Very few entertainment programs have had the longevity of Saturday Night Live. it’s brought in celebrities from the world of film, music and sports.
The sketch comedy show enters Season 52, and New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson is set to host the NBC late-night program for the first time.
SNL’s had countless well-known athletes take the stage at its Rockefeller Center studio over the years. That includes NFL champions like Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Joe Montana and Peyton Manning.
Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton became the first sports figure to host the show in 1977, which has sparked a flurry of other notable athletes since.
Athletes from the world of boxing, MLB, NBA, NHL, WWE and the Olympics have gained notoriety on the comedic show, such as LeBron James, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Michael Phelps and Wayne Gretzky.
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New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown and Jalen Brunson during the NBA championship parade. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Brunson’s reaching maximum popularity now as he starts to dabble in other areas off the court. The Knicks superstar enters a new era as he aims to set several pop culture milestones.
The former college basketball standout is close friends with Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay. The two have teased a potential cameo on the hit NBC show in recent months, which makes sense with the timing of Brunson’s SNL appearance.
Brunson becomes the first current or former NBA star to earn the hosting gig since Charles Barkley in 2018. The highly-entertaining Inside the NBA pundit has hosted the NBC show four times throughout his career.
Here’s the full list of athletes that have hosted SNL throughout the last five-plus decades.
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Every SNL athlete host in the show’s history
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Actor Dwayne Johnson before the game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Credit: USA TODAY Sports (Reuters)
Athlete
Episode
Air date
League/Sport
Fran Tarkenton
Season 2, Episode 13
Jan. 29, 1977
NFL
O.J. Simpson
Season 3, Episode 12
Feb. 25, 1978
NFL
Bill Russell
Season 5, Episode 3
Nov. 3, 1979
NBA
John Madden
Season 7, Episode 10
Jan. 30, 1982
NFL
Bob Uecker
Season 10, Episode 2
Oct. 13, 1984
MLB
Alex Karras
Season 10, Episode 12
Feb. 2, 1985
NFL
Hulk Hogan
Season 10, Episode 15
March 30, 1985
WWE
Marvin Hagler
Season 11, Episode 17
May 17, 1986
Boxer
Billy Martin
Season 11, Episode 18
May 24, 1986
MLB
Joe Montana
Season 12, Episode 9
Jan. 24, 1987
NFL
Walter Payton
Season 12, Episode 9
Jan 24. 1987
NFL
Carl Weathers
Season 13, Episode 10
Jan. 13, 1988
NFL
Wayne Gretzky
Season 14, Episode 19
May 13, 1989
NHL
Chris Evert
Season 15, Episode 5
Nov. 11, 1989
Tennis
Michael Jordan
Season 17, Episode 1
Sept. 28, 1991
NBA
Charles Barkley*
Season 19, Episode 1
Sept. 25, 1993
NBA
Nancy Kerrigan
Season 19, Episode 15
March 12, 1994
Figure skating
George Foreman
Season 20, Episode 9
Dec. 17, 1994
Boxing
Deion Sanders
Season 20, Episode 13
Feb. 18, 1995
NFL & MLB
Dwayne Johnson*
Season 25, Episode 15
March 18, 2000
WWE
Derek Jeter
Season 27, Episode 11
Dec. 1, 2001
MLB
Jonny Moseley
Season 27, Episode 13
March 3, 2002
Olympic skiing
Jeff Gordon
Season 28, Episode 9
Jan. 11, 2003
NASCAR
Andy Roddick
Season 29, Episode 5
Nov. 8, 2003
Tennis
Tom Brady
Season 30, Episode 17
April 16, 2005
NFL
Lance Armstrong
Season 31, Episode 4
Oct. 29, 2005
Cycling
Peyton Manning
Season 32, Episode 16
March 24, 2007
NFL
LeBron James
Season 33, Episode 1
Sept. 29, 2007
NBA
Michael Phelps
Season 34, Episode 1
Sept. 13. 2008
Swimming
Eli Manning
Season 37, Episode 11
May 5, 2012
NFL
Ronda Rousey
Season 41, Episode 11
Jan. 23, 2016
UFC & WWE
John Cena
Season 42, Episode 9
Dec. 10, 2016
WWE
J.J. Watt
Season 45, Episode 12
Feb. 1, 2020
NFL
Travis Kelce
Season 48, Episode 14
Mar. 4, 2023
NFL
Jalen Brunson
Season 52, Episode 1
Sept. 26, 2026
NBA
Several figures like The Rock and Barkley have appeared on several episodes. The two notable figures have combined for nine hosting appearances.
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