Connections between Space and the NFL

Connections between Space and the NFL
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 16, 2025

Space occupies the minds of every NFL player. However, the space on their minds is on the football field. Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers want to find it, while the offense wants to shut it down. Regarding space travel, the solar system, and NASA, the NFL links are less obvious, but the two fields share many connections despite that.

Leland Melvin

Most space enthusiasts will know the name, Leland Melvin. He flew two missions as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Atlantis, logging over 565 hours in space as a NASA astronaut.

However, some NFL fans may also recall Melvin as a pro footballer. In the 1986 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions picked him as a wide receiver, but a hamstring injury saw him released. Training with the Dallas Cowboys the following spring, Melvin suffered yet another hamstring injury, which ultimately ended his dreams of playing in the NFL.

Melvin returned to his studies and graduated from the University of Virginia in 1991 with a master's degree in materials science engineering. He later accepted a job at NASA and, in 1988, was accepted into that year's astronaut class.

Having worked on the International Space Station and spent 23 days, 13 hours, and 28 minutes in space, Melvin is now retired but has since published two books on space aimed at encouraging the next generation of astronauts.

Joshua Dobbs

The 29-year-old veteran NFL quarterback was a 2017 fourth-round draft pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Dobbs has since been part of the setup at the Jaguars, Browns, Lions, Titans, Cardinals, and Vikings and is currently with the San Francisco 49ers for the 2024 season.

In 2023, Dobbs threw for 158 yards, scoring three touchdowns in a 31-28 come-from-behind victory against the Atlanta Falcons. The feat meant he became the first quarterback in NFL history to record three touchdowns in consecutive games - while playing for different teams.

However, there is far more to Joshua Dobbs than his on-field accomplishments. He majored in aerospace engineering at the University of Tennessee, finishing with a perfect 4.0 GPA. That means that Dobbs is your man if you need help with your science homework or working out the latest NFL Playoff odds .

The quarterback's love of space and football soon earned him the nickname "The Passtronaut." In only his second year as a pro footballer, Dobbs was given an externship through the NFL Players Association. During the offseason, Dobbs worked on the Artemis mission at Kennedy Space Center. The following year, his externship was with NASA's RASSOR group, studying the best rockets to take the rover to the moon on its next mission.

In April 2024, Dobbs headed to Cleveland, Ohio, to visit NASA's Glenn Research Center and experience a rare total solar eclipse. The rare perfect alignment of the Earth, moon, and sun briefly turns the day into night, and Dobbs was happy to witness the spectacle as part of NASA's three-day Total Eclipse Festival.

Michael Strahan

The former professional NFL player spent his 15-year career with the New York Giants. The defensive end set the record for most NFL single-season quarterback sacks, and in his final season in 2007, was part of the team that beat the New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII. He became a popular TV personality and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

Strahan hit the headlines in December 2021 when he flew into space onboard Blue Origin NS-19's suborbital space flight. At 6 feet 5 inches, he became the tallest person to fly in space. Along with his fellow crew members, he was the last recipient of the FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings-a badge created by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to garner interest in commercial space flight.

Training and Dedication

Space travel and the NFL are both highly competitive fields and share many similarities, such as data analysis. In the NFL, this involves studying game film, spotting trends in certain plays and situations, and studying hard, all of which are similar to an Astronaut's microscopic analysis of mission data and academic determination.

Drowning out the noise of a crowd in the middle of a football game while chaos reigns around you is also similar to the mindset of scientists and astronauts, where focus and tunnel vision are key. Also, diet and exercise regimes are identical, with astronauts and pro footballers undertaking personalized training and diet regimens.

For many NFL fans, the stars they come to watch are the stars of Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Lamar Jackson, Christian McCaffrey, and Davante Adams. But the stars in the sky are just as exciting for players like Joshua Dodds, Leland Melvin, and Michael Strahan.