Funniest Pitchmen in Sports

When it comes to funny commercials, the best and most recognizable pitchmen tend to be athletes.

There are many different ways to skin a cat and just as many ways to make people laugh. Of course, some athletes are better at it than others.

Stars like Peyton Manning, Bob Uecker and Charles Barkley are among the funniest pitchmen of all time, never promoting products without also promoting laughter.

With these guys in mind, then, we’ve decided to identify and celebrate the 15 funniest pitchmen in sports, highlighting their best work as we go.

Some of the selected athletes are a little older than the others, some a bit more prolific than the rest, but each and every one managed to turn commercials into comedy.

15. Larry Johnson

Larry Johnson gets points for humor, delivery and, most of all, commitment to role.

In Johnson, Converse didn’t just have a recognizable NBA All-Star; it also had a man who was willing to dress up like a woman.

Of course, no one dared to poke fun at Johnson at the time: His role as Grandma was as scary as it was funny.

14. Joe Namath

The points that Joe Namath loses for lack of quantity he more than makes up for with the absolutely absurd, which you can witness above.

With his commercials, Namath pushed the boundaries and, in this classic, made viewers laugh and squirm all at once.

Oh, and he’s still going strong today.

13. Brett Favre

Brett Favre has been as prolific a pitchman as just about any athlete out there. And though many of his spots are a bit more serious in tone, his attempts at humor have been well guided.

Favre was always pretty funny (as seen above), but like so many comedians before him, he has more recently made use of a little self-deprecation.

Whether poking fun at his old age or infamous indecision, the gunslinger’s stayed relevant by mocking himself and making us laugh. 

He just so happens to do both at an elite level. 

12. Brian Wilson

If you don't already know it, Brian Wilson is absolutely insane. For proof, simply watch the video above.

He’s also pretty hilarious.

In perhaps his funniest commercial to date, Wilson borrows Zack Morris’ cell phone, uses it to answer a phone call from his digital self and, among other things, proceeds to argue with the other Wilson over who has the “sweeter” beard.

The writing is super clever, and the delivery is equally flawless.

In fact, it appears Wilson is actually a pretty decent actor.

11. Greg Oden

Greg Oden's funny-commercial career may have been cut short due to on-court issues but not before “The Big Dentist” proved his worth.

Above, Oden uses dry humor and perfect timing to deliver the goods on an all-time level.

And even when he had no lines and little career to speak of, Oden recognized funny and was opportunistic enough to join in the laughter.

10. Cam Newton

Cam Newton’s another athlete who makes acting look easy. His comfort on camera is obvious, and his comedic delivery is seamless.

Newton was also lucky enough to star in one of the funniest commercials to come along in years (linked above).

The kid deserves credit for millions of laughs, but so does Cam.

9. Larry Bird

Watching Larry Bird and Michael Jordan fight over a Big Mac (linked above) and then settle it via a shoot-off is pure entertainment. The genius spot’s comedic tone is not apparent, however, until Bird lays down the ground rules.

Eliminating the lone elephant in a small room, Bird humorously declares, “no dunking.”

That commercial alone makes Bird worthy of mention, but the Celtics great was funny elsewhere, too.

His bet with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was classic, while his willingness to always "play along" was admirable.

And if you couldn’t laugh with Bird, you could pretty easily laugh at him.

8. Aaron Rodgers

State Farm’s been good to Aaron Rodgers, even if it’s put him in some compromising positions.

In teaming up with Seth Rogen and Zac Efron, A-Rod hilariously threw himself under the proverbial bus, and he brought his self-deprecating act to a classroom full of children, too.

Rodgers is incredibly funny and equally wise—or, at the very least, he was smart enough to double down on Discount Double Check.

7. Bob Uecker

Bob Uecker may actually be better known for his post-baseball career.

Mr. Baseball has served as the play-by-play announcer for Milwaukee Brewers radio since 1971, starred as Harry Doyle in the movie Major League and appeared in a number of humorous commercials, most notably for Miller Light.

His “Front Row” spot linked above is an absolute classic, allowing Uecker to freely flex his sarcastic muscles, while his genius from 1983 simply did more of the same.

6. Kyrie Irving

Out of what seems like nowhere, Kyrie Irving has quickly become one of the funniest pitchmen in sports.

As seen above, Irving can show some respect for the past while mocking it, and the overly dramatic, at the very same time.

The star point guard is flexible, too.

Irving’s pitch magic is best summed up here, however, in his brilliant portrayal of the one and only “Uncle Drew.”

5. Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley gets a top-five nod here because, when it comes to commercials, he’s both prolific and hilarious.

Barkley’s not what he used to be, a fact he’s both humble and funny enough to explore.

Find a Barkley weakness, and Barkley himself will mock it, like his golf game, which is apparently putrid, or the way he says terrible, which is “turribly” funny.

Even the legend’s lack of height is fair game and all in the name of laughter.

4. Blake Griffin

(Warning: Video contains some NSFW content)

If not for his youth, Blake Griffin very easily could be No. 1 on our list, with numerous classics already under his belt. The video linked above is nothing but comedic gold, and Griffin gives a flawless performance.

The dunk champion is also hilarious when he meets his former self as well as when he’s desperately seeking acceptance.

Griffin, though, reached legendary status when he helped turn an unknown child into a national star, giving birth to the indomitable Dr. Drain.

3. Anfernee Hardaway

Anfernee Hardaway was never as prolific as our top two, but his best work is as good as it’s ever going to get and enough to push him all the way to No. 3 overall.

Thanks in large part to the work of Chris Rock, Hardaway hit the comedic jackpot in the ‘90s when he teamed up on TV with Lil Penny. 

The more we saw of Lil Penny, the more we wanted. Meanwhile, Big Penny did a sensational job selling their tension-filled dynamic, acting “all irritated” as well as any athlete could.

And when the two became three—with Tyra Banks joining the fold—no one complained.

2. LeBron James

If Larry Johnson and Kyrie Irving taught us anything, it’s that imitating the elderly can be absolutely hilarious.

And, as seen above, LeBron James didn’t just take a page out of that book; he rewrote the entire thing, showing Martin Lawrence what real versatility looks like.

James’ knack for humor was obvious from the start of his career, and he’s done nothing but develop (NSFW content) over the years.

Even when he’s not the star, whatever King James touches turns to gold.

1. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning’s dry wit and comedic genius are as surprising as they are undeniable. No matter the style or tone, Manning remains consistently hilarious.

For Gatorade, Manning taught us how to throw a football and set the record straight, demanding laughs all the while.

In honor of DirectTV, he teamed up with brother Eli and unapologetically embraced R&B.

He’s made arrogance humorous for Sprint and found a way to simultaneously insult and amuse with "priceless pep talks." 

In the end, great writing can make almost anyone funny, but there’s no scripting what Manning’s got: a brilliant sense of humor and an insatiable desire to make us laugh…over and over again.

After all, it's why he's the funniest pitchman in sports.