Country Stars Who Played Football Before Fame

There’s a natural synergy between country music and college football: both speak to heart, grit, small-town roots, and perseverance. A few country artists literally lived that connection, suiting up for college teams before trading cleats for stage lights. Their stories—and words—reveal how the discipline and drama of football shaped their art.

One of the most prominent is Riley Green. He played quarterback at Jacksonville State University before fully committing to music. In a candid moment, Green reflected:

“My whole life, my goal was to play college football. At 19, 20 or 21 I realized I had a passion for music and writing songs.”
He also shared how his musical tour bus sometimes doubles as a viewing suite:
“A lot of times I’ve got a few TVs on my bus … I’m definitely keeping up with Jacksonville State and pulling for them constantly.”
These remarks show he still carries the identity of a football fan even as he navigates a musical career.

Then there is Gavin Adcock, the younger country artist who played nose tackle at Georgia Southern University from around 2019 to 2022.
Sources note that a knee injury in 2021 helped prompt his pivot toward music, and that he was later suspended from the team after a video of a beer-chugging incident went viral.
While exact interview quotes from Gavin about football are scarce publicly, the narrative is clear: his ambition was athletic first, music next, and the transition was forced by circumstance.

Another example is Chase Rice, who played linebacker for the University of North Carolina from 2005-2008. While his football career was cut short (in part because of injury), that competitive mindset, team spirit, and discipline translated into his musical journey. Similarly, Sam Hunt was a quarterback at UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) before transferring to Middle Tennessee State. He would later leave football behind to pursue music full-time.

Then there’s Lee Brice, who attended Clemson University. Brice “suited up” as a long snapper—a less glamorous, but essential, role on the team. He, too, saw his football aspirations change course due to injury, turning more inward toward performing and writing songs.

Trace Adkins is another figure whose athletic roots run deep. He walked on as an offensive lineman at Louisiana Tech University. Though his football career was cut short by injury, the toughness and perseverance one needs to compete in a sport like that seem to carry over in his voice, his stage presence, and his lyrical honesty.

Others like Koe Wetzel attended Tarleton State University in Texas and played linebacker before the pull of songwriting, performing, and touring became their primary focus.