An NFL legend revealed why he’ll never join 'DWTS' — and it's surprisingly relatable
Michael Strahan's appearance on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is unlikely! The former NFL pro and 'Good Morning America' anchor admitted his biggest fear when Alfonso Ribeiro pitched him to participate in future seasons of the ABC dance competition. On Tuesday, May 13, Ribeiro, who’ll be hosting ‘DWTS’, appeared on the chat show to promote season 34. When Strahan asked about celebrity participants who could join the show’s forthcoming season, Ribeiro hinted at the anchor.
“I think if there was a guy, if he played for the Giants at one point in his life, 'cause you know he'd bring the whole New York audience, right?” he teased. The suggestion was enough to get Strahan on his feet and bust impromptu dance moves. But after settling back into his seat, he said, “That's as much as you get.” The ‘DWTS’ host kept pitching the idea, even suggesting that he’d get a “tall dancer” for a partner so he wouldn’t feel awkward. But Strahan’s mind didn’t change.
He quipped that the best part of the show is that he gets to interview the participants without having to dance. When Ribeiro didn’t budge, Strahan revealed what made him fear the dance competition. He revealed that every professional football player and athlete who’s been on the show has described it as the “hardest” they’d ever done. “If it was harder than football was for me, I cannot fathom it at this point in my life,” Strahan added.
That’s when Ribeiro went for the punch! He quipped that maybe those athletes weren’t putting much effort. “I can’t say for certain, but maybe they didn’t step up,” he added while 'GMA' co-hosts burst out laughing. Strahan has been deemed a highly skilled athlete who dedicated 15 years to playing the defensive end for the NFL’s New York Giants. As for ‘DWTS’, it has had many athletes and pro football players as participants over the last 33 seasons.
Although athletes are known to have incredible stamina, they were surprisingly stumped by the difficulty of the experience. Olympic gymnast Sunisa Lee competed in the show’s 30th season and shared her experience with PEOPLE in 2021. Lee declared that nothing would ever come close to the efforts she put into preparing for the Olympics, but quickly added that her experience on 'DWTS' was more challenging. “I have to say, probably 'Dancing With the Stars' [was harder],” she told the outlet.
NFL star Rashad Jennings also admitted that ballroom dancing was harder than playing football. During his appearance on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ in 2023, he recalled the “gruesome” training they had to do for the show. Although he hadn’t danced “a day” in his life, he ended up winning the season 24 champion trophy. “I knew nothing about dance. But I had a blast,” he added as per Parade. Rashad was accompanied by fellow contestants Marcellus Wiley and Jared Allen, who also vented about their experiences. Strahan then pitched the show to another ‘GMA’ co-host, George Stephanopoulos, who politely declined the offer and prompted a roar of laughter.