaaaa Bears.

2. Peyton Manning

If any athlete had a “complete” performance, it would be Peyton Manning. Maybe his experience in all the Sony ads helped groom him for the gig, or Mastercard, or ESPN…or Nerf. Wait a second—this guy has more experience than the Rock!

Whatever it was, Peyton rocked his appearance on SNL. Almost every sketch he appeared in was funny. That’s a rare feat for someone with little to no acting experience.

Peyton also had my personal favorite sketch of all time by an athlete: "The United Way" sketch.

1. Charles Barkley

If Peyton Manning had one complete performance, Barkley had three. Tied with The Rock for most appearances by an athlete, Sir Charles has become a late-night favorite.

Unlike others on this list, Barkley has no formal training as an actor, but he has starred in some advertisement roles. The thing that Barkley has in his favor is his completely raw personality and unadulterated commentary.

Barkley’s over-the-top personality gives him something over the other athlete hosts. He can perform in any sketch in or outside of the sports realm and do as good of job as any other host they’ve had, regardless of profession.

Today, he is well known for being a TV personality and NBA analyst, but maybe soon he’ll be known as one of the great hosts of SNL.