Famous Athletes from Jacksonville, Florida

By LP:

Our hometowns can have a profound influence on our future and how the city shaped their professional careers.

Jacksonville, FL, is the hometown of many famous celebrities from all sectors of the entertainment world. Many of these individuals are professional athletes—people who have gone above and beyond within their sport. The kind of athletes that practice year-round and endure ice baths and cryotherapy, all in the name of perfecting their craft. Below are some of the most famous athletes from Jacksonville, Florida.

1. Jack Youngblood
   Born and raised in Jacksonville, he attended Monticello High School before going to college at the University of Florida. He was eventually drafted during the first round of the 1971 NFL draft. From there he spent his professional career with the Los Angeles Rams where he finished off his run with 151.5 quarterback sacks. Youngblood was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and remains one of the greatest athletes to come out of Florida.
2. David Duval
   Born in Jacksonville in 1971, Duval would go on to be one of the best golfers the city has ever seen. After attending college at Georgia Tech, Duval joined the PGA tour in 1995. He would go on to win 13 PGA tournaments between 1997 and 2001. His biggest career accomplishment was wining the major title at The Open Championship. As his professional career slowed down, he joined the Golf Channel and NBC as an analyst and commentator.
3. Chipper Jones
   Although he was born in DeLand, FL, Chipper Jones moved to Jacksonville as a teenager. His time in the city would shape him to become one of the best MLB players in the country. Jones was the number one overall pick in the 1990 MLB draft, and served as the primary third basemen for the Atlanta Braves from 1995 to 2012. At the end of his professional career, Jones ranked third on the Braves’ career home run list. Chipper was also inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018 which was the first year he was even eligible.
4. Tim Tebow
   When moving to Jacksonville from the Philippines at only three years old, Tebow and his family had no idea the future he would have in American athletics. Not only is Tim a famous NFL quarterback, but he also plays professional baseball in the New York Mets organization. Tebow had a highly successful college football career and is one of the few athletes to play two sports professionally.
5. Bob Hayes
   An Olympic sprinter who became an NFL superstar, Bob Hayes will always be celebrated in Jacksonville for his one-of-a-kind career. Arguably one of the fastest sprinters of all time, Hayes won two gold medals in the 1964 Olympic games. Shortly after, he went on to sign a contact with the Dallas Cowboys, and would become one of the most dynamic receivers the NFL has ever seen due to his speed. His biggest accomplishment—he’s the only athlete in the world to have won both a Super Bowl ring and Olympic gold medal