Jocks and Jokes

Athletes' Best SNL moments

NBC ANNOUNCED LAST week that MMA fighter Ronda Rousey will open the Jan. 23 episode of Saturday Night Live. With her appearance Rousey will become the 30th athlete to host. She may not outfunny Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, who has killed in two hosting gigs, but she might break into the canon of classic moments that athletes have produced on the show.

O.J. SIMPSON

Feb. 25, 1978

Coneheaded = funny; hotheaded = scary.

WAYNE GRETZKY

May 13, 1989

The Great One appeared in his own world.

PEYTON MANNING

March 24, 2007

He brought some intensity to the United Way.

LEBRON JAMES

Sept. 29, 2007

He was Solid Gold in faux Jheri curls.

ELI MANNING

May 5, 2012

His quest to upstage Peyton dragged on.

DENNIS RODMAN

April 6, 2013

When farce couldn't outdo reality.

SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE

The Raiders' Khalil Mack was voted an All-Pro at two positions (OLB and DE), although his team listed him only as a DE.

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JON KOPALOFF/FILMMAGIC/GETTY IMAGES (ROUSEY)

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NBC/NBCU PHOTO BANK/GETTY IMAGES (SIMPSON)

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ALAN SINGER/NBC/NBCU PHOTO BANK/GETTY IMAGES (GRETZKY)

THREE PHOTOS

DANA EDELSON/NBC/NBCU PHOTO BANK/GETTY IMAGES (PEYTON, ELI, RODMAN)

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DANA EDELSON/NBC UNIVERSAL, INC. (JAMES)

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RYAN KANG/AP (MACK)