Best Brothers in Pro Sports History

Becoming a pro in most sports is nearly impossible, especially in the more popular ones. It takes hard work, talent, luck, and complete dedication. However, the best brothers in sports prove that certain genes are almost destined for athletic greatness.

In this article, I highlight the most notable bros in pro sports ever and explore their careers. You definitely know some of the athletes, but others will surprise you.

• Sport: Football
• Nationality: American

The Mannings are seemingly everywhere nowadays. They appear in myriad commercials, host their show on ESPN, and once served as coaches in the Pro Bowl. They’re also two of the most accomplished players in NFL history.

I had to include the Mannings in my list of the greatest brothers in pro sports. Both have won multiple Super Bowls and won MVP honors for the big game. Both have also signed multi-year contracts valued at more than $100 million in their careers.

What’s even more impressive about the Mannings is their career numbers. The brothers combine for over 128,000 passing yards and 900 touchdowns in the regular season. You would struggle to find more successful siblings in any sport.

• Sport: Football
• Nationality: American

The Kelce brothers made history and solidified their legacies when they faced each other in the Super Bowl. It was the only time that siblings met in the NFL’s biggest event of the year. Although the Chiefs won the game, both brothers are winning in life.

Jason and Travis have racked up a long list of accomplishments. The brothers have each won a Super Bowl in their careers to go along with plenty of Pro Bowl selections between them. I would also argue that both brothers will eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Here are a few more fun facts. Both Kelce brothers played at the University of Cincinnati – Travis earned a scholarship while Jason was a former walk-on. They were also athletes at Cleveland Heights High School, which is located in an Ohio suburb.

Their path to the NFL has been similar, and the results are comparable too. I’m sure their parents are proud of the Kelce brothers!

• Sport: Basketball
• Nationality: Spanish

Pau and Marc Gasol are also among the most famous bros in sports. They were a force of nature during their careers in the NBA. They came from the United States from Spain and quickly impacted American basketball.

Before joining the NBA, Pau was already a superstar in Spain. He began playing for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2001, winning Rookie of the Year in his first season. He also captured back-to-back NBA titles during his time with the Lakers.

Younger brother Marc saw similar success during his time in the NBA. However, he attended high school in the United States when his brother was drafted. He then played for two years in Spain before playing the bulk of his NBA career for the Grizzlies. Marc has also won an NBA title.

Although neither Gasol brother was known for their aggressiveness, both players were very efficient. They also had NBA careers that lasted more than 12 years, so they were obviously doing something right.

If you add their long list of accolades with the Spanish national team, there’s a strong case for both Gasol brothers to make the Hall of Fame.

• Sport: Tennis
• Nationality: American

Bob and Mike Bryan were identical twins who played professional tennis. They’re also among the greatest brothers in pro sports because they formed the most dominant duo in men’s doubles. Together, they’ve captured the most Grand Slams of any other men’s pairing.

One curious anomaly helped the Bryan brothers torment the competition for so long. They were “mirror twins” – Mike was right-handed, and Bob was left-handed. It created perfect harmony and gave the brothers the best possible coverage of the tennis court.

• Sport: Football
• Nationality: American

Here’s another set of brothers who were well-accomplished in the NFL. Tiki and Ronde Barber, also identical twins, both went on to have successful careers in pro football. Although Ronde spent six more years in the NFL than Tiki, both brothers were great players in their own right.

Tiki had a five-year run in which he finished every season with more than 1,200 rushing yards. He had 10,449 yards rushing in his career, which remains a franchise record for the Giants. He then abruptly retired from the NFL in 2006 – the year before New York won a Super Bowl.

Ronde was known for his durability, making 215 consecutive starts in the regular season at one point in his career. He didn’t miss a single game between 1998 and 2012. His best season was also in 2001-02 when he led the NFL with 10 interceptions.

With eight combined Pro Bowl selections, the Barber brothers were NFL royalty. However, in terms of career accomplishments, Ronde has the upper hand. He’s a Super Bowl Champion, and he was recently elected to the Hall of Fame.

• Sport: Baseball
• Nationality: Puerto Rican

The Molinas also deserve a spot on my list of greatest bros playing in major sports. They’ve won a combined five World Series and 11 Gold Glove awards between the three of them. That’s as impressive as it gets.

The amount of experience here is also pretty astounding. The three brothers together have played a combined 47 seasons in the MLB! Each player was also a fantastic catcher – especially Yadier, who has the most putouts in MLB history by a player at his position (15,232).

Now, the truth is that Yadier easily had the best career among his brothers. He played 19 seasons in the MLB and holds numerous franchise records for the St. Louis Cardinals. He also has 10 All-Star selections, and his Hall of Fame induction seems all but inevitable.

His brothers weren’t on the same level, but the mere fact three siblings made it to pro baseball is remarkable.

• Sport: Baseball
• Nationality: American

They weren’t the most successful brothers in pro sports, but B.J. and Justin Upton were dynamic players. Both had long playing careers and combined for nearly 500 home runs between them. However, Justin was more productive and put up bigger numbers.

In 2002, B.J. was selected second overall in the MLB draft. Only a few years later, in 2005, Justin was the first overall selection. That’s just one of several examples of the competitiveness between the Upton brothers.

B.J. and Justin both played in more than 11 MLB seasons, with career earnings that combine for over $100 million. Neither of them won a World Series, but they were both pretty impactful. Justin, who’s had more success, drove in over 1,000 RBIs in his career.

It’s crazy to think about how brothers can experience similar success at the highest levels of pro sports. It’s even crazier to think about how often it happens. The best brothers in sports are proof that siblings can push each other to become better.

Did you know that the best betting sites offer interesting prop bets involving famous brothers in sports? For example, Jason and Travis Kelce played against each other in the 2023 Super Bowl. One popular prop bet was Travis’ receiving yardage vs. Jason’s snap count for the game.