‘You’re doing nothing illegal’: How coaches find and use rule loopholes
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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
During every walk-through before Oregon games, coach Dan Lanning and Ducks players review an important and specific set of plays, broadly and innocuously labeled: “College football situations.” Some plays stay the same and some are added.
Oregon staff members collect examples from around the football universe and watch the film of how the plays unfold. Then, Ducks players and coaches rehearse, hoping preparation will pay off but mindful that the right time might never come.
“The amount of different situations you work week to week that never really show up, whether it’s intentionally taking a safety or whatever that might be, you spend an ungodly amount of time on it,” Lanning told ESPN three days after the Ohio State game. “Then, you hope that you recognize it in the moment where you can have a chance to execute things.”
The recognition came in one of the most important moments of Oregon’s 32-31 win over Ohio State on Oct. 12. Ohio State had driven the ball to Oregon’s 43-yard line with 10 seconds left, but faced third-and-25. Realistically, the Buckeyes had time for two or maybe three plays. After an Oregon timeout, the Ducks came out with 12 defenders.
Despite Ohio State coach Ryan Day and others on the sideline pointing out the extra defender, the Buckeyes threw a pass to Jeremiah Smith that Oregon’s Jabbar Muhammad swatted away. Oregon was flagged for illegal substitution, but four seconds had elapsed. On the ensuing play, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard was forced to scramble and slid too late as the clock expired, giving Oregon a massive win.
“This is one obviously something we had worked on, so you can see the result.” @oregonfootball‘s Dan Lanning confirms that the Duck’s 12 men penalty vs Ohio State was on purpose 🧠 pic.twitter.com/Vs4mDtWs7S
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 15, 2024
A Power 4 assistant who saw the play texted Lanning: Be honest, did you do that on purpose?
“He sent me back a wink emoji,” the assistant said.
The Lanning loophole sparked national reaction and, four days later, was closed by a new NCAA rules interpretation on how to handle 12-man penalties at the end of each half. Under the new policy, Ohio State would have had the option to take the penalty and have the clock reset to the time of the snap. But the outcome of the game didn’t change.
The Oregon 12-man situation wasn’t the first time — nor will it be the last — when a team capitalized on a vulnerable part of the rule book. Coaches are always seeking situations where they can gain the upper hand at critical moments in games. Officials also must be on alert for intentional actions that can impact games.
“We all have stuff like that,” a Power 4 coach said. “You’re doing nothing illegal. You’re just taking the rule and saying, ‘OK, if we ever get put in that situation …’ You’ve got to be smart enough to do it. You have to have enough clarity to call it and do it and believe the guys are actually going to get it executed, and know that the referees are going to get it right. It’s the rule’s fault; it’s not the coach’s fault.
“If you tell me the speed limit’s 65 [miles an hour] and you’re not going to ticket me until 65, then I’m going to drive 64.”
Steve Shaw’s phone wouldn’t stop ringing in the hours after Oregon’s win over Ohio State. Everyone wanted to talk to Shaw, the national coordinator of football officials, about the Ducks’ 12-man penalty.
“What seemed apparent by Monday morning, there was a buzz going on in coaching circles,” Shaw told ESPN. “My guess is people were going to say, ‘Hey, great technique. Let’s put it in our arsenal.'”
Shaw had “no qualms” with the way the play was officiated on the field. Illegal substitution penalties happen somewhat regularly and are often a product of sideline chaos. If Oregon had sent out 12 defenders on consecutive plays, Shaw and other officiating sources who spoke to ESPN said an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty would have been called for an “unfair act.” A 15-yard penalty would have put Ohio State comfortably in field goal range.
The concern, one Shaw often hears in his role on the NCAA football rules committee, is that a penalty should never provide an advantage for the offending team. So there was urgency to step in and prevent the loophole from being exploited again.
“People say, ‘Y’all changed the rules,’ and we really didn’t,” Shaw said. “We really are basing it in the rules that we have today, but using it as an interpretation.”
The NCAA also had a precedent with a similar time-killing objective, but a different scheme. In a 2017 game featuring Cal and North Carolina, Cal led 35-24 with 17 seconds left and UNC at the Bears’ 12-yard line. As the Tar Heels looked to the end zone, Cal defenders intentionally pulled down UNC wide receivers after the snap. Penalty flags flew, but six seconds went off the clock.
On the ensuing snap, the Bears’ defenders did the same thing and five more seconds ticked away. UNC ended up scoring but no time remained and Cal had a 35-30 win.
“They didn’t put any more time on the clock, so we eventually ran out of time,” Larry Fedora, North Carolina’s coach at the time, told ESPN. “It was within the rules, because that’s the way the rules were set up at that time.”
Fedora, who had been involved with the football rules committee, immediately began communicating with officials about the sequence. Days later, the NCAA announced a rules interpretation that would allow officials to assess unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and reset the game clock following “intentional fouls.”
“You’re fouling purposely and you’re getting a big advantage,” Shaw said. “And because that’s an observable act, those were blatant holds, then we converted to unsportsmanlike conduct. In this [Oregon-Ohio State] situation, many times, teams put 12 on the field totally by accident. They don’t want to do it, but personnel gets goofed up or whatever. In season, it would be very difficult to create a new rule, but we’re really leveraging off that other [Cal-North Carolina] play, where the defense is creating a foul to give them a clock advantage.”
When Fedora watched the end of the Oregon-Ohio State game, his mind immediately went back to the 2017 game against Cal.
“They played within the rules,” Fedora said of Oregon. “They just took advantage of a loophole that not a lot of people would have been aware of. Some of the opportunities never come up, but when it does, are you going to be prepared? You’ve got to give Dan Lanning and his staff credit.”
As Bowling Green prepared to face Minnesota in the 2023 Quick Lane Bowl, Falcons coach Scot Loeffler heard from a coach at another school about a special teams play that would capitalize on a “legit loophole.”
The play called for the offense to switch from a traditional formation into a scrimmage-kick set — in this case, a punt formation. Rules prohibit defenses from placing a down lineman within the frame of the long snapper, to protect the snapper, who has his head down. A foul would result in a 5-yard penalty.
“This is brilliant,” Loeffler said to himself.
He checked with several “high-end [game] officials,” primarily to ensure that he could legally execute the play.
“They said it’s absolutely legal and the minute that you do it, if it’s executed, we’ll have to make a rule change,” Loeffler told ESPN. “Just listening to the voices of the people that I talked to, they wanted it to occur so they could change the rule, because it’s a loophole.”
Loeffler also informed the game officials, from the American Athletic Conference, of what he planned to do if the situation arose.
“It was dead silent,” Loeffler recalled. “They go, ‘We’ve got to call our supervisor.'”
The AAC officials came back and said if they saw the formation change, they would make a verbal command to Minnesota’s nose guard. Down 30-17 with 5:24 left and facing fourth-and-2 at its own 46-yard line, Bowling Green called a timeout.
The Falcons lined up for a tush-push quarterback sneak, but then shifted quarterback Camden Orth to the side and moved tight end Harold Fannin Jr. back to the punter position. Any snap would have triggered a penalty and a first down. Minnesota nose guard Kyler Baugh would never anticipate a punt formation because it made no sense for Bowling Green, given the game situation. But the official not only shouted toward Baugh but tapped him on the side, as did Gophers linebacker Cody Lindenberg. Only then did Baugh move, averting the penalty and forcing another Bowling Green timeout.
“They physically moved the nose guard into a 3-technique position after a verbal command, which is absolutely preposterous,” Loeffler said. “It’s the only time in college football or pro football that I’ve ever seen an official literally put his hands on the guy. Why are you lining up for a punt on a two-minute situation when you need to score? Why did you burn a timeout? Well, we should have had a free 5 [yards] with no time being used off the clock. It was the right [play] call, and they were just afraid to make the call, plain and simple.”
Despite his frustration, and a loophole that’s still open, Loeffler hopes teams are eventually prevented from shifting into punt formations.
“It’s a bad rule,” he said. “They need to clean that piece up.”
Special teams can provide the platform for loophole-seeking opportunities, as well as key changes. As a first-year head coach at Wisconsin in 2006, Bret Bielema found one, much to the ire of his Penn State counterpart Joe Paterno. Wisconsin scored a touchdown to go ahead 10-3 with 23 seconds left in the first half.
On the ensuing kickoff, Wisconsin intentionally had players run offside, easily thwarting Penn State’s chances for a return. Although the Badgers were penalized, nine seconds ticked off because of a new rule just introduced — and designed to shorten games — that started the clock when a ball is kicked, rather than when it’s touched in the field of play. Penn State accepted the penalty and, rather than taking over deep in its own end, had Wisconsin rekick. But the Badgers once again intentionally ran offside.
By the time Wisconsin lined up for a third kickoff, only four seconds remained. The Badgers executed a squib kick and the clock expired.
“Coach Paterno was beyond furious,” said Bielema, now the coach at Illinois. “I had a kickoff [coverage specialist], James Kamoku ask me, ‘Coach, how far offsides can I be?’ I said, ‘James, I don’t care if you catch the kick.’ So he took off, he was about 20 yards in front of the kick.”
Paterno laid into the officials and was so upset that he refused to do an on-air halftime interview. Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, the longtime Badgers coach whom Bielema replaced, told ESPN at the time that Bielema capitalized on a “bad rule.”
“If Joe Paterno does that, everyone says, ‘It’s genius,'” Alvarez said. “There are rules. Good coaches take advantage of them.”
When the rules committee met after the season, it reinstated the kickoff timing policy for the clock to start after the kick is touched.
“They didn’t have a choice,” Bielema said.
The NCAA sends out rule interpretation bulletins somewhat regularly, Shaw said, but rarely do they receive widespread attention like after the Oregon-Ohio State game. Early in the 2021 ACC championship game, Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett had college football buzzing when he faked a slide, only to freeze Wake Forest defenders, and then sprinted for a 58-yard touchdown.
Days later, a rules memo stated that any play where a ball carrier “begins, simulates, or fakes a feet-first slide” should be immediately whistled dead. Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson thought Pickett genuinely noticed Demon Deacons defenders easing up on the play and ended his slide, while the Oregon 12-man penalty seemingly had more intent behind it.
KENNY PICKETT FAKED THE SLIDE AND RAN 58 YARDS FOR THE TD 😱 pic.twitter.com/EypNNJZYHE
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 5, 2021
“The one is a kid reacting in the moment, the other is a head coach making a strategic move to help his team win,” Clawson said. “But I’m glad they closed the loophole, and they closed the loophole on the fake slide. Any time the defense commits a penalty with the intention of making time go off the clock to hurt the offense, I think they have to look at all those fouls.”
Clawson and others highlighted a distinction between plays that are simply unusual and ones designed to target rule loopholes. When coaches meet with officials before every game, they often alert the crew to specific trick plays or exotic formations and shifts.
“You make sure that they’re going to view that as a legal strategic maneuver before you do it,” Clawson said.
Oregon didn’t have the same incentive to tip off the Big Ten crew before the Ohio State game, as its intent would have been revealed. Coaches who watched the play noted that Oregon players were pointing to the sideline and had a player run off and back on, to simulate confusion. Bielema thought the play likely would only be executed correctly after a timeout.
There also was some inherent risk for Oregon to absorb the penalty, which moved the ball inside its 40-yard line.
“There’s a real fine line there with an ability for a kicker to go out and make that kick,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said.
Behind the scenes, teams will keep practicing nuanced situations, hoping for the right time to call them. A coach said his team regularly practices a field goal timing scenario that capitalizes on the time it takes for officials to position themselves, but has only used the play twice in a decade.
Vanderbilt has “teach the game” portions of its Friday practices where it reviews situations like Oregon-Ohio State and others to do with penalties, timing, substitution patterns and end of halves. Bielema said he’s “always looking for little things.”
“Sometimes they come up, sometimes they don’t,” Lea said, “but you always want to be prepared, because that’s hopefully the difference in the game.”
After a longer than expected wait, Shedeur Sanders is finally an NFL player after the Cleveland Browns traded up with the Seattle Seahawks to select him with the 144th pick in the fifth round in the 2025 NFL draft.
Sanders, whose father is Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, played two seasons each with Jackson State and Colorado before declaring for the draft. He threw for 14,327 yards and 134 touchdowns during that span. Deion famously played nine MLB seasons while being an eight-time NFL Pro Bowler. Shedeur will suit up for the Browns, topping a long list of father-son combos across professional and collegiate sports.
Here is a look at other successful father-son combos in sports history.
Multiple sports
Deion Sanders/Deion Sanders Jr./Shilo Sanders/Shedeur Sanders
Father’s accomplishments: Deion played 14 seasons in the NFL. He was drafted No. 5 overall in 1989 by the Atlanta Falcons after being named a two-time All-American at Florida State. Sanders was named a Pro Bowler eight times with 53 interceptions throughout his career and two Super Bowl wins. He also played nine seasons of professional baseball for the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants. He famously played in a game for the Falcons against the Miami Dolphins, then immediately flew to Pittsburgh to dress for his baseball game with the Braves against the Pirates in the NLCS. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
How his sons followed: Deion Sanders Jr. was a two-star athlete in the 2012 class, signing with SMU as a wide receiver and kick returner. As a sophomore kick returner, Sanders was named a second-team All-American Athletic Conference selection. Shilo was the No. 287-ranked prospect in the 2019 class and signed as a cornerback with South Carolina.
Shilo and Shedeur were coached by their father during their college football seasons with the Jackson State Tigers and Colorado Buffaloes. The Browns selected Shedeur with the No. 144 pick in Round 5 in the 2025 NFL draft.
MLB
Ken Griffey Sr./Ken Griffey Jr.
Father’s accomplishments: Ken Griffey Sr. played 19 seasons in the major leagues, mostly with the Cincinnati Reds. He was part of the Big Red Machine that won World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. Griffey Sr. was a three-time All-Star and finished his career with a .296 batting average, 152 home runs and 859 RBIs. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1980 All-Star Game and has been inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame.
How his son followed: Ken Griffey Jr. also had a long career, playing 22 seasons in the big leagues, including 13 with the Seattle Mariners and nine with Cincinnati. Griffey Jr. was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. He is seventh all time with 630 career home runs, was a 13-time All-Star and won 10 Gold Gloves for his play in center field. He was the American League MVP in 1997 and led the AL in home runs four times during his career.
In 1990, Griffey Sr. and Griffey Jr., both playing for the Mariners, made history when they became the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs in a game.
Bobby Bonds/Barry Bonds
Father’s accomplishments: Bobby Bonds played the majority of his 14 seasons with the San Francisco Giants and became just the second player to hit 300 career home runs and steal 300 bases, joining Willie Mays. He set records for most times leading off a game with a home run in a season (11) and in a career (35) — both of which have since been broken. Bonds was a three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner.
How his son followed: Barry Bonds played 22 seasons, mostly with the Giants, and was a seven-time National League MVP. Bonds holds the records for most career home runs, with 762, and most home runs in a season, with 73. He was a 14-time All-Star, 12-time Silver Slugger Award winner and eight-time Gold Glove Award winner. Bonds tied his father for the most seasons with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, with five. He also holds the MLB records for walks (2,558) and intentional walks (688) in a career.
Sandy Alomar/Roberto Alomar/Sandy Alomar Jr.
Father’s accomplishments: Sandy Alomar Sr. competed in 15 seasons and could play all infield and outfield positions. He was an All-Star in 1970 and played a full 162-game season that year and in 1971. Alomar Sr. was a talented bunter and aggressive on the base paths, totaling 227 stolen bases in his career, including 39 in 1971.
How his sons followed: Twelve-time All-Star Roberto Alomar was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. He won World Series championships with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993. He won more Gold Gloves (10) than any other second baseman and finished his 17-year career with a .300 batting average, 2,724 hits and 210 home runs. Sandy Alomar Jr. was the first rookie catcher to start an All-Star Game, and he won Rookie of the Year and a Gold Glove Award in 1990. Alomar Jr. was named an All-Star six times during his 20-year career and had a 30-game hitting streak in 1997.
Cecil Fielder/Prince Fielder
Father’s accomplishments: Cecil Fielder was a three-time All-Star and won a World Series title with the New York Yankees in 1996. In 1990, he was the first player since George Foster in 1977 to hit at least 50 home runs in a season. Fielder led the American League in home runs in 1990 and 1991 and in RBIs from 1990 to ’92. He hit 319 career home runs, recorded 1,008 RBIs and was a two-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award.
How his son followed: Fielder was the youngest player (23) to hit 50 home runs in a season. Prince Fielder was a six-time All-Star and won the Home Run Derby twice — once as an NL All-Star and once as an AL All-Star. He totaled 319 career home runs, the same number as his father, and drove in 1,028 runs. Fielder was a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner and the AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2015.
Cecil and Prince Fielder are the only father-son duo to each hit 50 home runs in a season.
Vladimir Guerrero/Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Father’s accomplishments: Guerrero spent 16 seasons playing in the MLB for the Montreal Expos, Anaheim Angels, Texas Rangers and the Baltimore Orioles. He was a nine-time All-Star, the 2004 American League MVP and an eight-time winner of the Silver Slugger award. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018 and finished his career with 2,590 hits.
How his son followed: Guerrero Jr. signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015 and made his major league debut in 2019. He hit 48 home runs in the 2021 season and became the second father-son duo to hit 40 home runs in a season, joining Prince and Cecil Fielder in accomplishing that feat. Guerrero has since been a four-time All-Star and a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner for the Blue Jays.
NBA
LeBron James/Bronny James/Bryce James
Father’s accomplishments: LeBron James is still going strong in his 22nd NBA season. He’s the league’s all-time scoring leader and eclipsed 40,000 points last season. LeBron has won four NBA championships and made an NBA-record 20 straight All-Star appearances.
How his sons followed: The Los Angeles Lakers selected Bronny James with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, pairing him with his dad, LeBron, in the NBA. The two appeared in a game together in October 2024, becoming the first father-son duo to do so in NBA history. Bronny is expected to split time between the Lakers and their G-League affiliate. Bryce, LeBron’s youngest son, committed to Arizona in January as part of the Wildcats’ 2025 class.
Dell Curry/Stephen Curry/Seth Curry
Father’s accomplishments: Dell Curry retired as the Charlotte Hornets‘ career scoring leader (9,839 points) and ranked first in 3-pointers made (929). Curry was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1994 and averaged 11.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in his 16-year career.
How his sons followed: Stephen Curry has led the Golden State Warriors to four NBA championships and been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player twice. Curry is a 10-time All-Star and was the NBA scoring champion in 2016 and 2021. He holds the NBA record for most made 3-pointers in a regular season, with 402, and most consecutive regular-season games with a made 3-pointer, with 268. Seth Curry was a two-time NBA D-League All-Star and has spent time with several NBA teams. He averaged 12.8 points over 70 games in 2016-17 with the Dallas Mavericks.
Doc Rivers/Austin Rivers
Father’s accomplishments: As a player, Doc Rivers was known for his defense, but he averaged a double-double during the 1986-87 season, with 12.8 points and 10.0 assists per game. He was an NBA All-Star in 1988 and played with four teams during his 13-year career. Rivers was named Coach of the Year in 2000 with the Orlando Magic and led the Boston Celtics to an NBA title as their coach in 2008. He was the head coach of the LA Clippers from 2013-2020 and Philadelphia 76ers from 2020-2023. He was announced as the Milwaukee Bucks head coach in January 2024.
How his son followed: In 2015, Austin Rivers was traded to the Clippers and became the first NBA player to play for his father. Rivers has averaged 9.2 points per game in his seven-year career, including 15.1 PPG in 2017-18 with the Clippers. He then played for the Wizards, Rockets, Knicks, Nuggets and the Timberwolves.
Mychal Thompson/Klay Thompson
Father’s accomplishments: Mychal Thompson, the No. 1 pick in the 1978 NBA draft, won back-to-back NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1987 and ’88. Thompson was on the All-Rookie team in 1979 and went on to average 13.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in his career. He averaged a double-double in 1981-82, with 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.
How his son followed: Klay Thompson won four NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors. Mychal and Klay Thompson became just the fourth father-son duo to each win an NBA title as a player and the first to each win back-to-back championships. Klay is a five-time All-Star, was named to the All-Rookie team in 2012 and won the 3-point contest in 2016. He holds the NBA playoff record for most 3-pointers made in a game, with 11.
Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant/Kobe Bryant
Father’s accomplishments: Joe “Jellybean” Bryant played eight seasons in the NBA before heading to Europe and playing seven seasons with teams in Italy. He scored 53 points in a game twice during the 1987-88 season with Pistoia. Bryant played into his 50s, suiting up for the American Basketball Association.
How his son followed: Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant is fourth in career scoring, with 33,643 points. He played 20 seasons for the Lakers and was named an All-Star 18 times. Bryant was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2008 and the Finals MVP in 2009 and ’10. He was the NBA scoring champion in 2006 and ’07 and was named to the All-NBA first team 11 times and the All-Defensive first team nine times. Kobe had both his No. 8 and his No. 24 retired by the Lakers.
NFL
Archie Manning/Peyton Manning/Eli Manning
Father’s accomplishments: Archie Manning was a quarterback in the NFL for 13 seasons, mostly with the New Orleans Saints. Despite never leading a team to a winning record, Manning made the Pro Bowl in 1978 and ’79. He threw for 125 touchdowns and rushed for 18 during his career. He has been inducted into the Saints’ Ring of Honor and the Saints’ Hall of Fame.
How his sons followed: Peyton Manning was the first pick in the 1998 NFL draft and holds the NFL records for career passing yards (71,940) and passing touchdowns (539). He is the only starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl for two franchises. A 14-time Pro Bowler, Manning was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player five times and a first-team All-Pro seven times.
Eli Manning was the first pick in the 2004 NFL draft and led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl titles, earning Super Bowl MVP honors both times. He is a four-time Pro Bowler, ranks sixth in passing yards in NFL history and started 210 consecutive games from 2004 to 2017, the second-longest streak by a quarterback in NFL history.
Howie Long/Chris Long/Kyle Long
Father’s accomplishments: Eight-time Pro Bowl selection Howie Long played his entire 13-year career with the Raiders organization. The defensive end helped the Raiders win the Super Bowl in 1984, and he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1985. Long finished his career with 84 sacks and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. He also made 10 fumble recoveries and two interceptions during his time in the NFL.
How his sons followed: Chris Long was the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NFL draft and won back-to-back Super Bowls — with the New England Patriots in 2017 and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. The defensive end recorded 70 sacks in his 11-year career.
Kyle Long, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, was a guard for the Chicago Bears. He was a second-team All-Pro in 2014 and made the All-Rookie team in 2013.
He returned from his 2019 retirement with a one-year stint with the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2021 season but did not play due to injuries.
Clay Matthews Jr./Clay Matthews III/Casey Matthews
Father’s accomplishments: Clay Matthews Jr. played 19 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Cleveland Browns. He appeared in 278 games, the most by a linebacker, and recorded 1,561 tackles, 69.5 sacks and 16 interceptions in his career. Matthews was a four-time Pro Bowler and was first-team All-Pro in 1984, recording 12 sacks that season.
How his sons followed: Clay Matthews III, a six-time Pro Bowler, helped the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl title after the 2010 season. The linebacker was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and totaled 91.5 sacks, 17 forced fumbles and six interceptions in his 11-year career.
Linebacker Casey Matthews played from 2011 to ’14 for the Philadelphia Eagles and recorded 2.5 sacks.
Christian McCaffrey/Ed McCaffrey
Father’s accomplishments: Ed McCaffrey’s 13-year NFL career included three Super Bowl wins and one Pro Bowl appearance. He earned 7,422 receiving yards and notched 55 receiving touchdowns, a majority of which came with the Denver Broncos. Ed McCaffrey played a key role in the Broncos winning back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998.
How his son followed: A highly touted recruit out of Stanford, Christian McCaffrey has lived up to the hype in the NFL. In his eighth season, the running back has rushed for 6,224 career yards and 52 touchdowns, including a league-leading 1,459 yards in 2023, when he earned Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr./Jeremiah Trotter
Father’s accomplishments: Drafted by the Eagles in the third round, Jeremiah Trotter suited up for the franchise in eight of his 11 NFL seasons, starting at middle linebacker for the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and member of the All-Pro team once. Trotter recorded 723 solo tackles and nine interceptions during his career.
How his son followed: The Eagles also selected Trotter Jr., this time in the fifth round. Hailing from the Clemson Tigers, Trotter had 25 combined tackles in his first season. He appeared in Philadelphia’s Super Bowl LIX victory, recording one tackle.
NHL
Bobby Hull/Brett Hull
Father’s accomplishments: Bobby Hull received the Hart Memorial Trophy twice as the NHL’s most valuable player and earned the Art Ross Trophy three times as the NHL’s leading points scorer. The left wing won the Stanley Cup in 1961 with the Chicago Blackhawks and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. Hull led the NHL in goals seven times and was the second-leading goal scorer in NHL history, with 610, when he retired. Hull won back-to-back All-Star Game MVP awards in 1970 and ’71.
How his son followed: Brett Hull scored 741 goals in his career, the fourth-highest total in NHL history. The right wing won Stanley Cups in 1999 with the Dallas Stars (including scoring the championship-winning goal) and in 2002 with the Detroit Red Wings. Hull scored at least 50 goals in five consecutive seasons, and his 86 goals in 1990-91 are the third most in a season in NHL history. He was named the NHL’s MVP that season and received the Hart Memorial Trophy. Hull was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, joining his father to become the first father-son duo in the Hall.
Keith Tkachuk/Matthew Tkachuk/Brady Tkachuk
Father’s accomplishments: Keith was selected 19th overall in the 1990 NHL draft and played for 18 years with four different teams. He finished his career with 527 goals and 1,065 points. At the time that he scored his 500th goal, he was just the fourth American-born player to achieve that milestone and was the sixth American-born player with 1,000 points.
How his sons followed: Matthew was selected sixth in the 2016 NHL draft by the Calgary Flames but has since been traded to the Florida Panthers, where he helped lead the team to a 2024 Stanley Cup title.
Brady was taken with the fourth pick in the 2018 draft by the Ottawa Senators. He was named the team’s captain in 2021 and has scored 171 regular-season goals in his career.
Auto racing
Dale Earnhardt/Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Father’s accomplishments: Dale Earnhardt won 76 Winston Cup races, including the 1998 Daytona 500. Earnhardt claimed seven NASCAR Winston Cup championships, tying Richard Petty for the most all time. It was 22 years before Jimmie Johnson matched the accomplishment in 2016. Earnhardt died as a result of a collision on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 and was posthumously inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame inaugural class in 2010.
How his son followed: Dale Earnhardt Jr. won 26 Cup series races, including the Daytona 500 twice (2004, 2014). He had 260 top-10 finishes in Cup races in his career. Junior was a fan favorite, winning the Most Popular Driver award 15 times. He was the Busch Series champion in 1998 and ’99 before being named NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 2000. He is retired and a broadcaster now.
Next generation
Gilbert Arenas/Alijah Arenas
Alijah Arenas, a five-star, 6-foot-6 guard from Southern California, announced his commitment to USC in January 2025. He picked the Trojans over his father’s alma mater, the Arizona Wildcats, while also receiving offers from the Kansas Jayhawks, Louisville Cardinals and Kentucky Wildcats. He reclassified in December from the class of 2026 to 2025.
Carmelo Anthony/Kiyan Anthony
A four-star shooting guard from New York, Kiyan Anthony announced his commitment to Syracuse in November 2024. Kiyan follows in the footsteps of his father, Carmelo, who averaged 22.5 points and 6.2 rebounds across a 19-season NBA career. Carmelo spent a season at Syracuse, leading the Orange to the 2003 national championship.
Dikembe Mutombo/Ryan Mutombo:
Ryan followed in his father’s footsteps and played for the Georgetown Hoyas as a 7-foot-2 center. He transferred to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets after three seasons with the Hoyas.
Penny Hardaway/Jayden Hardaway/Ashton Hardaway:
Both Jayden and Ashton played for their father with Memphis. Jayden is a guard who averaged 3.1 points per game in the 2023-24 season, while Ashton averaged 2.3.
Dajuan Wagner/D.J. Wagner:
D.J. spent the 2023-24 season with the Kentucky Wildcats, averaging 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game. He transferred to the Arkansas Razorbacks after the season.
Dennis Rodman/DJ Rodman:
DJ was a 6-foot-6 forward for USC. He averaged 8.4 points per game and made 36.2% of his 3-point shots in the 2023-24 season for the Trojans. He went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft.
Shaquille O’Neal/Shaqir O’Neal:
Shaqir is a 6-foot-8 forward at Florida A&M. He averaged 1.8 points per game in the 2023-24 season for Texas Southern.
Peja Stojakovic/Andrej Stojakovic:
Andrej was a McDonald’s All-American out of high school before committing to the Stanford Cardinal. He averaged 7.8 points per game as a freshman for the Cardinal. He transferred to UC Berkeley after the 2023-24 season.
Jerry Rice/Brenden Rice:
Brenden transferred to the USC Trojans from the Colorado Buffaloes prior to the 2022 season and led the Trojans with 12 touchdown receptions in 2023. He had 791 yards receiving on the year and was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2024 NFL draft.
Marvin Harrison/Marvin Harrison Jr.:
Harrison Jr. won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best wide receiver and finished the 2023 season with 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. He was selected No. 4 by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2024 NFL draft as one of the best receiver prospects available.
Frank Gore Sr./Frank Gore Jr.:
Gore Jr. was No. 32 among all FBS running backs in rush yards in 2023 with 1,131. He had 10 rushing touchdowns and averaged 4.9 yards per rush. Gore Jr. went undrafted in 2024 but signed with the Buffalo Bills.
Emmitt Smith/E.J. Smith:
E.J. had a slow start to his collegiate career with just 587 rush yards and five touchdowns in four seasons with Stanford. He transferred to Texas A&M in 2024.
Honorable mentions
Ray Boone/Bob Boone/Bret Boone/Aaron Boone; Felipe Alou/Moises Alou; Tom Gordon/Dee Gordon/Nick Gordon; Rick Barry/Brent Barry/Jon Barry; Bill Walton/Luke Walton; Larry Nance/Larry Nance Jr.; Tim Hardaway/Tim Hardaway Jr.; Bruce Matthews/Jake Matthews/Kevin Matthews; Jackie Slater/Matthew Slater; Gordie Howe/Mark Howe; J.P. Parise/Zach Parise; Peter Stastny/Paul Stastny; Lee Petty/Richard Petty/Kyle Petty; Mario Andretti/Michael Andretti/Jeff Andretti/Marco Andretti; Ken Norton Sr./Ken Norton Jr.; Calvin Hill/Grant Hill; Peter Schmeichel/Kasper Schmeichel
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