Football and the theatre have long gone hand in hand.
Before he became a renowned Shakespearean actor, Paul Robeson starred at Rutgers in the late 1910s. Nearly a century later, Eddie George made four Pro Bowls and then built his own stage repertoire, acting in Julius Caesar and Othello.
Jets tight end C.J. Uzomah is the latest football player to dabble in the performing arts, having signed on as a co-producer of the Jordan E. Cooper comedy Ain't No Mo'.
On Friday, six of Uzomah’s teammates went to see the play at New York’s Belasco Theatre. Offensive lineman Eric Smith, quarterback Mike White, Uzomah, offensive lineman Chris Glaser, tight end Jeremy Ruckert and wide receiver Braxton Berrios duly posed for a picture with their playbills, tweeted out by ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
Uzomah is among several celebrities attached to Ain't No Mo'. Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union, and RuPaul are all also co-producers, as well as playwright Jeremy O. Harris. The comedic play deals with themes of racism and stereotypes.
On the field, Uzomah has 15 catches for 137 yards in 12 games this season. His team is 7-6 and trails the Bills by three games in the AFC East.