--- title: "The 5 best military academy athletes who went pro" date: "2020-04-29" modified: "2020-10-30" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-trending/service-academy-athletes-went-pro/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "Sports" --- # The 5 best military academy athletes who went pro ![]() The Commander-in-Chief will allow military academy athletes who excel on the field to go pro before they have to repay their service on the battlefields, according to a May 6, 2019 statement President Trump made from the White House Rose Garden. Trump was hosting the West Point Black Knights football team at the time. --- "I'm going to look at doing a waiver for service academy athletes who can get into the major leagues like the NFL, hockey, baseball," Trump said. "We're going to see if we can do it, and they'll serve their time after they're finished with professional sports." These days, service academies can sometimes get overlooked by scouts and fans alike. Cadets and Mids who are highly touted will often switch schools in order to get access to the world of professional sports, missing their chance to serve. But service academies have introduced some great players into our collective memories. ![]() ### Phil McConkey McConkey was a former Navy Mid who spent most of his NFL career as a wide receiver with the NY Giants. McConkey was a rookie at 27 years old, but legend has it coach Bill Parcells signed McConkey based on a tip from one of his assistants who happened to have been an assistant coach at Navy, Steve Belichick. McConkey spent six years in the NFL, catching a TD pass in Super Bowl XXI that helped the Giants top the Denver Broncos. ![]() ### Chad Hennings Hennings was an award-winning defensive tackle at Air Force who was picked by the Cowboys in the 11th round of the 1987 NFL draft. He spent four years as an Air Force pilot before getting back to the NFL and playing with Dallas in a career that included three Super Bowls. ![]() ### Mike Wahle Wahle spent most of his career with the Green Bay Packers but also played in Carolina and Seattle – after playing in Annapolis. Though he spent his college years as a wide receiver, by the time he was ready to enter the draft, he was an offensive lineman. He resigned his commission before his senior year. ![]() ### Ed Sprinkle The former Navy defensive end was a four-time pro bowl selectee who was often called "The Meanest Man in Football." For 12 years, he attacked quarterbacks like they were communists trying to invade America. In one championship game (before the AFL and NFL merged to form the NFL we know today), Sprinkle injured three opposing players, crippling their offense. ![]() Minnesota Vikings vs Dallas Cowboys, 1971 NFC Divisional Playoffs ### Roger Staubach Was there ever any question about who would top this list? Staubach isn't just a candidate for best player from a service academy, or best veteran player, he's one of the most storied NFL players of all time. The Heisman-winning Navy alum and Vietnam veteran served his obligation in Vietnam, won two Super Bowls, one Super Bowl MVP pick, was selected to the Pro Bowl for six of the ten years he spent in the NFL, and is in the Football Hall of Fame. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()