Some might be questioning Donovan McNabb's placement on the list, but it is undeniable how much of an impact he had on games throughout his career. McNabb was known for single-handedly shifting the momentum of a game by flawlessly delivering a dime down the field or moving his 6'3, 240lb frame like a freight train directly into a linebacker's path. While his success might not have translated to diamonds in the shape of any NFL logos, his peers and those he played against are glad that they don't have to play opposite of him anymore. McNabb took his talents to Syracuse University where he played both football and basketball. And while the school is known for its elite basketball program, McNabb chose to represent the Syracuse Orangemen to prove that he was a worthy pocket-passer. McNabb proved just that winning the Big East Offensive Player of the Year Award from 1996-98 and leading the Orange to an Orange Bowl appearance his senior year.
After being so dominant on a collegiate level, Donovan McNabb was drafted 2nd overall in the 1999 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles where he would become a Philly fan-favorite for years to come. In his first full season as a starter, McNabb finished second in NFL MVP voting in 2000 and even led the Eagles to their first playoff berth since 1996. In 2004, McNabb led the Eagles to Super Bowl XXXIX but came up short against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Following that season, the 6x Pro Bowler was plagued with injuries from 2005 to 2007. In 2010, McNabb was traded to the Washington Redskins and played a single season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2011 before retiring. With 37,257 career passing yards under his belt and a touchdown to interception ratio of 234-117, Donovan McNabb has proven to be amongst the elite quarterbacks of the modern era of football.
When we think of inventors, the image that comes to mind is usually that of a frazzled scientist toiling away in a lab, not celebrities pulled from the pages of Us Weekly. However, a number of well-known public figures hold patents for various innovations. Some are related to the work that made them famous, while others are offshoots of hobbies or just a single great idea.
Part of guitar wizard Eddie Van Halen's signature sound was his two-handed tapping technique, but letting all ten fingers fly while simultaneously holding up the guitar's neck could get a bit tricky. Van Halen came up with a novel way to get around this problem, though; he invented a support (top) that could flip out of the back of his axe's body to raise and stabilize the fretboard so he could tap out searing songs like "Eruption." While Van Halen was obviously interested in improving his guitar work, the patent application he filed in 1985 notes that the device would work with any stringed instrument. Want to tap out a scorching mandolin solo? Find someone selling Eddie's device.
It’s probably not surprising that James Cameron—who designed a submersible to take him to the deepest known part of the ocean—will often invent technology to make his films if what he needs doesn’t exist. He holds a number of patents, including US Patent No. 4996938, “apparatus for propelling a user in an underwater environment,” that he and his brother, Michael, created to film The Abyss and patented in 1989. The device is basically an underwater dolly equipped with propellers that makes it easy for a camera operator to maneuver in the water—and allowed Cameron to capture the shots he wanted for the 1989 film, part of which was filmed in an abandoned nuclear reactor.
In 1987 Jamie Lee Curtis designed and patented a disposable diaper that included a waterproof pocket that held baby wipes. She hasn't profited from her idea yet, though, since she refuses to license the patent until diaper companies make biodegradable products.
You know him as a rock legend, but Neil Young also loves trains—so much that he owns a stake in a model train manufacturing company and has an extensive collection. He also holds seven patents related to model trains, including Patent No. US5441223, "Model train controller using electromagnetic field between track and ground."