Yes — several current and former NFL players are publicly known Magic: The Gathering fans, and they’re not shy about it. Magic has a long history of attracting athletes, musicians, and entertainers who enjoy the combination of strategy, collection, and competition the game offers.
NFL Players Who Play MTG
Von Miller — The eight-time Pro Bowl linebacker and Super Bowl MVP has spoken publicly about playing Magic. He’s been photographed at game stores and has discussed the game in interviews, making him one of the most prominent athlete-MTG crossovers.
Marshawn Lynch — “Beast Mode” is a known gamer and has referenced card games as part of his downtime during his NFL career. While his Magic involvement is less documented than his general gaming, he’s been mentioned in MTG community circles.
Ryan Fitzpatrick — The Harvard-educated quarterback known as “Fitzmagic” has been associated with nerd culture broadly, and Magic comes up in discussions of his interests alongside his reputation as one of the NFL’s more intellectually curious players.
The broader picture: NFL rosters are filled with players in their 20s who grew up during Magic’s peak mainstream popularity in the late 1990s and 2000s. The game was widespread in schools, colleges, and gaming culture during exactly the years when current NFL veterans were teenagers.
Other Celebrity MTG Players
Magic’s celebrity fanbase extends well beyond football:
- Post Malone — The rapper famously paid approximately $800,000 for an Alpha Black Lotus (BGS 9.5) in 2021. He plays Magic regularly and has appeared at Magic-related events.
- Wil Wheaton — Actor (Star Trek: TNG, The Big Bang Theory) and prominent tabletop gaming advocate.
- Felicia Day — Actor and gamer who has played Magic publicly.
- Dave Bautista — The wrestler and actor (Guardians of the Galaxy) has referenced Magic as part of his gaming background.
- Vin Diesel — Known for his tabletop gaming (D&D) connections, Diesel has been associated with Magic in gaming circles.
- Lin-Manuel Miranda — The Hamilton creator is a known nerd culture enthusiast with documented card game interests.
Why Athletes Play Magic
The appeal for professional athletes is straightforward:
Travel time. NFL players spend enormous amounts of time on planes, in hotels, and waiting in locker rooms. Card games travel easily and fill dead time in ways that other hobbies can’t.
Mental competition. Athletes are drawn to competition in all forms. Magic is deeply strategic — a genuinely difficult game that rewards study and practice, which appeals to the competitive mindset of professional sports.
Team bonding. Multiple players on a team picking up Magic creates a social activity that works well in team settings. It’s the same reason chess has found footing in NFL locker rooms.
The collecting angle. Athletes with high incomes are naturally drawn to collectibles — the intersection of financial investment and hobby interest. The top-end MTG card market (Black Lotus, Power Nine) appeals to the same instincts as sports card collecting.
MTG at the Crossover with Sports Culture
The 2021 Post Malone Black Lotus purchase marked a cultural moment — it validated MTG as a serious collectible asset class in the same conversation as rare sneakers, sports memorabilia, and watches. Since then, MTG has appeared more frequently in mainstream sports and celebrity media.
For NFL players specifically, the 2010s generation grew up when competitive gaming went mainstream. Many current players are comfortable with “nerd” hobbies in a way that previous generations weren’t publicly — and Magic is one of the premier strategy games to show off.
Curious about the cards celebrities are buying? See who bought the $2 million Magic card or check our price tracker for current card values.