Every Athlete Who Has Competed on 'Dancing with the Stars'

At its core, Dancing with the Stars is all about gathering celebrities from different avenues and asking one key question: Can they dance? And, from the beginning, the DNA of the ABC show has involved athletes in some way. We've seen pros from figure skaters to NFL legends take home the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. There was even an entire season with an all-athlete cast to see who would reign as MVP.

Here is every athlete who has competed on Dancing with the Stars, and how they placed.

Related: Everything to Know About Dancing with the Stars Season 33

Dancing with the Stars Athletes

Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield was the first ever athlete to hit the DWTS floor. He competed in the very first season, finishing in fifth place. Holyfield in a legendary boxer, the only competitor to win the world heavyweight championship four times.

Jerry Rice

Jerry Rice went from turf to the dance floor as the first NFL player to cross over to DWTS. He appeared on Season 2, finishing as runner-up to Drew Lachey. Football fans consider Rice one of the best players of all time, and he was named to the league's 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Emmitt Smith

Dancing with the Stars had its first athlete winner in only its third season. The former NFL running back claimed the Mirrorball Trophy over Mario Lopez during Season 3. Smith is most well known for his 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, and currently holds the record as the league's all-time rushing leader. Smith would return for All-Stars in Season 15.

Clyde Drexler

Over his 15 years in the NBA, Clyde Drexler was a 10-time NBA All-Star who scored over 22,000 points in his career. He won an NBA Championship with the Houston Rockets, and earned a gold medal in the 1992 Olympics as part of the "Dream Team." Drexler competed in Season 4 of the show, where he finished eighth.

Apolo Anton Ohno

Apolo Anton Ohno is short track speed skater who has won eight medals in the Winter Olympics. He is the most decorated American in Winter Olympics history, and was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2017[7] and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2019. Ohno won DWTS Season 4 in 2007, and would go on to appear on All-Stars five years later.

Hélio Castroneves

Hélio Castroneves is an auto racing driver, and  is one of only four drivers to have won the Indianapolis 500 four times. He claimed victory in 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021, and finished as runner-up in 2002, 2008, 2013, and 2014. 2007 was yet another year of victory for Castroneves, as he claimed victory in DWTS Season 5. It was also the first win for pro Julianne Hough, who would go on to become a judge and co-host for the series. Castroneves would return for All-Stars in Season 15.

Monica Seles

Monica Seles was at one point the number one tennis player in the world. Representing both the U.S. and Yugoslavia, she became the youngest ever French Open champion at only 16. In 2009, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Seles was eliminated second on Season 6 of DWTS.

Jason Taylor

Jason Taylor played for 15 years in the NFL, most well known for his work as a defensive end and linebacker for the Miami Dolphins. He is the current all-time leader in sacks in Dolphins history, and finishes seventh on the all-time NFL sacks list. Despite being named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2006, he wasn't able to net an award in 2008, coming in second on DWTS Season 6.

Kristi Yamaguchi

Kristi Yamaguchi broke barriers in 1992, when she became the first Asian-American to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics. The former figure skater has racked up plenty of wins alongside that, as a two-time World Champion and one-time U.S. Champion. And she added a Mirrorball alongside those commendations, winning Season 6 with partner Mark Ballas.

Misty May-Treanor

Misty May-Treanor racked up an impressive career as a beach volleyball player, taking home three gold medals in the Olympics from 2004 to 2012. She has been inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame. May-Treanor ruptured her Achilles tendon during a training session for DWTS Season 7, and was forced to withdraw from the competition in Week 3.

Maurice Greene

Maurice Greene is a former track and field star, and the former world record holder of the 100 meter event. During the peak of his career from 1997 to 2004, he won four medals at the Olympics, and became only the third person in history to win three World Championship gold medals in the same year. Greene took those fast feet all the way to a fifth place finish on DWTS Season 7.

Warren Sapp

Warren Sapp played for 13 years in the NFL as a defensive tackle, most prominently with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Across his career, he made seven Pro Bowl appearances, won the Bucs' first Super Bowl title in 2002, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Sapp made it all the way to finale night in DWTS Season 7, where he finished in second place.

Lawrence Taylor

Lawrence Taylor was more colloquially known as "L.T." during his 13 seasons in the NFL. Taylor was known as one of the best linebackers in the game, and heavily contributed to the Giants' wins in 1986 and 1990 as part of the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew" on defense. Unfortunately, Taylor couldn't make it to the championship on DWTS Season 8, finishing in seventh place.

Shawn Johnson

Shawn Johnson was a gymnast, winning one gold and three silver medals at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She was also the all-around World Champion in 2007, as a five-time Pan American games gold medalist. Johnson stuck the landing and then some on DWTS Season 8, winning the Mirrorball alongside Mark Ballas. She came back seven seasons later for All-Stars, where she made it to the finale again, finishing in second place.

Chuck Liddell

Chuck Liddell competed for 20 years as a professional mixed martial artist. He was the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion from 2005 to 2007, and is partially credited with helping bring MMA into the mainstream as a sport. Inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2009, Liddell finished in eleventh place on DWTS Season 9, eliminated in Week 4.

Natalie Coughlin

Natalie Coughlin made history in the 2008 Olympics. The swimmer became the first U.S. female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one year of games, and the first woman ever to win a 100-meter backstroke gold in two consecutive Olympics. She was eliminated the week after Liddell on DWTS Season 9, finishing tenth overall.

Louie Vito

Across his snowboarding career, Louie Vito has won four U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Overall Championships, six X Games medals, and two Winter Dew Tour Overall Championships. Most recently, he competed in the halfpipe at the 2022 Winter Olympics, representing Italy. Vito competed on DWTS Season 9 while he was training for the Olympics, and finished in eighth place.

Michael Irvin

Michael Irvin is a former NFL wide receiver who played his entire 12-year career with the Dallas Cowboys. He was nicknamed "Playmaker" and helped lead Dallas to their dynasty of Super Bowl wins in 1992, 1993, and 1995. Irvin is considered one of the greatest wide receivers of all time, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007. He finished in seventh place on DWTS Season 9.

Chad Ochocinco

Chad Johnson played in the NFL for 11 seasons as a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals. He temporarily changed his name to Chad Ochocinco from 2008 to 2012, the Spanish name for his jersey number 85. Johnson still had the "Ochocinco" name when he competed on DWTS Season 10, where he finished in fourth place.

Evan Lysacek

Evan Lysacek is a figure skater who, from 2005 to 2010, won an Olympic gold medal, a World championship, a Four Continents championship, and a U.S. national championship. In 2016, he was inducted in the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame. He glided all the way to finale night in DWTS Season 10, finishing in second place.

Rick Fox

Rick Fox played for 13 years in the NBA for the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. Fox was part of the Lakers' success in the early 2000s, leading to back-to-back-to-back championship titles from 2000 to 2002. Fox finished in sixth place on Season 11 of Dancing with the Stars.

Kurt Warner

Regarded as one of the greatest Cinderella stories in NFL history, Kurt Warner was brought into the league as an undrafted free agent in 1999. The next year, he stepped in as quarterback for the St. Louis Rams, and led the "Greatest Show on Turf" to an incredible Super Bowl victory in 2000. He later returned to the big game in 2008 with the Arizona Cardinals, ultimately coming up short. Warner was eliminated in fifth place on DWTS Season 11.

Sugar Ray Leonard

Sugar Ray Leonard, across his 20 years in the ring, is regarded as one of the greatest boxers in history. Between 1977 and 1997, he won world titles in five weight classes, the lineal championship in three weight classes, and was the undisputed welterweight championship. Leonard competed on DWTS Season 12, where he was eliminated third.

Hines Ward

Hines Ward played for 13 seasons as part of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and is regarded as one of the key figures that contributed to that team's success. He is currently the team's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdown receptions. Ward won the Super Bowl with the Steelers in 2005 and 2008, and won the MVP award in the former. Ward won a trophy to match the ring on DWTS Season 12, claiming victory over the competition.

Metta World Peace

In 2011, Ron Artest went onto Dancing with the Stars Season 13 shortly after legally changing his name to Metta World Peace. The small forward played 18 seasons in the NBA, winning a championship with the Lakers in 2010. Metta was the first eliminated from DWTS Season 13, and is one of the lowest-placing athletes in the show's history.

Hope Solo

Hope Solo is regarded as one of the greatest female goalkeepers in soccer history. She was a key part of the women's soccer teams that claimed gold at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, and won the women's World Cup in 2015. Solo made it nearly the end of Season 13 of Dancing with the Stars, ultimately getting scored on right before the finale in fourth place.

Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Across her astounding 32-year career, she won 18 major singles titles, 31 major women's doubles titles, and 10 major mixed doubles titles, for a combined total of 59 major titles, the most in the Open Era. Unfortunately, she could not add a Mirroball to the list, as she was eliminated first on DWTS Season 14.

Donald Driver

Donald Driver is one of the most legendary Green Bay Packers' wide receivers. Across his 14-season career in Green Bay, he racked up all-time records for most career receptions and receiving yards, and won the Super Bowl with the team in 2010. Upon his retirement from the NFL, he went onto DWTS, where he became the MVP and winner of Season 14.

Dorothy Hamill

Dorothy Hamill was a renowned figure skater. In 1976, she won gold medals in both the Winter Olympics and the World Championships. Unfortunately, Hamill was forced to withdraw from the first week of DWTS Season 16 due to an injury she sustained during training.

Victor Ortiz

Victor Ortiz is a boxer who won the WBC welterwight title in 2011. Across his boxing career, he only lost seven matches. Ortiz went onto Season 16 of Dancing with the Stars, where he was eliminated in eighth place.

Alexandra Raisman

Alexandra Raisman was the team captain for both the "Fierce Five" and "Final Five" U.S. Olympic gymnastics squads at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, respectively. In winning six medals between the two games, she is the third-most decorated gymnast in Olympics history. Raisman was eliminated just outside the finale of DWTS Season 16 in fourth place.

Jacoby Jones

During his ten-season career in the NFL, wide receiver Jacoby Jones played for four different teams. He is most remembered, though, for his time in the Baltimore Ravens, when, in the 2013 Super Bowl, he returned a kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown, the longest play in Super Bowl history. One month later, he appeared on DWTS Season 16, where he made it to finale night in third place.

Keyshawn Johnson

Keyshawn Johnson is in rarified air, one of only three wide receivers to be selected first in the NFL draft. He played for ten seasons across four teams, and won the Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2003. Johnson was unfortunately the first star eliminated from DWTS Season 17.

Sean Avery

Sean Avery made Dancing with the Stars history as the first hockey player to appear on the show. Avery played from 2000 to 2012 for four different teams, drawing controversy due to his belligerent behavior on and off the ice. Avery was eliminated second on DWTS Season 18.

Charlie White

Charlie White is one half of one of the longest-lasting ice dancing teams in American history. Alongside partner Meryl Davis, White won two Winter Olympics medals (including a gold in 2014), five Grand Prix Finals, three Four Continents championships, and six U.S. championships. White fell short of Davis, though, on DWTS Season 18, finishing outside the finale in fifth.

Amy Purdy

Amy Purdy is a Paralympic snowboarder, having both legs amputated below the knee due to a form of bacterial meningitis. She won three medals at the Paralympic Games in 2014 and 2018. Purdy appeared on DWTS Season 18, where her inspiring story helped get her to the finals, ultimately finishing in second place.

Meryl Davis

Meryl Davis is one half of one of the longest-lasting ice dancing teams in American history. Alongside partner Charlie White, David won two Winter Olympics medals (including a gold in 2014), five Grand Prix Finals, three Four Continents championships, and six U.S. championships. When the pair was separated for DWTS Season 18, though, she proved to be the better competitor, winning the Mirrorball.

Lolo Jones

Lolo Jones is in the rarified air of athletes who have competed at both the Summer and Winter Olympics. She competed in track, namely hurdles, at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. Then, two years after her last summer appearance, she made her debut at the Winter Olympics as part of the U.S. bobsled team. Jones was eliminated first in Season 19 of Dancing with the Stars.

Randy Couture

Mixed martial artist Randy Couture was a UFC staple. Across his 24-year career, he became a three-time UFC Heavyweight Champion, two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and an interim UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, making him a six-time UFC Champion and the UFC 13 Heavyweight Tournament winner. Couture was eliminated third on DWTS Season 19.

Michael Waltrip

NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip won the 2001 and 2003 Daytona 500. He had a near-30 year career on the track, and now contributes as a color commentator and pre-race analyst. Waltrip competed on DWTS Season 19 and finished in seventh place.

Michael Sam

Michael Sam made history in 2014, becoming the first publicly gay player to get drafted in the NFL. He was drafted and ultimately cut by the Rams, and made his professional football debut in the Canadian Football League. Sam was once again cut on Dancing With the Stars Season 20, eliminated third.

Nastia Liukin

Nastia Liukin made a big splash at the gymnastics events at the 2008 Olympics, winning five medals, including gold in all-around. Her time in Beijing capped off a medal-filled career, including two World Championships and four U.S. Championships. Liukin competed on DWTS Season 20, where she was eliminated right before the end in fourth place.

Victor Espinoza

Some would debate as to whether a jockey counts as an athlete, considering that the horse is doing most of the work. Regardless, Victor Espinoza saddled up to compete on DWTS Season 21. The winner of the Triple Crown on American Pharoah was eliminated second.

Doug Flutie

After winning the Heisman Trophy, Doug Flutie played for four seasons in the NFL. The quarterback then headed north of the border, where he became regarded as one of the Canadian Football League's greatest players and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Flutie was eliminated fourth on DWTS Season 22.

Von Miller

Von Miller is a linebacker who has played in the NFL for almost 15 years. He was standout in his decade on the Denver Broncos, winning the Super Bowl and even being designed MVP of Super Bowl 50, before moving on to the Los Angeles Rams (where he also won a ring). Miller was taken out in a double elimination in Week 7 of DWTS Season 22.

Antonio Brown

Antonio Brown was picked in the sixth round in the NFL draft, but became an immediate steal when he led the league in receptions. After playing for a decade on the Pittsburgh Steelers, he spent a season on the New England Patriots before moving on to the Buccaneers, with whom he won the Super Bowl in 2020. Brown also went out in a double elimination on DWTS Season 22 right before the finale.

Paige VanZant

Paige VanZant is an MMA fighter, where she competed in the UFC straw weight and flyweight division. She has also been involved in professional wrestling with All Elite Wrestling and in boxing with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. VanZant made it all the way to the end of DWTS Season 22 where she finished in second place.

Ryan Lochte

Ryan Lochte is a swimmer who is currently the third-most decorated swimmer in Olympic history. He currently holds the world records in the 200-meter individual medley, the 4×200-meter freestyle, and the 4×100-meter freestyle (mixed) relay. Lochte dove into the pool of competitors for DWTS Season 23, where he was eliminated in seventh place.

Calvin Johnson Jr.

Calvin Johnson Jr., nicknamed "Megatron," is considered one of the best NFL wide receivers of all time. Though he played less than a decade with the Detroit Lions, he lit the league on fire, setting the NFL record for receiving yards and being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. Johnson was part of an all-athlete finale in DWTS Season 23, finishing in third.

James Hinchcliffe

James Hinchcliffe is a driver most well-known for competing in the IndyCar series from 2011 to 2021. In 2015, he sustained serious injuries from a crash during a race, as debris punctured his thigh and he nearly bled to death. The next year in 2016, he participated in Season 23 of Dancing with the Stars, where he came in second place.

Laurie Hernandez

Laurie Hernandez was a key part of the "Final Five" gymnastics team at the 2016 Olympics. She took home the gold as part of the group, and also won silver individually on the balance beam. After returning from Rio, Hernandez went straight to Dancing with the Stars, where she took home the gold for Season 23.

Nancy Kerrigan

Nancy Kerrigan has a prosperous career as a figure skater, winning bronze and silver at the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics, respectively. She is most well-known, however, for being the target of an attack from fellow competitor Tonya Harding. Kerrigan made it all the way to Week 7 of DWTS Season 24, where she was taken out in a double elimination.

Bonner Bolton

Bonner Bolton entered the DWTS ring in Season 24 as a very unorthodox athlete: A bull rider. Bolton competed in world championships before a neck injury from a dismount in 2016 temporarily paralyzed him. He was able to make a full recovery in time to lace up his dancing shoes, finishing in fifth place.

Simone Biles

Yes indeed, the GOAT herself Simone Biles once competed on Dancing with the Stars! With 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals, she is the most decorated gymnast in history, and even earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden in 2020. Following her first Olympics in Rio, where she took home four golds, she went onto Season 24 of DWTS, and was eliminated right before the finale in fourth place.

David Ross

David Ross made history as the first baseball player to compete on DWTS. Across his 15 seasons in the MLB, he competed on eight teams, most prominently being a part of the Chicago Cubs team that broke their long-held curse in 2016. Ross went on to manage the Cubs after retiring from 2020 to 2023. He finished in second place on Season 24.

Rashad Jennings

Rashad Jennings played eight seasons in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, and New York Giants. Shortly after retiring from the league in 2017, he was cast on Dancing with the Stars Season 24. And the former running back put those feet to work, taking home the win.

Derek Fisher

Derek Fisher played 18 seasons in the NBA as a point guard. The majority of his career was with the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he won five championships. Unfortunately, Fisher wasn't able to bring his skills from the court to the dance floor, and was eliminated third on DWTS Season 25.

Terrell Owens

Regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers of all time, Terrell Owens ranks third in NFL history in career receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. "T.O." spent seven years with the San Francisco 49ers until he bounced around several other teams before his retirement and subsequent induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Owens finished in sixth place on DWTS Season 25.

Victoria Arlen

Growing up, Victoria Arlen developed two rare conditions that left her in a vegetative state. She relearned how to speak, eat, and move, and decided to compete at the 2012 Paralympics in London. As a swimmer, she won three medals, including one gold, before retiring to become a broadcaster. Arlen came in fifth on DWTS Season 25.

Jamie Anderson

Jamie Anderson is a professional snowboarder. She won the first-ever gold medal in Women's Slopestyle Event at the 2014 Winter Olympics, repeating the win in 2018 to make her the first female snowboarder to win more than one gold. Anderson was eliminated first from the athlete-themed Season 26 of DWTS.

Johnny Damon

Johnny Damon is an outfielder who played in the MLB from 1995 to 2012. He was part of the Boston Red Sox team that broke the "Curse of the Bambino" by winning the World Series in 2004; then, ironically, he won another ring with the Yankees five years later. Damon was one of the first eliminated from DWTS Season 26.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. The center played 20 seasons in the NBA and won six championships, was a six-time NBA MVP, and made the all-star team every year except one. Abdul-Jabbar was eliminated in the second week of DWTS Season 26.

Arike Ogunbowale

Arike Ogunbowale was a huge part of Notre Dame's run to the 2018 national title in women's basketball, sinking game-winning shots in both the semi-finals and finals. She then went onto DWTS Season 26, where she went home in the second week. Ogunbowale went on to be drafted by the Dallas Wings, and has been named WNBA All-Star MVP in 2021 and 2024.

Jennie Finch Daigle

Jennie Finch Daigle was called the most famous softball player in history by Time magazine. After winning the 2001 Women's College World Series, she went on to lead the U.S. softball team to a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics and a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics. Finch Daigle was eliminated right before the finals on DWTS Season 26.

Chris Mazdzer

Chris Mazdzer made history at the 2018 Winter Olympics. The luger won silver medal in Men's Single Luge, making him the first U.S. men's singles luge medalist and the first and currently only non-European to win a medal in that event. Mazdzer finished right outside the finale on DWTS Season 26.

Mirai Nagasu

Figure skater Mirai Nagasu holds plenty of commendations, including a bronze medal from the Winter Olympics, three Four Continents medals, and two World Junior Championships medals. During her medal run in 2018, she became the first American ladies' singles skater to land a triple Axel at the Olympics, and the third woman from any country to do so. Nagasu was eliminated right before the finale on DWTS Season 26.

Tonya Harding

Far and away one of the most controversial casting choices of the athlete-filled twenty-sixth season of Dancing with the Stars, figure skater Tonya Harding is most well-known for her involvement in the attack on Nancy Kerrigan in the 1994 Winter Olympics. As a result of her involvement, her medals were stripped and she was banned from the sport for life. Harding competed on DWTS Season 26 and made it to the finale, finishing in third.

Josh Norman

In his prime, Josh Norman was considered one of the best cornerbacks to ever play in the NFL. He most memorably spent four seasons with the Carolina Panthers, where he went to the Super Bowl in what was ultimately a losing effort. Norman finished in second place on DWTS Season 26.

Adam Rippon

Figure skater Adam Rippon made history in 2018 as the first openly gay man to make a U.S. Winter Olympic team. He was also the first to win a medal at the Winter Olympics, taking home a bronze medal in the team event. Rippon went from Pyeongchang pretty much right into Dancing with the Stars. And, among all the athletes of Season 26, he proved to be the top, taking home the win.

Danielle Ulmstead

Skiier Danielle Ulmstead has a genetic eye condition that has rendered her blind. She competed at the 2010 Paralympic Winter games, with her husband serving as her sighted guide. It was unfortunately not all downhill for Ulmstead in DWTS Season 27, being eliminated second.

Mary Lou Retton

Mary Lou Retton has one of the most famous moments in gymnastics history in 1984. She won the gold medal in the individual all-around, making her the first American woman to do so. Retton even became the first athlete to be sponsored by Wheaties, appearing on the cereal's box soon after. Retton competed on DWTS Season 27, where she was eliminated fifth.

DeMarcus Ware

Linebacker DeMarcus Ware played for nine seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, where he set the franchise record for quarterback sacks. He then departed to the Denver Broncos, where he earned a win in Super Bowl 50 before retiring. Ware finished in seventh place on DWTS Season 27.

Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis is often considered the greatest middle linebacker in NFL history. During his time with the Baltimore Ravens, he won two Super Bowls, was named Super Bowl MVP, made the Pro Bowl 13 times (across three decades), and set NFL records for combined and solo tackles. Lewis was forced to withdraw from the competition in Week 3 of DWTS Season 28 due to an injury sustained in practice.

Lamar Odom

Lamar Odom played for 15 years in the NBA, winning championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010, and being named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2011. Odom is also well-known for his relationship with Khloe Kardashain, as the two were married from 2009 to 2016. Odom was the third star eliminated from DWTS Season 28.

Charles Oakley

Charles Oakley played 19 seasons as a power forward in the NBA, mostly with the New York Knicks. He is regarded as one of the best rebounders and defensive players in league history. Oakley was eliminated first from DWTS Season 29.

Vernon Davis

Tight end Vernon Davis played with three different teams over 14 different seasons. In 2009, he co-led the NFL in receptions, and in 2015, he took home a Super Bowl win. Davis competed on DWTS Season 29, where he was eliminated third.

Johnny Weir

Johnny Weir is a figure skater, having competed at the Olympics twice and holding medals from the World Championships, Grand Prix Finals, and U.S. Championships. His flamboyant costuming made him a talking point during his career, which allowed him to segue into commentating following his retirement. Weir finished in sixth place on DWTS Season 29.

Suni Lee

Suni Lee was thrown into the spotlight at the 2020 Olympics. With Simone Biles dropping out of events last-minute, she represented for the United States, winning three medals and becoming the first Asian-American woman to win gold in all-around. Lee competed soon after the games on DWTS Season 30, where she was eliminated just outside the finale in fifth place.

Iman Shumpert

Iman Shumpert played for ten seasons in the NBA as a shooting guard. He played for five teams in that time, winning a championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. Shumpert stunned by taking home the win on Dancing with the Stars Season 30, becoming the first NBA player to win the Mirrorball Trophy.

Adrian Peterson

After taking a break from athletes for Season 31, Dancing with the Stars came back for Season 32 by casting one of the greatest NFL players of all time. Adrian Peterson was drafted in 2007, and immediately set an NFL record for the most rushing yards in a single game. After tearing both his ACL and MCL in 2011, he surprisingly came back next season, and finished within nine yards of the single-season record for most rushing yards. Peterson unfortunately wasn't able to bring those running back skills to DWTS, eliminated fourth.

Danny Amendola

Danny Amendola was bounced around a few teams in the NFL before finally arriving with the New England Patriots. It was a perfect fit for the wide receiver, as he won two Super Bowls with the team in 2014 and 2017. Amendola will be competing in the upcoming Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars.

Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard is considered one of the best defensive players in NBA history. Across nearly 20 seasons of play, he was an NBA champion, eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA Team honoree, five-time All-Defensive Team member, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year. Howard will be competing in the upcoming Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars.

Ilona Maher

Ilona Maher was one of the standout personalities from the 2024 Olympics. As a rugby player, she part of the team that won a bronze medal for the women. Maher will be competing in the upcoming Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars, the first rugby player to do so.

Stephen Nedoroscik

Stephen Nedoroscik was one of the most viral stars of the 2024 Olympics. Known as "pommel horse guy" by the internet, he was a major contributor to winning bronze in the team event, getting the U.S. their first male gymnastics medal in 16 years. Nedoroscik also won bronze individually on pommel horse, only the fourth American man since World War II to win a medal for the event. Nedoroscik will be competing in the upcoming Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars, the first male gymnast to do so.

Next, meet the full cast of celebs and pros from Dancing with the Stars Season 33.