Greg Jennings: Actor

Apparently, Green Bay Packers’ receiver Greg Jennings can do more than catch footballs and run fast. Or, at least, we’ll see…

Jennings will make his acting debut Wednesday on the CBS drama Criminal Minds, where he plays a lab technician. Jennings’ appearance is brief – only one scene – but he does have a few lines.

“It was fun, it was fun,” Jennings said. “I was going in letting them know this is not what I do. I’m on the football field. That’s me, that’s my domain. But the cast members were great, giving me feedback. They opened their arms and helped me as much as possible and tried to make me look as good as possible.”

It doesn’t appear that Jennings has any designs on an acting career. He got the role on Criminal Minds after meeting one of the show’s producers, who simply asked him to come on the show. Jennings shot his scene in March.

So, what can you expect from Jennings?

Well, we thought we’d try to pull up some other athletes attempts at acting to give you an idea.

First, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Pau Gasol on CSI Miami.

Eh… at least his appearance was brief.

Second, here’s Rick Fox, former member of the Lakers and Boston Celtics, on Ugly Betty.

Not terribly impressive, but Fox also appeared on my favorite show, Melrose Place, this season, so he gets a pass.

OK, it’s true. Not only basketball players can “act.” Football players can too!

Football players like Merlin Olsen, who was not only a member of the Los Angeles Rams’ Fearsome Foursome, but also played Jonathan Garvey for four seasons on Little House on the Prairie.

Now that’s real emotion!

Finally, what discussion of athletes who act would be complete without The Juice.

In three Oscar-worthy performances, O.J. Simpson played Nordberg in the Naked Gun movies.

Let’s hope Jennings aspires to reach the heights of The Juice, at least when it comes to acting.

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