Before embracing his life of stardom, Terry Crews endured a semi-successful stint in the NFL, which ended in 1997.

Terry Crews is known as an actor, TV host, and author, but his resume boasts of so much more, including a successful run in the NFL.

The star, who has excelled in the spotlight since his first venture has come a long way since then, with his escapades on the field slowly becoming fragments of history.

He came into the world in 1968 and grew up in a strict Christian household in Michigan. As a child, he learned to play the flute, and also picked up some football skills. Both earned him scholarships to two different schools.

He ended up forfeiting his art scholarship for his athletic scholarship. Hence, he continued playing football at the collegiate level at Western Michigan University. He played defensive end for his school’s team, the Broncos.

Upon declaring for the NFL, the Los Angeles Rams drafted him as Pick 281 in 1991. He went on to play for the Chargers, Redskins, and Eagles over the next seven years.

During those years, Terry Crews enjoyed a relatively successful NFL career playing defensive end and linebacker. So why exactly did such an amazing talent quit the games in favor of life in the film industry?

Why Did Terry Crews Quit The NFL

Terry Crews retired from the NFL after seven years in the games to pursue his acting dreams. Throughout his football career, the actor admittedly nursed a long-held passion for acting and an ambition to pursue a career in the field.

Hence, he snagged the opportunity when it came calling. Aside from his longtime dreams of acting, it is believed the low pay the actor earned during his time as an athlete further triggered him to quit.

As an NFL star, Crews’ earnings could barely sustain him. He had to opt for side hustles, like painting portraits of his teammates to support himself. It comes as no surprise that a more lucrative career at the time would appeal more to him.

Terry Crews’ Football Career

While in the NFL, Crews played for a host of teams, including the San Diego Chargers, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Green Bay Packers, and the Washington Redskins.

While impressive, his stint in the NFL did not pan out as successful as the icon had hoped. During a 2017 appearance on the “Dan Patrick Show,” the 54-year-old opened up about his short-lived career.

He admitted that despite being a “good enough player for the NFL,” he fell short of his potential because he was stretched to the limits. He recalled:

“In regard to being a Pro Bowl player, I was that in my mind, but it just didn’t get there. I played defensive end in college. In the pros, I was switched to linebacker. It wasn’t something I grew up doing. I was just a tremendous athlete and that was put into the spot.”

Crews believed he would have performed better as an NFL player, and perhaps stick to the career if he had played linebacker all the way through.

Notwithstanding, the icon’s football career saw him play a total of 32 games including 16 with the redskins and six with the Rams. Additionally, he played ten games with the Chargers before finally bidding farewell to the world of sports.

The End Of One Career Marked The Onset Of Another

Upon his retirement, Crews relocated to Los Angeles in pursuit of an acting career. His leap of faith soon paid off, as the star began snagging roles in no time.

First, he appeared in a series of music videos, then had some minor gigs to keep him afloat. Shortly after joining the cast of “Battle Dome,” in 1999, the entertainer eventually landed his first major role on “Friday After Next,” alongside Ice Cube.

More projects like “White Chicks,” “The Longest Yard,” and, “Everybody Hates Chris,” followed, each spotlighting him, and earning him widespread popularity.

He has since become a leading actor, with hit movies like “Deadpool 2” and “The Expendables” making up his Hollywood portfolio. Today, Terry Crews has a net worth of $25 million per CelebrityNetworth.

This isn’t to say it was all-rosy for Terry Crews. Contrariwise, the actor’s touch with success exposed him to new challenges, casting him into the web of pornography addiction that lasted several years.

A stint in rehab set the former linebacker on his journey to recovery. Thankfully, he had his wife Rebecca King, whom he married in 1989, by his side. The couple has five children together.

It turns out quitting the NFL was a great choice for Crews after all. His new career not only earned him an impressive financial standing, but also a major claim to fame which he has sailed on in the last two decades.