- 3 minutes ago
Who knew professional athletes could bring the laughs? These sports stars surprised everyone with their comedic talent when they stepped into the iconic Studio 8H to host SNL. From singing quarterbacks to laidback NFL legends and charming NBA icons, their hilarious performances broke the mold. Get ready to see your favorite athletes like you’ve never seen them before—embracing silliness, deadpan humor, and unexpected charisma!
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00:00You are the most beautiful man I've ever seen.
00:02And he was like, you're just saying that because I play for the Yankees.
00:05And I was like, you're right, I am.
00:07And we fell in love.
00:08Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:09And today we're counting down our picks for the most notable professional athletes
00:13who stepped into Studio 8H and absolutely shocked us with their comedic chops.
00:18Gronk.
00:18Hell yeah, a cheetah would be awesome, bro.
00:21I'd put some new asses on and feed a cheetah.
00:24Number 10, Michael Jordan.
00:26Back in 1991, Michael Jordan was arguably the most famous athlete on the planet
00:32at the height of his NBA dominance with the Chicago Bulls.
00:35But when he was tapped to host an episode of SNL,
00:38the audience had zero idea what to expect.
00:41Because I'm a role model, I've been able to do so many things for the young people.
00:44It's been a lot of concern that I've been doing too many commercials.
00:48But in my own defense, I don't do every commercial that they bring to me.
00:52Jordan leaned fully into self-deprecating humor,
00:55poking fun at his own celebrity status and endorsement empire.
00:59He appeared in multiple sketches that played off his larger-than-life persona,
01:03showing a looseness that cameras rarely caught on the court.
01:06Clear.
01:07Clear.
01:08I'll clear.
01:09Come on.
01:10I'll clear.
01:11Ah!
01:12Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.
01:15Although he threw himself fully into the sketches,
01:18Jordan didn't seem to chase laughs desperately.
01:20He was relaxed, charming, and genuinely funny.
01:24For a man famously known for his competitive intensity,
01:27that easy comedic comfort was the real surprise.
01:30Because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.
01:36Number 9, J.J. Watt.
01:37All I did was walk over to him, and he crumpled into a little ball,
01:40and he said, no, no, not again, it's coming out, it's coming out.
01:43I mean, you know what?
01:44Maybe you don't believe in me, Riley.
01:46I definitely don't.
01:47Okay.
01:47People expected this Houston Texan's defensive end
01:50to lumber through his opening monologue
01:52and phone it in for the rest of the night.
01:55J.J. Watt had other plans.
01:57His monologue riffed cleverly on the disconnect
01:59between his enormous physical presence and everyday life.
02:03A lot of people wonder how my brothers and I got so big.
02:06And truth be told, guys, it's just all genetics.
02:08You see, my mom comes from a long line of tall men,
02:11and my dad is actually Cletus the Fox Sports robot.
02:14From there, he never let his energy dim.
02:16But steadily brought laughs in various sketches,
02:19from playing a pizza delivery man in the adult film industry
02:22to a pilot hunk on a reality dating show.
02:25Watch me drink champagne.
02:27Don't hit me.
02:31Whoa.
02:32I think I'm ready to propose that you leave.
02:34Through it all, he never appeared stiff or uncomfortable
02:37under the pressure of live TV.
02:39His brand may be pure ferocity on the field,
02:42but it was refreshing to see him embrace total silliness at Studio 8-H.
02:47Did you at least bring the pizza back?
02:48Well, no.
02:50Last time I brought one back, you got mad at me.
02:53What?
02:53That's because it had a giant hole cut out the middle of it.
02:56Number 8, Eli Manning.
02:58Two Super Bowl rings are impressive.
03:00Two Super Bowl MVP awards are historic.
03:03But being genuinely funny on live television,
03:06that one nobody saw coming from NFL star Eli Manning.
03:10The New York fans have been great to us.
03:12We had a big parade downtown where we took the Lombardi trophy
03:15into the heart of the city.
03:17And now we have no idea where it is.
03:19When Manning hosted SNL in 2012,
03:21he embraced the joke that he's the other Manning,
03:24especially in the Little Brothers sketch,
03:26which called back to a memorable commercial
03:28from his older brother's 2007 hosting gig.
03:31We also provide kids with great sports and activities
03:34like dodgeball,
03:36stop,
03:37t-ball,
03:39and archery.
03:40I'll give you a five-second head start.
03:42One, two,
03:43good enough.
03:44However, his standout moment came
03:47when he played a not-so-bright courtroom defendant
03:49whose embarrassing texts proved crucial in his case.
03:53Manning commits completely throughout the episode,
03:56letting the humor come from his naturally laid-back demeanor.
04:00It's low-key hilarious
04:01and proof you don't necessarily need big energy to be funny.
04:05Did you meet up with her?
04:07No, sir.
04:08She was in a coma.
04:09It was a very bad car accident.
04:11And did you know that when you sent the texts?
04:15Yes, I did.
04:16Number seven,
04:17Travis Kelsey.
04:19Fresh off yet another Super Bowl run
04:21with the Kansas City Chiefs,
04:22Travis Kelsey graced Studio 8-H with his presence.
04:26and treated that episode like his personal celebration.
04:30I got to play against my brother Jason,
04:32who is an eagle.
04:37And my mom was on TV more than both of us.
04:39His monologue immediately disarmed any skeptics,
04:43as Kelsey seemingly felt comfortable from the jump.
04:46His charisma was on full display throughout the night,
04:48as he thrived in premises
04:50that played off his larger-than-life personality.
04:52Oh, well, we'll need menus then.
04:56But FYI, don't bring out any kids' menus for the girls.
04:59Isabel just had her period
05:00and she thinks she's a woman now.
05:02He's clearly having fun,
05:03and it's infectious.
05:05Kelsey's natural showmanship,
05:07the same energy that makes him impossible
05:09to ignore during Chiefs games,
05:11translated beautifully to live sketch comedy.
05:13Turns out, performing for 70,000 fans weekly
05:16is good enough preparation for SNL.
05:19Damn, you guys are being mad annoying right now.
05:23How many times do your parents have to say this?
05:25The next part of the song will explain everything.
05:28Thank you, Sucre.
05:30Number 6, Tom Brady.
05:32Who knew one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time
05:35could also sing?
05:36For his hosting debut back in 2005,
05:39Tom Brady unleashed his pipes in his opening monologue,
05:42as he's saying about his many impressive talents.
05:45I can fly on a trapeze.
05:47I speak fluent Japanese.
05:49And if you don't believe me,
05:51T-U-T-U-T-U-S-I-T.
05:53The rest of the night could have made
05:55for a safe, forgettable episode.
05:57Instead, Brady delivered one of the more
06:00surprisingly sharp athlete performances on SNL.
06:03Brady committed completely to every bit,
06:06never breaking character or playing it safe.
06:08Number 1, you are my wife.
06:14Number 2,
06:17your sweater is pretty.
06:20He allows himself to look ridiculous in a way
06:22that contrasts hilarity with his polished public image.
06:26His willingness to be the butt of the joke
06:28makes the entire episode work in a way
06:30that hardly anyone expected.
06:33What about the Sugar Hill Gang?
06:34Grandmaster Flash?
06:36Run DMC?
06:36Hey, hey, hey.
06:38Stop correcting me every time I say something wrong.
06:40Because if you do that,
06:41we're going to be here forever.
06:43Number 5, John Cena.
06:44This was John Cena's first time hosting SNL,
06:47but you could hardly tell from the episode.
06:50I feel like we're the only two people alive.
06:53Hey, how did you get that scar?
06:55I don't want to tell you.
06:58I'll just scare you away.
06:59Fans already knew Cena was a strong performer
07:02from his Hollywood roles,
07:03but he revealed a comedic side
07:05many had not yet seen.
07:07He was game for everything that was required of him,
07:10no matter how ridiculous it made him look.
07:12I'm a caveman with a big gun.
07:14Oh, and I'm a horny, wealthy ghost
07:17with full throttle knockers.
07:22And I grab your ghost butt with my 10-pound hands.
07:26His sheer enthusiasm just to be there
07:28was glaring in every sketch,
07:30and it made the entire episode all the more fun.
07:33In addition to being an entertaining wrestler,
07:36Cena had already shown he was a talented actor.
07:39And with this episode,
07:40he displayed genuine live performance instincts
07:43that many trained comedians would kill for.
07:46So awesome.
07:47Just me, my five brothers,
07:48800 friends doing lemon drop shots,
07:51wearing huge sunglasses.
07:53Number four, Derek Jeter.
07:55The Yankees captain has always been notorious
07:57for being guarded and stoic in the public eye.
08:00One would think such a person
08:02might make for a terrible SNL host.
08:05But Derek Jeter shed that polished image immediately
08:08as he walked onto the Studio 8-H stage.
08:11Tonight, I'd like to give the baseball fans
08:15right here in the Saturday Night Live grandstand
08:17the opportunity to catch a real big knee.
08:20In multiple sketches,
08:22Jeter took his calm, composed demeanor
08:24and flipped it into something genuinely funny,
08:27playing various versions of himself
08:29immersed in chaotic situations.
08:31Also, sometimes they drive to Baltimore
08:33when we play the Oreos to tell me I suck.
08:37But if you look at my numbers,
08:40you'll find I've been a fairly productive shortstop.
08:43He also showed he didn't take himself too seriously,
08:46dressing up in drag for the Yankee Wives sketch.
08:49There's a natural ease here
08:50that makes the sketches feel effortless.
08:53Jeter doesn't go the extra mile for laughs.
08:55He just lets them happen.
08:57And it works beautifully.
08:59Jeter is the cute one.
09:00Jeter's where it's at.
09:01Jeter is caliente.
09:03Oh no, Jeter does not do it for me.
09:06He looks like if The Rock had sex with a Muppet.
09:08Number 3, Dwayne Johnson.
09:10Today, Dwayne The Rock Johnson
09:12has established himself
09:13as Hollywood's most bankable star.
09:16But before he made the transition
09:18from the WWE to acting,
09:20Johnson hosted SNL for the first time
09:22in this Season 25 episode.
09:24Before I forget.
09:28If you smell what The Rock is cooking.
09:37His hosting debut was genuinely electric
09:39as he leaned into premises
09:41that poked fun at his imposing presence.
09:43Johnson's physical magnetism
09:45combined brilliantly with the comedic material.
09:48And his willingness to look completely ridiculous on camera
09:51was instantly disarming.
09:52Notice how protective Papa Peeper is!
09:57Papa!
09:58Papa!
09:59No!
10:00Papa Peeper!
10:00No!
10:01No!
10:01No!
10:02Peeper!
10:03No!
10:03The audience quickly realized
10:05they weren't watching a wrestler
10:06nervously surviving live television.
10:09This was someone who clearly had the chops for it.
10:12The episode planted seeds
10:13for a superstar entertainment career
10:15that nobody, including Hollywood executives,
10:18had yet imagined.
10:18Well, after I make a few cuts,
10:21uh, uh, uh, that is,
10:23is Superman here?
10:26Because I'm not super...
10:29yee.
10:30Number two, Charles Barkley.
10:32You look like a nice girl,
10:34but you're a freak, aren't you?
10:35No.
10:36Come on, you're a freak.
10:38I've been in NBA a long time.
10:39I know a freaky white girl when I see you.
10:41When Charles Barkley stepped back onto SNL in 2010,
10:45it had been nearly two decades
10:47since his last hosting gig.
10:48Enough time had passed for people to forget
10:51just how comfortable he could be
10:52in a live comedy setting.
10:54But Barkley wastes no time reminding everyone.
10:58Think water.
11:00Ocean!
11:01We're gonna need a bigger ocean?
11:04Yeah, if you get a bigger ocean,
11:05it's gonna make the shark seem smaller.
11:08Then the joke would be on the shark.
11:09Whether he's poking fun at his TNT persona
11:12or leaning into his famously blunt delivery,
11:15Barkley finds laughs by simply being himself.
11:18He also fits right into the MacGruber universe,
11:21playing a man who doesn't take too kindly
11:23to the special agent's insensitive jokes.
11:26I can't tell which one you're pointing at.
11:28Be more specific.
11:28That one.
11:29The, uh, African-American pen.
11:31What?
11:31Sorry, the, uh, Negro pen?
11:34Uh, Negro-American pen?
11:35Just call it a black pen.
11:37Throughout the night,
11:37there was an effortless,
11:39slightly unpredictable rhythm to his performance
11:41that kept every sketch lively.
11:43It was no wonder SNL brought him back
11:45multiple times afterward.
11:47You not gonna be an agent.
11:49You're gonna have a gent up your butt.
11:52And he won't say show me the money.
11:55He'll say blow me for free.
12:03Before we continue,
12:04check out this single from Sound Mojo's Adia,
12:07Songs from Iran,
12:08reimagining Persian melodies as modern rock,
12:11metal, and pop songs.
12:12Check out the full track and album below.
12:15Where are you, my love zone here?
12:17Say the word and I'll appear.
12:19I wrote this song just for you
12:21to tell you what I always knew.
12:29Number one, Peyton Manning.
12:32You never made it to the NFL.
12:34Didn't have what it took.
12:36She got cut by the Dolphins.
12:37She tried in Canada for a bit.
12:40She's a real disappointment to all of us,
12:42but, you know,
12:43still a great lady and we love her.
12:45There is a reason Peyton Manning's
12:47season 32 episode is still referenced
12:49as one of SNL's greatest installments
12:51hosted by an athlete.
12:53The United Way parody sketch alone,
12:55in which Manning plays a football camp volunteer
12:57who terrifies children rather than inspires them,
13:00became an instant comedy classic.
13:03Okay, I'm sorry.
13:03Do you want to lose?
13:05I throw, you catch.
13:06It's not that hard, okay?
13:08All right, get the f*** out of here.
13:10Manning's deadpan delivery
13:11while screaming at kids,
13:13slapping footballs out of their hands,
13:15and looking genuinely menacing
13:16is absolutely perfect.
13:18He appeared right at home
13:19across every sketch,
13:21including the locker room motivation bit,
13:23during which he and the other cast members
13:25broke character.
13:26Can I be real with you right now?
13:28I mean, like, really, really real?
13:31Yes.
13:32I just thought about going out there
13:34for the second half,
13:35and a little bit of pee came out.
13:37Manning clearly understood comedic rhythm
13:39in ways that surprised everyone.
13:41The man spent his NFL career reading defenses.
13:44Turns out, he could read a room just as well.
13:47He said he was jogging,
13:48but when I saw him,
13:49he was sitting on a bench.
13:50Well, he did just have a heart attack.
13:52He was stretching
13:53and wearing very short shorts.
13:55I think I saw his butthole.
13:56Did we bench any athlete
13:58who deserved a spot on this list?
13:59Drop their name in the comments below.
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