Washington — A number of professional athletes and coaches may have retired from their sports, but they’re not done competing. Instead, they’re setting their sights on Capitol Hill and running for office.
Though they may not have a traditional political background, most have experience with being in the public eye and may benefit from having some name recognition. The 2026 hopefuls have plenty of predecessors, including Democratic Sen. Bill Bradley, a basketball Hall of Famer who played for the New York Knicks and represented New Jersey in the upper chamber, and GOP Sen. Jim Bunning, a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and Hall of Famer who represented Kentucky in the House and Senate.
Currently, GOP Rep. Burgess Owens, a former New York Jets and Oakland Raiders safety, represents Utah in the House, and former Auburn University football coach Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican, represents Alabama in the Senate, although he’s retiring to run for governor. The Indianapolis Colts’ Anthony Gonzalez, also a Republican, represented Ohio in the House until 2023.
A successful career in sports doesn’t guarantee victory at the ballot box, though. In recent years, a number of athletes who sought elected office have fallen short, including former NBA player Royce White, who lost a race to unseat Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar in Minnesota.
Former Dodgers star Steve Garvey lost a Senate bid to Adam Schiff in California. NFL player Herschel Walker ran for a Senate seat in Georgia but lost to Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. President Trump nominated Walker to be ambassador to the Bahamas, but he has not yet been confirmed by the Senate. And former Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who played in the NFL, fell short against Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. Allred has launched another Senate bid this cycle, taking on Sen. John Cornyn.
Here’s what to know about the latest athletes and coaches looking to enter elected office in next year’s midterm elections:
Mark Teixeira
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Former Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, 45, announced last month that he’s running to represent Texas in the House, seeking the seat held by GOP Rep. Chip Roy, who announced a bid for Texas attorney general.
Teixeira’s 14-season MLB career took him from the Texas Rangers to the Atlanta Braves and the New York Yankees, with whom he won a World Series in 2009. In announcing his bid to represent Texas in the House, Teixeira touted being a “lifelong conservative who loves this country,” saying he’s “running for Congress to fight for the principles that make Texas and America great.”
“It takes teamwork to win — I’m ready to help defend President Trump’s America First agenda, Texas families, and individual liberty,” he added.
Teixeira’s campaign has leaned into his profile as a professional athlete, saying in Congress, “he’ll bring the same grit, preparation, and competitive spirit that made him a champion in Major League Baseball to fight for Texas — and win.”
Derek Dooley
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Former college football coach Derek Dooley is running to represent Georgia in the Senate. He entered the crowded GOP contest in August, as Republicans look to unseat Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff.
Dooley, the son of University of Georgia Coach Vince Dooley, has a law degree from the University of Georgia and worked as an attorney before going on to coach football at Louisiana Tech and the University of Tennessee.
In his announcement video, Dooley, 57, said “one of the great milestones for me as a kid” was when he was old enough to join his father on the sidelines during Georgia football games. And he leaned on his three decades of coaching at various levels, saying he’d spent time with people “from all walks of life,” and “the only thing that mattered was trying to create hope and opportunity for them and that family — that’s leadership.”
“We need new leadership in Georgia, that’s why I’m running for Senate,” he said, while pledging to work with Mr. Trump.
Jay Feely
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Former NFL kicker Jay Feely announced in April that he’s running to represent Arizona in the House, seeking to replace GOP Rep. Andy Biggs, who is running for governor.
Feely, 49, played for six teams across his 14-year career, and later worked as an NFL analyst for CBS Sports. His campaign website plays up his time as a professional athlete, with the slogan, “tough on the field, tougher in Washington.”
The former kicker has billed himself as a “staunch supporter of President Trump and the America First Agenda” — from border security to protecting women from “radical gender ideology” in sports. And he’s cited the July 2024 assassination attempt against Mr. Trump as his inspiration for seeking public office.
