Top 20 Cushiest Jobs in Sports

Usually when people think about professional sports, they think about the talent and hard work it takes for pro athletes to stay at the top of the game. 

But some jobs in the world of sports are much easier than others. Jobs like the bullpen catcher or the game announcer are some of the easiest in sports, but still bring a great deal of prestige to those who do them.

These positions allow some to revel in the glory of being part of professional sports without having to wear themselves out game after game like the star players do. 

So here is a list of 20 of the cushiest jobs in sports.  

No. 20 Game Announcer

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These guys are the ones who are paid to just show up, read the names of the teams and athletes playing, announce what's going on and what the score is.

They can even butcher how they pronounce something and it will all be OK and they'll live to announce another game. How easy is that? 

No. 19 Scoreboard Opperator

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HOUSTON - JUNE 08: The scoreboard at Minute Maid Park shows 6 2/3 innings of no hit baseball by pitcher Bud Norris #20 of Houston Astros against the St. Louis Cardinals at Minute Maid Park on June 8, 2011 in Houston, Texas. Lance Berkman #12 of the St. L

Sure, with some sports this job may be a little more difficult than others, but how hard is it to sit at a board and press buttons to make a computer program put the scores and other pertinent information on the screen for the crowd to see? 

No. 18 Professional Basketball Assistant Coach

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At the high school and collegiate levels, assistant coaches in basketball are expected to recruit, run errands and help really coach the team.

In the professional setting, these assistant coaches have it made. They get to give advice and help coach the team, but don't have any other real responsibilities than letting the coach make decisions and then just making sure everyone knows what they are.   

No. 17 Bullpen Coach

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These coaches sole job is to tell the bullpen catchers and the rest of the team warming up when it's time get ready to get in the game.

They may offer tips to the players while they warm up in the bullpen, but they don't even have to do that. These coaches have it made, they're part of the coaching staff, but they don't have to come up with plays or think about ways to get around problems the team is facing on the field.   

No. 16 NASCAR Driver

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LONG POND, PA - JUNE 12: Kurt Busch (R), driver of the #22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge, recieves the Weis poll award prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway on June 12, 2011 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Ge

Wouldn't you love to get paid to drive really fast for a living?

Well, that's basically what NASCAR drivers are paid to do everyday.

Yes, it may be a bit dangerous driving that fast so close to other cars and cement walls, but these trained professionals are pros at it. They have the skills down, so they can just reap the benefits of the sport now without too much effort on their part.  

No. 15 PGA Caddy

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BETHESDA, MD - JUNE 13: Martin Kaymer of Germany (R) chats with his caddie Christian Donald during a practice round prior to the start of the 111th U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club on June 13, 2011 in Bethesda, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty

Being a normal caddy at a golf course is not an easy job. These caddies have to lug around heavy golf bags and know the course like the back of their hand to help out their players on the course.

Caddies at the PGA Tour, however, have it made. The pros they're working with already know the course like the back of their hand so they don't need much more from the caddy than to just hand them their club of choice when asked.

And then these caddies get to reap the benefits of working such a high-profile event. 

No. 14 Tee Runner in the Football Game

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You know the guy that runs out on the field after the play to get the tee off the field?

Well, he has one of the cushiest jobs in sports. Sure, he's one of the guys who doesn't see much playing time on the team, but he does get that tiny bit of field time getting the tee, and he doesn't have to wear himself out playing hard every game, but gets to reap the benefits of being an important part of the team.  

No. 13 Water Boy

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CARSON, CA - AUGUST 01: A Chicago Fire player is helped off the pitch by a water boy during a break in MLS match action against the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center on August 1, 2010 in Carson, California. The Fire defeated the Galaxy 3-2. (P

Oh, the water boy. There are a plethora of jokes about these last-string players, but these guys have a great job. 

Sure, they probably won't ever see any time on the field, but they provide an important service to the rest of the team by bringing water into the huddle. And they'll never have to suffer a game-related injury, but they get to revel in the limelight of being part of a successful and well-known team.   

No. 12 Jockeys

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ELMONT, NY - JUNE 11: Jockey Jose Valdivia, Jr. celebrates aboard Ruler on Ice #3 in front of Javier Castellano riding Stay Thirsty #2 after winning the 143rd running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 11, 2011 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by

Sure, there are very specific requirements to be a jockey, but if you meet those requirements, then you get to ride into fame and glory thanks to the hard work of your horse.  

No. 11 Bench Warmer on an NFL Team

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Sure, these guys may be a coach's last resort to put into a game, but they do have one of the cushiest jobs in sports. 

They get paid big bucks to literally practice, stay in shape and cheer the rest of their team on in a game without ever being subjected to the chance of suffering a game-related, career-ending injury. 

No. 10 Bench Warmer on an MLB Team

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CINCINNATI, OH - APRIL 07: Jonny Gomes #31 of the Cincinnati Reds is congratulated by Juan Francisco #25 after Gomes scored on a hit by Edgar Renteria during the game against the Houston Astros at Great American Ball Park on April 7, 2011 in Cincinnati,

Sure, these guys may only get to play for small amounts of time when the starters need a break or when the team is winning by an astounding amount, but they have one of the cushiest jobs in sports.

The team is small enough in the professional leagues that people know who they are, and these players do get some playing time, but they don't have to wear themselves out as quickly as their starting counterparts.

No. 9 Pro Golf Instructor

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HAIKOU, CHINA - OCTOBER 28: American professional golf instructor Hank Haney (L) signs autographs for young Chinese golfers during the Hank Haney Academy opening press conference as part of the Mission Hills Star Trophy at Mission Hills Hainan on October

Every athlete needs a coach, right?

But how easy is it to coach some of the greatest golfers in the world, who could probably coach themselves if they needed to.

These pro athletes' coaches have it made. They don't have to work all that hard to coach these players, and they get to reap the benefits of being associated with the best talent in the game. 

No. 8 Sports Agents

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NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 19: Agent Scott Boras looks on as his client, Rafael Soriano, is introduced by the New York Yankees during a press conference on January 19, 2011 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees signed Soriano to

Now, when talking about sport agents having cushy jobs, we're talking about the ones who excel at their jobs naturally and are well known in the industry, not the ones no one has ever heard of. 

The principle role of these agents is to represent their clients in trying to get the most money as well as finding the best fit for their clients when they're shopping around for a new team. 

No. 7 Bullpen Catcher

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What's better than the bullpen coach in baseball? The bullpen catcher.

The sole job of these catchers is to warm up their fellow teammates before they head into the game, and to occasionally warm up the special guest throwing the first pitch of the game.

They get paid an MLB salary for not a lot of work, which makes this a very cushy job.  

No. 6 Designated Hitter

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MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 23: Jim Thome #25 of the Minnesota Twins bats against the Seattle Mariners during their game on May 23, 2011 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Rockies won 6-5. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Getting paid to sit around and then get up and come hit a couple of balls every once in a while is a pretty sweet deal.

Without a lot of work, these players get playing time, prestige and all the benefits of being a player for a pro team. 

No. 5 12th Man on an NBA Team

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People know your name, you get paid a big salary and are part of a professional basketball team, but you just don't see that much playing time. Such is the life of the 12th man on an NBA team.

These players are talented, just not as much so as their fellow teammates. They get the prestige and adoration of the fans for being on the team, without having to put in the effort of wearing themselves out every game.  

No. 4 NFL Punter

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GAINESVILLE, FL - APRIL 9: Punter Kyle Christy #41 of the Florida Gators kicks during the Orange and Blue spring football game April 9, 2011 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

They play an integral part of the game, even if it only lasts all of five minutes per game. They are the punters of the professional football league.

There players are charged with just one duty on the field. Come out for the kick, whether it be after a touchdown or at the beginning of a game, and kick that ball through the goal post or as far as they can down the field.

Their role may be small, but it's still important so they get praise and glory for not as much work, making this one cushy job.  

No. 3 3-Point Shooter

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 11: Jon Diebler #33 of the Ohio State Buckeyes drives for a shot attempt against John Shurna #24 of the Northwestern Wildcats during the quarterfinals of the 2011 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March

These guys have built their careers around being called onto the court in the last minute to get open and shoot from as far out as they can to quickly put up some three-pointers and hopefully turn their team's fate around that game. 

No. 2 Owner

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MIAMI, FL - JUNE 12: Owner Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates in the locker room after the Mavericks won 105-95 against the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2011 NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena on June 12, 2011 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO US

The owner of any successful pro sports team has it made.

Sure, they had to work really hard, or inherit, to get the money necessary to purchase a sports franchise, but if they can get the funds to do so, all they have to do is sit back, cheer and reap the benefits of owning a successful sports team.  

No. 1 3rd-String Quarterback

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 02: Rhett Bomar #5 of the New York Giants throws a pass against the New England Patriots on September 2, 2010 at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants defeated the Patriots 20-17. (Photo b

The quarterback is one of the most well known and adored players on any given team. 

The third-string quarterback may not be as equally adored as their first-string counterparts, but they get paid big bucks for sitting on the bench waiting to play and they get the bragging rights to say they are a quarterback for a pro team.

That makes this one of the cushiest jobs in sports.