Athletes Who Have Hosted Saturday Night Live

If you’ve watched a star athlete step into a comedy sketch, you’ve seen one of Saturday Night Live’s best-known sports crossovers. More than 30 athletes have hosted the show, from football player Fran Tarkenton in 1977 to New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson in 2026.

The total varies by count: some lists include wrestlers, co-hosts, or both. The names span several generations of sports, and the episodes show how athletes have taken on live comedy.

The short answer: who they are and how many

More than 30 athletes have hosted Saturday Night Live since the show began in 1977. Fran Tarkenton was the first, and Jalen Brunson is the latest, hosting on Sept. 26, 2026.

You’ll find football players, basketball stars, boxers, hockey players, tennis players, and athletes from other sports on the list. Notable hosts include Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Peyton Manning, LeBron James, Michael Phelps, and Travis Kelce.

The precise total depends on what a count includes. Some tallies add wrestlers such as Dwayne Johnson, while others treat co-host episodes as a single hosting credit or count each athlete separately. That helps explain why published numbers differ.

For a straightforward count, look at the names and episodes rather than treating one total as definitive. The list begins with Tarkenton and reaches Brunson, whose episode opened Season 52 after the Knicks’ title.

The pioneers, 1977–1989

The early athlete hosts established the format, from Tarkenton’s first turn in 1977 to several high-profile co-host episodes in the 1980s. Football, basketball, hockey, boxing, and tennis all had representatives.

Tarkenton, then an NFL quarterback, became the first athlete to host in 1977. O.J. Simpson and basketball great Bill Russell followed. John Madden hosted in 1982, and baseball broadcaster Bob Uecker also took the stage.

Some episodes paired sports figures. Mr. T and Hulk Hogan co-hosted, while football stars Joe Montana and Walter Payton shared hosting duties. Their appearances brought the show’s sports audience into the same room as its sketch-comedy cast.

The decade also included boxer Sugar Ray Leonard’s rival Marvin Hagler, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, and tennis champion Chris Evert. Evert holds a particular distinction: she was the first female athlete to host SNL.

These early episodes gave athletes a chance to play comic versions of themselves and take part in sketches beyond their sports identities. The guest list also showed that the host role could accommodate both solo appearances and pairings.

The 1990s stars

The 1990s brought major names from basketball, figure skating, boxing, and football to the host role. Michael Jordan opened Season 17 in 1991, and Charles Barkley made his first hosting appearance in 1993.

Jordan’s episode marked a significant crossover for a basketball star at the height of his fame. Barkley’s first turn began a long relationship with the show that would eventually make him one of its repeat hosts.

Figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, heavyweight boxer George Foreman, and football player Deion Sanders also hosted during the decade. Their appearances widened the range of sports represented on the program.

Each brought a different public persona to live television. Sanders was known for his confidence and showmanship, while Foreman and Kerrigan came from very different competitive worlds. Their episodes carried forward the series’ interest in athletes who could take on comedy in front of a live audience.

The 2000s–2010s run

The 2000s and 2010s brought a steady run of athlete hosts, including Derek Jeter, Tom Brady, Peyton and Eli Manning, LeBron James, Michael Phelps, Ronda Rousey, and J.J. Watt. Charles Barkley and Dwayne Johnson stood out for returning multiple times.

Barkley hosted four times, giving him a prominent place among repeat athlete hosts. Johnson hosted five times, though some lists classify him as a wrestler instead of an athlete. That difference affects how outlets count sports hosts.

The decades also brought athletes from baseball, football, basketball, swimming, mixed martial arts, and professional wrestling into the studio. Their hosting credits reflected how widely the show drew from major sports and recognizable personalities.

For fans tracking the timeline, the repeat appearances are as notable as the new names. Barkley’s four turns and Johnson’s five hosting appearances show how a successful first episode could lead to another invitation.

Recent hosts: Kelce to Brunson

Travis Kelce hosted SNL in March 2023, and Jalen Brunson opened Season 52 on Sept. 26, 2026, after the Knicks’ title. Their episodes brought the athlete-host tradition into the show’s most recent seasons.

Kelce’s appearance continued the series’ connection with high-profile football players. His episode also gave viewers a recent example of an athlete taking on the host role beyond game-day coverage.

Brunson’s turn placed a Knicks star at the center of the Season 52 premiere. The timing followed the team’s title, giving his hosting appearance a clear connection to the season’s sports headlines.

Because Brunson hosted in September 2026, a list that ends earlier will leave out the newest name. His episode marks the current endpoint in the athlete-host timeline.

Records and quirks

Fran Tarkenton was the first athlete to host, Chris Evert was the first female athlete host, and Charles Barkley leads the named repeat-host count with four appearances. Dwayne Johnson has five hosting appearances, with some outlets counting him as a wrestler.

Co-host episodes complicate the numbers. Mr. T and Hulk Hogan shared an episode, as did Joe Montana and Walter Payton, so a count based on episodes differs from one based on individual hosts.

The question of whether athletes make good hosts has no fixed answer. Comedian Will Forte has offered his picks, and Boston.com gave a favorable verdict on Brunson’s hosting turn.

For you as a viewer, the clearest measure is the episode itself: athletes arrive with public personas, then take on sketches and live segments that test their comic timing.