Most Successful Overweight Athletes – Nothing Is Impossible

When we picture a professional athlete, we see muscles, fitness, and strength in front of us. However, being overweight does not mean someone can’t excel at sports. Though, society is not always kind, even to the most successful overweight athletes. The athletes on our list have made a name for themselves in several different sports, and one way or another, they have become legendary!

American Football 

The bigger someone on the field, the harder it is to get around, tip over, or push aside. So it is somewhat of an expectation to be massive. Players, therefore, understandably go for gaining weight and not just building muscles during their career. Between 1942 and 2011, the average body weight of professional football players increased by 20 to 50 kilograms. We have listed some of the most successful overweight athletes from the football fields below!

Most Successful Overweight Athletes

Fridge is the nickname people gave to American football player William Perry who weighed 150 kg during his professional career. Perry was a defensive lineman for ten years in the NFL, and won a Super Bowl with Chicago Bears. Perry was also overweight as a child, gaining 90 kilos by the age of 11. He was teased a lot at school because of his weight, and in response, he began to play sports to silence the bullies. He also got famous for the championship ring and became a legend. As it had to be made in size 25, which is the most enormous ring in the NFL’s history!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfor6sCws-Q Jerome Bettis, or as everyone knows, The Bus, is not only one of the best running backs of the last ten years but one of the most emblematic figures in the entire league. Bettis is considered one of the best halfbacks of his time, but his charming character, immense strength, and good heart also made him a fan favorite. Of course, all this would have meant nothing if he did not have exceptional skills and performance. With 13,662 running yards in his 13-year career, still ranks 8th on the league’s rankings.  With 147 kilos and 188 centimeters, Vince Wilfork was striking in size, even in the NFL. Though in his 13 seasons, he proved to be much, much more than a huge man. One of the NFL’s most successful overweight athletes retired as a two-time champion. Even as a child, Vince Wilfork’s sports talent showed itself. As a high school student, he played American football, wrestled, lifted weight, and became a state champion in discus throwing in 2000, with a high school record of almost 21 meters. Wilfork is essentially a prototype of the so-called war daddy, an outstandingly strong defensive lineman with a huge body. Essentially, football coaches call their best players war daddies.

Most Successful Overweight Athletes - Basketball 

Shawn Kemp is one of the most brilliant alley-oop throwers in NBA history. Needless to say, he has a place among the best players. Kemp played his best game in the Seattle SuperSonics team. Their teammates nicknamed him the Reign Man. After leaving them, he usually hit the news with his weight problems rather than with his jaw-dropping throws. According to 22bet Sportsbook, he struggled with it for years, but it was not the only hardship he faced. Even before he retired from professional basketball, he got media attention because of his drug addiction and drinking problems.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHb875YbbrA Next to Shaquille O’Neal, even extra tall people look like dwarfs. He’s 216 centimeters tall and weighed over 140 kilos when he was in top form as a competitive athlete. The four-time NBA champion basketball player had a huge physical advantage over his opponents. Towards the end of his career, his immense weight had already prevented him from showing off his fantastic abilities. He was a member of the American basketball team, nicknamed the Dream Team, at the 1996 Atlanta Games, which won the tournament without being beaten once. And in his 19-year professional career, they named him MVP, been part of the All-Star 15 times, and threw a total of 28,596 points. He also appeared in some movies like Grown ups and Blended.

Combat Sports

Butterbean, aka Eric Esch, did not become a legend with his outstanding boxing skills, but with 170 kilos to his 182 centimeters. Despite his great balance, he stood out with his stature, which helped him win many times. Out of 91 matches, Eric won 77 times, 65 of which were with KO. He had a bald head with that big body and a mostly constant grumpy look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I5ucnaDgKM Butterbean was kind of scary. He wore trousers with the American flag in every match because of his patriotism. With two exceptions, Esch was only involved in four-round boxing games, and for the most part, he had a tactic. He waited for the right moment to knock down his opponent with a single punch. He did not become a world champion, but he was the American heavyweight champion of the IBA.

Most Successful Overweight Athletes - André the Giant

André the Giant was an iconic figure. He was one of the most successful overweight athletes of all time. At the age of 17, promoter Lord Alfred Hayes discovered him and realized his potential success and value as a wrestler. Hayes was right because André became an insanely popular wrestler throughout Europe. He made his WWF debut in 1973 as André The Giant as a positive character. With his 7 feet 4 inches, 224 cm, and 236 kg, he really was a giant. If you can’t seem to picture him, check out online sportsbook sites in the US or watch one of the several films he appeared in.

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For example, his most notable role was in The Princess Bride, where he, surprise-surprise, played a giant. He also had a memorable match against the other giant, Big John Studd. It turned out that his appearance was due to a hormonal disorder. Due to his gigantic body, he was in constant pain. He participated in more than 5000 matches which did not help his health condition, and he died at 47 from heart failure. He was the first person in the WWE Hall of Fame! Check out more unusual athletes in our article!