Sports Stars We Need to See on Reality TV

Rob Gronkowski should be on every reality show on television, but it's not just him. There are several sports figures who would make great reality TV stars.

First, think about what makes a good reality show. It’s entertainment value, of course. So the question to ask yourself is, which sports figures are the most entertaining? Also, which stars have something unique to offer a particular show?

Derek Jeter is a notorious bachelor, Alex Morgan is the darling of America and Odell Beckham Jr. has otherwordly athletic abilities. All of these people would make for reality TV gold. And before you say it—yes, I know none of this will (likely) ever happen, but one can dream.

Dez Bryant, ‘The Bachelor’

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Many athletes have appeared on The Bachelor over the years, perhaps most famously Jesse Palmer. Recently, TMZ asked the show’s host, Chris Harrison, which professional athlete he’d like to see as the star of the show.

Harrison said that selfishly, as a Dallas Cowboys fan, he’d love to see wide receiver Dez Bryant as The Bachelor. Bryant is the kind of guy to wear his emotions on his sleeve—it would certainly make for entertaining television. Harrison even suggested repurposing a familiar phrase for the show: “Was it a catch?” 

Alex Morgan, ‘Dancing with the Stars’

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Personally, I think Alex Morgan would make a great bachelorette, but she just married fellow footballer Servando Carrasco.

That said, this is America’s sweetheart we're talking about. Morgan has over 1.5 million Twitter followers and is active on Instagram. Her goofy and fun posts make her even more likeable. People are interested in this girl’s life, and as such, Morgan would likely draw a lot of viewers for Dancing with the Stars.

The beautiful, athletic darling of America—yes, she would be perfect.

Peyton Manning, ‘Survivor’

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Peyton Manning doesn't exactly scream "entertaining" on the surface, but when you think about it, he’d be awesome on a show like Survivor.

Let’s start with the fact that he is an advertiser’s dream. Manning has starred in a ton of hilarious commercials over the years—for instance, this rap video for DIRECTV.

Manning is also a gifted leader, and he’s one of those quarterbacks who gets the word “cerebral” attached to him a lot. Survivor is all about smarts, strategy and leadership—sounds like Manning to me.  

Rafael Nadal, ‘Top Chef’

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It’s doubtful that anyone could top Rob Gronkowski’s appearance on Top Chef, but how about someone who might actually go on to cook?

Rafael Nadal has said he enjoys cooking in his spare time. According to George Vecsey of The New York Times, Nadal elaborated on this in his book, Rafa. Nadal wrote that he cooks during Wimbledon each year and said, “I enjoy it, and my family thinks it’s good for me. Something else to help settle my mind.”

I think viewers would like to watch a major tennis star test his cooking chops on national television.

DeMarcus Cousins, ‘American Idol’

You know how the most entertaining episodes of American Idol are the first few? You know, the ones that feature auditions from a lot of folks who can't sing?

Anyway, DeMarcus Cousins would be perfect for one of those episodes. His rendition of “I’ll Make Love to You” by Boyz II Men, while impassioned, is probably not enough to get him through to the next round. Regardless, this is the stuff TV ratings are made of.

Ronda Rousey, ‘The Bachelorette’

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Ronda Rousey might be the toughest female athlete on the planet—she’s in the conversation anyway. She also has some serious sex appeal and recently appeared in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

Now come on—a beautiful but tough-as-nails MMA fighter as The Bachelorette? That’s a curveball, and I’m betting a lot of people would want to see how it played out.

John Wall, ‘Dancing with the Stars’

John Wall is a dancing machine—he even has a dance named after him. When a new dance is all the rage, count on seeing Wall show off his version at some point—the “Nae Nae”, “Dougie,” you name it.

Here is a guy who seemingly loves to dance. He would bring a lot of personality to Dancing with the Stars, and he might even make some waves in the competition.

Derek Jeter, ‘The Bachelor’

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Yes, Derek Jeter is currently dating Sports Illustrated cover model Hannah Davis, but let’s just pretend he isn’t.

Historically, Jeter has been one of the most private guys in sports, and he’s also been known as one of the most eligible bachelors. With his track record, who wouldn’t want to see Jeter as The Bachelor?

Odell Beckham Jr., ‘The Challenge’

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Anyone who has watched MTV’s The Challenge knows that contestants are generally pulled from a pool of existing MTV personalities. That said, let’s pretend we could throw a random professional athlete into the mix.

The Challenge pits competitors against each other in a series of physical and mental (but mostly physical) tasks. Each week, competitors are eliminated, and the remaining players move closer to winning prize money.

Stud athletes generally do well in this game. Enter Odell Beckham Jr. The New York Giants wide receiver is young with unreal athletic abilities. He would absolutely kill it.

Nick Young and Iggy Azalea

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If Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian can have their own reality show, then certainly Nick Young and Iggy Azalea should have one in the works, right?

The athlete-celebrity power couple would likely produce tons of Hollywood-type drama. From his bold comments about Kobe Bryant to her feud with Snoop Dogg, this show would suck viewers right in.

Sure, the couple told TMZ they’d never do a reality show, but I only half believe that.

Lolo Jones, ‘The Bachelorette’

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According to TMZ, Lolo Jones felt “broken, unlovable and embarrassed” following her first-round elimination from Dancing with the Stars in 2014.

What better way to rebound from a reality TV letdown than to become the one person who can’t be kicked off a show? The track and field star is beautiful and opinionated. She also recently tweeted that she’s the “President of #TeamSingle.” See? Perfect candidate.

Rob Gronkowski, All Reality Shows, Ever

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Rob Gronkowski has already made an appearance on Top Chef—I say, let’s keep the magic flowing.

In the few weeks since the New England Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX, Gronk has already housed a beer while wearing a Minion hat, put the moves on a reporter and spiked a hockey puck.

The tight end’s goofy personality and unending antics make him the perfect cast member for almost any reality show. This guy’s entertainment value is through the roof. In fact, he should probably just have his own show—Gronk Life.