Comparing NFL's Top 5 Players to Game of Thrones Characters

The NFL's best players are often compared to warriors. In fact, the best athletes in sports often match characteristics with serial killers. How many times through the years have we heard "Tom Brady will rip you heart out" from ESPN pundits and fans alike?

Game of Thrones is a world of kings, queens, warriors and deceit. So why not match the top players in the NFL to HBO's hit series?

Troy Polamalu

Khal Drogo

Troy Polamalu is a fierce warrior on the football field. He is the unquestioned leader of the vicious Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense. He is as famous for his long, flowing locks as he is for his game, and he will not get it cut due to the symbolic nature of his Samoan heritage.

Meet Khal Drogo: Warrior-king of the violent Dothraki tribe. If any man in the tribe ever loses a fight or a battle, he is required to cut his hair so everyone knows his shame. Khal Drogo has never had his hair cut. Though for the sake of Polamalu’s wife, I hope their similarities do not extend to the bedroom. 

Tom Brady

Eddard Stark

Tom Brady is as much the face of the NFL as Sean Bean’s Eddard Stark is the star of Game of Thrones. Both are intelligent, battle-tested and respected by their peers. The blemish on each man’s otherwise sterling personal record? Having a child out of wedlock. 

Aaron Rodgers

Jon Snow

Jon Snow is the illegitimate son of Eddard Stark. Snow is loved by his father, but resented by Stark’s wife. Aaron Rodgers was loved by some Green Bay Packers fans for being the heir apparent to Brett Favre. Rodgers was also hated by some Packers fans for being Favre’s replacement.

Officially out of Favre’s shadow, Rodgers is now the heir to Tom Brady as the face of the NFL. 

Albert Haynewsorth

Robert Baratheon

Albert Haynesworth is hardly a star anymore. But in his prime, he was a force amongst forces. Robert Baratheon was once a fierce warrior, and largely responsible for uniting the realm.

Albert Haynesworth was crowned the best defensive player in all the NFL then got fat and out of shape, and was never the same game-changer. Robert Baratheon was crowned Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, then got fat and drunk, and was never the same fighter or leader. 

Darren Sproles

Tyrion Lannister

OK, Darren Sproles is hardly one of the NFL’s biggest stars, but let’s show some love to the little guy. The New Orleans Saints’ 5’6” back is averaging 7.4 yards per carry and 7.3 yards per catch. Sproles is the team’s second-leading rusher (just 30 yards behind Mark Ingram despite half the touches) and tied for the team lead in receptions.

All in all, Sproles is on pace for 2,000 yards from scrimmage. I would say he is doing the diminutive Lannister brother a tribute, and is a hero for all the little guys out there.