Four former NFL players have won the U.S. version of Dancing with the Stars: Emmitt Smith, Hines Ward, Donald Driver, and Rashad Jennings. Each lifted the Mirrorball Trophy with a professional dance partner, in four different seasons.
Here’s when each player competed, who partnered with him, and what made his season memorable. You’ll also see how the show’s voting works, which other football stars came close, and why NFL experience can help without guaranteeing a win.
what football players have won dancing with the stars?
The four winners from the NFL are Emmitt Smith, Hines Ward, Donald Driver, and Rashad Jennings. They won seasons 3, 12, 14, and 24 of the U.S. series, respectively. Each was a former professional player when he competed, and each won alongside a different professional dancer.
The answer refers to American football players on the U.S. show. The word “football” can also mean association football, or soccer, in many countries. This list is about the ABC competition and former NFL players, not every international edition of the franchise.
| Winner | NFL position and team association | Season | Dance partner | Best known for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emmitt Smith | Running back, Dallas Cowboys | 3 | Cheryl Burke | Becoming the show’s first NFL champion |
| Hines Ward | Wide receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers | 12 | Kym Johnson | Pairing strong athleticism with warm performance style |
| Donald Driver | Wide receiver, Green Bay Packers | 14 | Peta Murgatroyd | Winning after a long, consistent run |
| Rashad Jennings | Running back, including the New York Giants | 24 | Emma Slater | Winning a closely followed late-season competition |
Emmitt Smith won season 3 with Cheryl Burke
Former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith won the third season in 2006 with professional dancer Cheryl Burke. His victory was an early example of an NFL player succeeding in a contest that asks athletes to show a very different kind of performance skill.
Smith’s football career gave him years of experience performing under pressure and responding to coaching. Those qualities can help in a televised competition, but they do not replace learning dance technique. He still had to practice unfamiliar steps, work with a partner, and deliver each routine in front of an audience.
His win helped establish a pattern that would return in later seasons: well-known athletes could bring name recognition and competitive focus, while their progress on the dance floor determined whether viewers kept supporting them. Smith’s result is also a useful reminder that the celebrity’s sport does not dictate the outcome. The show rewards the complete performance, not a football résumé.
Hines Ward took the season 12 title with Kym Johnson
Hines Ward, the former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, won season 12 in 2011 with Kym Johnson. Ward had a reputation as a physical, determined competitor on the field. On the show, he had to channel that energy into rhythm, control, and connection with his partner.
His season showed why strength alone is not enough. Ballroom and Latin routines require a performer to manage timing, posture, footwork, and expression at the same time. A powerful movement can suit one moment, but controlled movement and musical timing matter just as much.
Ward and Johnson reached the finale and won the Mirrorball Trophy. Their result is often remembered as one of the clearest examples of a football player turning athletic ability into an appealing dance performance without simply treating every routine like a competition on the field.
Donald Driver won season 14 with Peta Murgatroyd
Former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver won season 14 in 2012 with Peta Murgatroyd. His season is a good illustration of the value of steady progress. Learning choreography takes repetition, and performers need to retain corrections from week to week while preparing new routines.
For a celebrity, consistency means more than repeating the same steps. Each dance has its own style, musical character, and technical demands. A contestant must learn the routine, maintain composure during the live performance, and make the dance readable to judges and viewers.
Driver’s win added a third NFL player to the group of U.S. champions. It also showed that a football player’s appeal can extend beyond a dramatic first impression. A reliable performance over a season can build viewer confidence and help a contestant remain in the competition.
Rashad Jennings won season 24 with Emma Slater
Rashad Jennings, a former NFL running back who played for teams including the New York Giants, won season 24 in 2017 with Emma Slater. His victory came after a season in which the field included several recognizable performers and the final weeks attracted considerable attention.
Jennings’ path is another example of an athlete having to develop skills rather than rely on reputation. Running and dancing both involve body control, but dance adds precise timing, partnered movement, and performance choices shaped by the music. A strong athlete still has to learn each routine and make it look intentional.
Jennings and Slater won the season’s final vote and took the trophy. His victory brought the list of NFL champions on the U.S. show to four. The range of seasons between Smith’s first win and Jennings’ later title also shows that football players have succeeded under different casts, formats, and competitive conditions.
What NFL experience can—and cannot—do for a dancer
Football can provide useful foundations for a dance contestant. Players often train balance, coordination, strength, and spatial awareness. They may also be comfortable performing in front of crowds and staying focused when pressure rises.
Those qualities are helpful, but dance uses them in a different way. A player has to adjust to music, execute steps in a set sequence, and coordinate with a partner. The goal is not to overpower the movement. It is to make each action fit the style and timing of the routine.
Strength and conditioning are only part of the job
Fitness can help a contestant manage long rehearsals and physically demanding choreography. But a dance can look stiff if the performer uses too much force or keeps the body tense. The challenge is to use strength with control, then relax enough to move naturally.
Practice habits matter more than a familiar sport skill
Professional athletes typically know how to work toward a specific goal. That mindset can support regular rehearsal and quick responses to coaching. Still, the useful habit is the willingness to repeat a step until it feels reliable—not an assumption that athletic training automatically teaches dancing.
Performance and audience connection affect the result
The show is entertainment as well as a dance contest. Facial expression, confidence, and the way a celebrity communicates a routine can shape how viewers respond. A technically clean dance matters, but the overall performance also needs to hold attention.
How the show chooses a champion
Each episode features celebrity-and-professional pairs performing prepared routines. Judges give scores, and viewers cast votes through the methods available for that season. The show combines those inputs to determine which couples remain and, in the finale, which pair wins.
The exact scoring and voting details can vary between seasons. In broad terms, the judges assess the dance, while viewer votes reflect support for a pair. That means a contestant must work for both a strong performance and a loyal audience.
- Learn the routine. The celebrity rehearses choreography with a professional partner and develops the technique needed for that week’s dance.
- Perform for the judges and viewers. The couple dances during the televised episode, and judges score the performance.
- Build viewer support. Viewers vote according to the rules and voting window announced for that season.
- Advance through the competition. The combined results determine who continues and which couples reach the finale.
- Win the final result. The finalist with the winning combination of judge and viewer support takes the Mirrorball Trophy.
This format explains why a famous name alone is not enough. A contestant can start with a large fan base, but repeated performances give viewers new reasons to vote. Conversely, a technically strong performance may not be enough if the celebrity fails to connect with the audience.
Other NFL players competed but did not win
The four champions are only part of the show’s football history. Several other NFL players have appeared as contestants, and some advanced deep into their seasons. Their results show that reaching the final stages is not the same as winning.
- Jerry Rice, the former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver, finished as runner-up in season 2.
- Warren Sapp, the former defensive tackle, finished as runner-up in season 7.
- Chad Johnson, also known as Chad Ochocinco, competed in season 10 and reached the semifinals.
- Kurt Warner, the former quarterback, competed in season 11 and reached the later stages of the season.
- Jacoby Jones, the former wide receiver and return specialist, reached the season 16 finale and finished third.
These examples are useful context if you are trying to remember a football player from the show. A finalist or runner-up may be associated with a memorable season, but only the four players in the table above won the U.S. edition.
Common questions about football players on the show
How many NFL players have won the U.S. version?
Four: Emmitt Smith, Hines Ward, Donald Driver, and Rashad Jennings. They won seasons 3, 12, 14, and 24, respectively.
Which football player won first?
Emmitt Smith was the first NFL player on this list to win. He took the season 3 title with Cheryl Burke in 2006.
Has a football player finished as runner-up?
Yes. Jerry Rice and Warren Sapp both finished as runners-up in their respective seasons. Jacoby Jones also reached the finale, where he finished third.
Does “football player” mean soccer player here?
In this article, it means an American football player from the NFL competing on the U.S. version of Dancing with the Stars. Soccer players may appear on other versions of the franchise, so a worldwide list would need to specify the country and edition.
Does being an NFL player make someone more likely to win?
Not by itself. Physical conditioning, discipline, and comfort with competition can help, but dance technique and viewer support also matter. The results of the contestants who did not win make clear that an athletic background is an advantage to build on, not a guarantee of the trophy.
Four former NFL players have won the U.S. competition: Emmitt Smith, Hines Ward, Donald Driver, and Rashad Jennings. Their victories came in different seasons and with different professional dance partners.
If you’re checking a player’s result, start with the season and partner in the table, then distinguish a champion from a runner-up or finalist. That quick check clears up the most common mix-up.