Before he played Al Bundy on the U.S. television series ‘Married with Children’ and Jay Pritchett on ‘Modern Family’, Ed O'Neill (b 1946 - ) was a star college football player. He was awarded a football scholarship to Ohio University, and later transferred to Youngstown State University (also in Ohio), where he was a defensive lineman.

O’Neill was good enough to be signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 1969. Unfortunately, he struggled to find his place on the team. He was shifted between various positions until finally being cut from the roster altogether during training camp. (In his defense, he was forced to compete with fellow rookie defensive lineman "Mean Joe" Greene and L. C. Greenwood for a spot.)

Perhaps ironically, while posing as Al Bundy on ‘Married... with Children, O'Neill played a former high school football star who had failed to make it big and constantly reminisced about his "glory days" in High School.

Football was not the only career O'Neill tried before acting. He also worked in a steel mill, ran a campus pub, was a substitute social studies teacher and (like many great actors before him), worked in the restaurant industry.

During his acting career O'Neill has received multiple awards, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 30, 2011.

More Info: en.m.wikipedia.org