6 Superstar Athletes Make Time's 100 Most Influential People List

By Brian Jones

With fall right around the corner, Time magazine recently revealed its list of the 100 most influential people of 2021. And of the 100 people who made the list, six of them are superstar athletes. But how does an athlete or a notable figure makes the list? 

"Given that no objective measure is possible when it comes to human beings, we identified three rather distinct qualities among those who shape our lives," Time's editor-at-large Michael Elliott wrote in 2004. "First there were those who came to their status by means of a very public possession of power. President George W. Bush is the pre-eminent example. Others, though they are rarely heard from in public, nonetheless have a real influence on the great events of our time."

In 2007, Time managing editor Richard Stengel wrote: "Influence is hard to measure, and what we look for is people whose ideas, whose example, whose talent, whose discoveries transform the world we live in. Influence is less about the hard power of force than the soft power of ideas and example. Yes, there are Presidents and dictators who can change the world through fiat, but we're more interested in innovators like Monty Jones, the Sierra Leone scientist who has developed a strain of rice that can save African agriculture." Here's a look at the six athletes who made the list. 

Simone Biles

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(Photo: Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images)

Simone Biles won two medals at the 2020 Tokoyo Olympics. However, she made the list for not only being an Olympic champion but also focusing on mental health. She was so concerned about her well-being that she pulled out of multiple events during the Olympic games and earned a ton of praise.

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Tom Brady

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(Photo: Mike Ehrmann / Staff)

Tom Brady continues to defy the odds. In February, Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title after winning six with the New England Patriots. His career has been so strong, the NFL will have to pull a WWE and put him on the Pro Football Hall of Fame twice.

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Naomi Osaka

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(Photo: TIZIANA FABI / Getty Images)

Naomi Osaka's story in 2021 is similar to Biles' as she withdrew from the French Open due to mental health issues. At the time, Osaka said she would not attend press conferences during her time with the French Open which didn't sit well with officials. The four-time Grand Slam champion decided to leave after her decision to not speak to the media became a huge debate.

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Sunisa Lee

Sunisa Lee made history at the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first Hmong-American Olympian and won the gold medal in the gymnastics all-around event. She won three medals at the Olympics and also won three medals at the 2019 World Championships.

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Allyson Felix

Allyson Felix earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and has now won 11 Olympic medals in her career. The 35-year old is the most decorated woman in Olympic track and field history and the most decorated American track and field athlete in Olympic history.

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Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani has been compared to Babe Ruth for what he can do at the plate and on the mound. So far this season, the Los Angeles Angels superstar has hit 44 home runs with 94 RBI. And as a pitcher, Ohtani has a 9-2 record with a 3.36 ERA and 136 strikeouts.

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Thoughts

Fans have their share of thoughts on these athletes making the list. A few people wanted to know why no soccer players were named. One fan wrote: "None of this guys is more influential than Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi and even Neymar."

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