Country music and football go quite well together; in fact, some of its biggest names even got out on the gridiron themselves before they made it big in music!

Most of the athletes-turned-musicians in this gallery "retired" after high school, but one of them actually played semi-pro ball! And if you look closely, a country icon can be seen wearing a maskless leather helmet -- talk about a blast from the past!

Flip through the gallery below to learn more about the football careers of Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith and more country stars who tossed around the pigskin.

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