NFL Players and Their Video Game Counterparts

NFL players and video game characters may not look like they have very much in common on the surface. However, when you dig deeper, you begin to see quite a few similarities between some of the superhuman NFL stars and the video characters that populate various digital worlds.

In this slide show, we'll be taking a closer look at 30 of the biggest NFL stars and decide which video game character is most like them.

What virtual star embodies the tenacity of Jared Allen? Which has over the top personality of Chad Ochocinco? And, possibly most importantly, which Playstation 3 character captures Tom Brady's rugged good looks? Read on to find out more.

Maurice Jones-Drew Is Crash Bandicoot

Maurice Jones-Drew doesn't really seem to have the zany personality that Crash has displayed in his previous games, but both of these guys share the ability to fly around like a bowling ball through fields of choice.

Jones-Drew, also known as Pocket Hercules, is one of the most solidly built guys in the NFL. At 5'7", opposing defenses can barely see him when he bursts through a hole, but they're sure to feel him as he barrels through them on the way to the end zone.

Crash Bandicoot is one of the zanier mascots out and his danger-loving, fearless attitude propelled him to superstardom in his early years. If only Jones-Drew could use Crash's "Super Tornado Spin" when trying to get by opponents. 

DeSean Jackson Is Sonic the Hedgehog

One word: Speed.

Both of these guys are the fastest players in their respective fields. 

Jackson constantly breaks free from coverage and sprints down the field to catch deep bombs from Michael Vick. Jackson averages over 18 yards per catch and his average has gone up every year. I'm honestly surprised we don't see flames erupt on the field as he goes by.

Sonic has long been known as gaming's biggest speed freak. He's all over the screen and generally his levels don't last very long simply because he moves through them at the speed of light.

Maybe Jackson needs to start wearing red shoes to put him in this hedgehog's league.

Jake Long Is Big Daddy (Bioshock)

The protectors of this list. Both of these guys keep watch over something that is held dear to them and they do it better than anyone.

Jake Long is one of the best offensive linemen and he excels at keeping the defense off his quarterback. Long is also huge and probably wouldn't look too small next to a Big Daddy; something not many other people can claim.

The Big Daddy from Bioshock is a fearless protector of his charge, the Little Sisters. He does so by pretty much destroying everything in his path. I'm not sure if Roger Goodell would let Jake Long use the Big Daddy's drill, but it sure could do some damage to opposing defensive ends.

Calvin Johnson Is Master Chief (Halo)

These two guys are probably the best athletes in their own games. Plus, it seems like you never see either of them without their helmets on.

Johnson is the most physically gifted wideout I've seen since Randy Moss broke into the NFL. He's got an amazing skill set and routinely makes jaw-dropping plays. I've also never seen him without his blacked-out helmet on.

Some Halo fans might not know, but Master Chief was genetically engineered and hand-selected as a six-year-old to become what he is today. He's a superior human in every sense of the word and, because he never takes off that green helmet, he's shrouded in mystery.

I'm sure Johnson would love to get the Chief's MJONIR armor onto his quarterback and keep him upright for a whole season. 

Phillip Rivers Is Ash Ketchum (Pokemon)

Both of these guys would like to be the very best, the best there ever was, but to do that they need to use the many great weapons they have around them.

Phillip Rivers is a great quarterback, but he also has amazing players around him who help make the Chargers one of the most potent offenses in the NFL.

He has Antonio Gates, Ryan Matthews, Vincent Jackson, and many others who give him differing abilities to use during the course of a game.

Ash also has many different Pokemon at his disposal to help him become the best. Most notably is probably Pikachu, who has been with Ash since the very beginning. 

Phillip Rivers would love to get some of Ash's Pokemon. I mean, can you imagine seeing Snorlax play offensive line?

Julius Peppers Is Donkey Kong

These two guys are huge monsters who terrorize opponents with their long arms and superior strength.

Peppers is widely regarded as one of the best defensive ends in football because of his ability to get to the quarterback. He uses ape-like strength and quickness to get the better of his opponents on almost every play.

Donkey Kong is usually the strongest character when Mario gets his friends together to play games like Tennis and Golf. Not only that, but he has great agility, as seen in his many excellent platforming games. 

I don't know if there's anything Peppers would want to steal from Mr. Kong, but he sure would look snazzy in that red tie.

Jared Allen Is Turok

One hunts quarterbacks and the other hunts dinosaurs. I'll let you decide which is more exciting.

Jared Allen is one of the best players in the NFL at getting to the quarterback. He uses his wild man attitude and amazing speed to get around linemen and plant the signal caller in the ground. Plus, the man's killed animals with a spear. That's awesome.

Turok's weapons are a little more advanced. Take for example, the Cerebral Bore, which basically turns an opponent's head to goo and then makes the rest of their body explode. That is also awesome.

If the Commish wouldn't allow the Big Daddy's drill, I feel like the Cerebral Bore is probably also going to be outlawed. That said, all I ask is that he let Allen do his hog-tie celebration.

Patrick Willis Is Kratos (God of War)

Both men have the bodies of a Greek God, which makes sense since one is an amazing football player and the other is, well, a Greek God.

Patrick Willis is probably the best middle linebacker in the game right now (sorry, Ray Lewis). He has sideline-to-sideline speed, makes sure tackles, and hits with the force of an elephant. 

Kratos, God of War, shares many attributes with Willis. He's surprisingly agile for his size and can absolutely destroy anything that gets in his way. Even, you know, Zeus.

Imagine Willis playing football in just some cloth underwear. It's probably not safe, but I know I'd be intimidated.

Antonio Gates Is Yoshi (Mario Series)

Stick with me for this one. Both of these guys (things?) have long, sticky appendages. 

Antonio Gates' appendages are his long arms that basically catch everything that comes his way. He's easily the best pass-catching tight end in the game today. 

Yoshi's appendage is his long tongue that can stretch and grab whatever he may want (usually berries). That tongue gets him out of many sticky situations and even helps in a fight, as seen in Super Smash Brothers. 

Giving Yoshi's tongue to Gates would just be unfair. Having basically three hands would make him, by far, the best tight end ever to play.

James Harrison Is Augustus Cole (Gears of War)

Loud, brash and scary. Those three words sum up these two gigantic men almost perfectly.

James Harrison is the hardest hitter in the game. I mean, players now get fined based on hits this guy has made that would've killed a normal human. I haven't seen anyone who plays like this guy in a long time.

Augustus "Cole Train" Cole was a professional athlete before he became a military man. Back in those days, he was known for his hard-hitting style and flamboyant attitude. Seriously, these guys could be brothers.

What would Harrison want from Cole? Rapping ability.

Michael Vick Is Carl Johnson (GTA: San Andreas)

I put these two together because of their rags-to-riches stories that unfolded before us.

Michael Vick was one of the best quarterbacks in college football and seemed poised to become an amazing pro someday. He was well on his way until he took part in some terrible activities and was sent to jail for a while.

Now he's back and better than ever. Vick and the Eagles look well on their way to one of the most promising seasons in team history.

Carl Johnson had been out of gang life for awhile before the death of his mother pulled him right back into it. He was forced to go through many ups and downs on his journey, but eventually he too was able to make it on top of the world.

Two words: Jet Pack.

Clay Matthews Is Pac-Man

This one doesn't go very deep. Both of these guys simply eat up their competition.

Clay Matthews is the prototype outside rush linebacker and he gobbles up opposing QBs like little power pellets. The man cannot be stopped and will probably flirt with 20 sacks this year.

Pac-Man actually does eat power pellets and does it so much better than Ms. Pac-Man. Plus, when he gets his power-ups, he too gobbles up his enemies.

Question, would calling Matthews "Mr. Sack-Man" be a terrible mistake? Answer: Yes.

Cam Newton Is Ness (Earthbound)

Most of you probably don't much about Ness other than that he's a character in Super Smash Brothers Melee, but that means you're missing out on one of the greatest games of all time, Earthbound.

This SNES classic is about a boy who discovers he has great powers and then must save the world.

Cam Newton doesn't have to save the world, but he does need to save the franchise. He already has amazing talents that not many others in the NFL have, but it's up to him to use those talents correctly and get the Panthers to a Super Bowl.

Cam would probably love to have some of Ness's PSI attacks, specifically Freeze. Then he could stop the defense in their tracks and just take off with no resistance.

Haloti Ngata Is Sagat (Street Fighter)

Both of these guys are huge men with immense strength, who also possess uncanny agility.

Ngata has quickly become one of the better defensive tackles in the NFL because of his ability to play the run and pass equally well. In fact, it's not out of the ordinary to see Ngata rush the QB for a sack one play and then drop into coverage the next.

Sagat also has this kind of versatility. He comes in at 7'5" and tips the scales at 450 pounds, so it's not a stretch to say that the man is strong, but he also very agile. This probably comes from his extensive Muay Thai training.

I'm not sure what Ngata would want from Sagat. Maybe his cool chest scar?

Adrian Wilson Is Altair (Assassin's Creed)

These guys are ridiculous athletes with amazing leaping abilities.

Adrian Wilson is easily the most athletic safety in the NFL. Watch that clip again. You've got to be kidding me. He simply has no equal on the field, and it's really not even that close. 

Altair's way of getting to a new location in Assassin's Creed is to climb up buildings and jump over rooftops. If that's not athletic, I don't know what is. He may not be quite as jacked as Wilson, but not many people are.

In this case, I think I'd give Altair some of Wilson's arm muscles so he could function better in a fight.

DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart Are the Ice Climbers

This is a combination of two great pairs that work together to accomplish their goals.

DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart form one of the best running-back tandems in the NFL. Last year they were hit by injuries, but when both are healthy, they are force to be reckoned with.

Which brings us to the Ice Climbers. Two seemingly passive characters that can pack quite a punch when used in tandem. They might not the biggest names in the gaming world, but, in the right hands, they can break out for a solid performance.

The Panthers backs probably wouldn't mind wielding the Ice Climbers' hammers when running through opposing defenses.

Larry Fitzgerald Is Tails (Sonic)

Some might look at this one as a knock on Fitzgerald, but let me state up front that I think Fitzgerald is the best receiver in the league. That said, both of these guys have the ability to seemingly fly, among other things.

Fitz has a ridiculous vertical leap and body control, which makes him into one of the best deep threats in the game. He also has a passive personality so sometimes he's forgotten about by fans. Plus, those dreads kind of look like tails if you ask me.

Tails is Sonic's sidekick who has the ability to fly over obstacles. He's often pushed to the back of the franchise, but he's not a bad character in terms of abilities. 

What if Fitz's dreads could turn into a helicopter-like appendage and he could just float over the defense?This needs to be made an ability in Mario Football if it ever comes out.

Chris Johnson Is Tommy Vercetti

Again, we go to the stories behind the players for this one. 

Chris Johnson came out of ECU as a virtual unknown and not many could've predicted that he would someday rush for 2,000 yards in a season. Well, he did that and then got a bit too big of head.

Now Johnson is holding out for quarterback-like money that he probably doesn't deserve considering he's not even the best running back in the league and is a smaller guy.

Vercetti also came out of obscurity to become one of the most powerful figures in the town of Vice City. This caused him to get a big head and not pay back his debts.

Later in the game, those debtors come calling and it erupts into a firefight in Vercetti's estate. Luckily for him, he's able to fight them off and become the king pin of Vice City.

Johnson is hoping he's able to fight off the Titans' lawyers and become the highest-paid back in the NFL. 

DeMarcus Ware Is Goro (Mortal Kombat)

Two huge athletes with amazing upper bodies that make them into the most feared players in their respective games.

DeMarcus Ware is the prototype outside linebacker; big, strong, able to guard against the run, pass, and can rush the passer with great ability. His huge body makes him an intimidating force to anyone who is unfortunate enough to line up opposite him.

Goro is oftentimes a mini-boss in the Mortal Kombat games, but that's the only thing about him that's mini. The guy is a huge, four-armed monster that will destroy any opponent if they're not careful.

Ware could use those two extra arms to throw linemen out of the way while still keeping his arms up to get in quarterbacks' passing lanes.

Andre Johnson Is Gordon Freeman (Half Life)

Freeman and Johnson are two quiet heroes who just happen to be the best at what they do.

Johnson is widely regarded as the best wideout the NFL has to offer, but, unlike many of his contemporaries, he isn't loud-mouthed and outspoken. He simply does his job and does it well, the mark of a real professional.

Johnson might be a quiet guy, but Gordon Freeman has never spoken in his on-screen life. That doesn't mean he doesn't get the job done; the man has saved the world on many different occasions. Just imagine what the man could do if he had more than a can-do attitude and a pipe wrench.

Johnson would probably look pretty fashionable if he had Freeman's glasses. Other than that, there's not much Freeman has that Johnson needs. 

Troy Polamalu Is Samus Aran (Metroid Series)

What do these two have in common? Well, for one they both have long hair, but there's a few other reasons.

Polamalu is a the best player in the NFL at free-wheeling and creating big plays. He's basically a bounty hunter in the Steelers secondary, doing everything that's asked of him and more.

Usually it seems like he's allowed to do whatever he wants with all the crazy positions he lines up in. Plus, the man has those luscious locks flowing out of his helmet.

First off, Samus is a girl, so it's easy to see why she would share Troy's long hair. That said, she's also a world-class bounty hunter who moves throughout the galaxy, taking on various evil entities. 

What if Polamalu could turn into a small ball like Samus, roll under offensive lines, and then pop up to sack the quarterback? Yet another move for Mario Football.

Ed Reed Is Solid Snake (Metal Gear Solid Series)

These two seem to get better with age, just like fine wine, as the saying goes.

Ed Reed has always been a great ball-hawk, but it seems like he just gets better every year. You'd be hard-pressed to notice a real athletic drop off from his early days, but his mind has only gotten sharper with age.

This had led to sustained excellent play throughout his 10-year career. In fact, in the last three years, Reed has gotten over eight interceptions twice; something he only did once in his first six years.

Snake also seems to get better with age. His first game was a masterpiece, but wasn't anywhere close to the phenomenon his most recent game was.

Metal Gear Solid 4 was, for many, the reason to own a PlayStation 3 in the early days, and that game starred a grey-haired, grizzled Solid Snake.

I'm sure Reed would love to have Snake's camouflage system to make it even harder for opposing QBs to find him in the secondary.

Darrelle Revis Is Kirby

These guys inhale their opponents and then keep them with them for a long time.

Revis has what is known as Revis Island, which basically means that once a receiver lines up opposite Revis, they have no chance at catching a ball. He just sucks them up with tight coverage and never lets them go, making him the best shutdown corner in the NFL.

Kirby also sucks up his opponents, but when I say he doesn't let them go, I'm being literal. He actually inhales them and takes on their abilities, making him stronger in the process.

Revis would love to have that ability, because then he could take on every NFL player's athleticism, becoming the greatest player we've ever seen.

Drew Brees Is Link (Legend of Zelda Series)

Two of the nicest guys around, who just happen to be the heroes of their franchises.

Brees is often voted as one of the nicest NFL players and is constantly giving back to the community. He's also got some real skills and is probably the most accurate passer in the game today. 

Link is always doing things for various people around the Hyrule kingdom and he never really asks for anything except maybe some quiet time with Zelda.

That said, he's a fierce warrior who can take on anyone in the world of video games and put up a good fight.

Brees doesn't really need anything from Link, but he probably wouldn't mind taking on his eternal youth so he could play football at a high level forever.

Aaron Rodgers Is John Marston (Red Dead Redemption)

Those of you who are well versed in video-game lore probably saw this one coming. After all, these two are both championship-winning gunslingers who have become heroes in their communities.

Aaron Rodgers has officially stepped out of Brett Favre's shadow after last year's championship performance. He has a cannon for an arm, but is also deadly accurate. Those things add up to him embracing the gunslinger attitude that made fans love Favre.

Marston is the most well-known gunslinger in video game history after last year's game of the year, Red Dead Redemption. His ability to fire a six-shooter is unrivaled in the virtual Wild West, and he's even survived a zombie plague.

Rodgers would look right at home with Marston's famous cowboy hat, so we'll give him that.

Chad Ochocinco Is Falco (Star Fox)

What character do you match up with Ochocinco? He's loud, cocky and likes to have a good time, so I decided to go with the overconfident Falco from Star Fox.

Ochocinco is probably my favorite person in the NFL just because of his carefree attitude and great sense of humor. That said, he thinks too highly of himself and should probably be taken down a peg, especially considering that he's lost some of his game in the past few years.

Likewise, Falco is one of my favorite video game characters because he's so cocky in the Star Fox series. He's always talking trash to Fox throughout their adventures and obviously thinks he's the best pilot out of the group, even though Fox is the one that ends up saving the world.

Can we please get Ochocinco an interstellar fighter jet? Not because I want him to leave, but because I want to see what crazy antics he would get up to with one.

Ray Lewis Is Duke Nukem

Neither of these guys take crap from anybody and they have the skills to back up their trash talk.

Ray Lewis might be the most feared player in the NFL today. He's so intense and skilled that I would probably pee my pants if I had to line up opposite him. It's definitely not all show, either, Lewis is a genuine tough guy that no one would ever want to fight.

Duke is the best shooter character ever invented. He's loud, brash and insanely tough. No one could take Duke in a one-on-one fight because he's the toughest man ever to grace a video-game cover, and there's no questioning that.

I don't want to give either of these guys anything from each other; I just want to see them fight. 

Adrian Peterson Is Mega Man

Two do-everything stars who seem to get overlooked from time to time.

Adrian Peterson is the best running back in the NFL. There's no question, but sometimes media members try to tell you that other guys are better.

Peterson has never had fewer than 10 touchdowns in a year and he always breaks the ever important 1,200 rushing yards mark. He can run through you or around you, and he never goes down without a fight.

He's cut down on his fumbling problems and has even become a decent receiver. Jamaal Charles has nothing on Purple Jesus.

Likewise, Mega Man is often overlooked in favor of guys like Mario or Sonic. However, he's always put out some of the best side-scrolling platformers the industry has ever seen. He doesn't get the credit he deserves as one of the greatest characters in video games.

Adrian Peterson is the best player in the league; that is all.

Peyton Manning Is Mario

These two are the ultimate examples of consistency and production.

Manning has been the best quarterback in the league for quite some time. He's constantly breaking records and racking up awards. He also has never missed a game and it doesn't look like even a neck surgery will hold him back from keeping that streak up.

Mario is always the most profitable video game character. He's transcended video games and, unless you live under a rock, you know who he is.

He consistently out sells every other video game and his games are always amazingly well polished. He's what every other game franchise strives to be.

I want to see Peyton grow out a Mario mustache. Someone with Photoshop skills, show me what that looks like, please.

Just in case you were wondering, I've decided Sam Bradford is Peyton's Luigi, because he's basically the poor man's Peyton Manning.

Tom Brady Is Nathan Drake

This is simple: two of the highest profile stars in their industry who just so happen to be beautiful men (no homo).

Tom Brady is right behind Manning as the best quarterback in the NFL, but he's got something Peyton doesn't: multiple championships. Brady is an excellent winner and always steps up in the biggest games. Oh, and girls seem to think he's handsome.

Nathan Drake is this generation's Mario, in that he's become one of the most bankable stars the industry has.

His last game, Uncharted 2, was one of the highest selling games of the year and the sequel, which comes out later this year, is one of the most anticipated games of the year. Oh, and girls seem to think he's handsome.

These guys are so similar I don't think there's anything you could give to Brady to make him more like Drake.

Well, that's the list, but I'm sure there's a few I missed. Tell me who else you think I should add in the comments, and I'll try and update the list with fan submissions.