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NFL players as Star Wars characters
May the 4th be with you and your favorite players. Take a look at some connections between the NFL and Star Wars universe.

The golden boy and hero for the Packers is a parallel to the hero in the Star Wars franchise. He was under the wing of a master and developed into the most talented Jedi/QB in the galaxy. Much like Luke in "The Force Awakens," Rodgers went into hiding at the beginning of the season but has returned strong in the end.

Mace Windu is the Master of the Jedi High Council and Andrew Luck is the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts. Not necessarily the same thing, but each of them was taken down publicly by the Emperor (Bill Belichick).

Bill Belichick is most definitely the mastermind behind the Patriots empire, and Tom Brady is the execution arm of his regime. Belichick is quiet and calculated much like Emperor Palpatine and is quick to take down anyone questioning his capabilities. Brady is one of those characters, like Vader, that you either love or hate but one thing is for certain: The guy can play.

Yoda trained eight centuries and roughly 20,000 Jedi. Arians trained four Pro-Bowl quarterbacks in Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck. Plus, nobody dislikes Yoda or Bruce Arians.

Like Rey in "The Force Awakens," Carson Wentz is the new hero for the Eagles. They are both confident and have plenty of background experience, but this new challenge can't be done alone.

Much like Finn, we don't know what the future holds, but at this moment, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is the man. He and fellow rookie Ezekiel Elliott are taking down the NFC East like Finn and Rey took down the "First Order."

The NFL is the Mos Eisley Cantina with an abundance of heroes and villains, while the Cleveland Browns are playing to their own tune. It's one of the most iconic occurrences in the NFL to see who is in the Browns' quarterback rotation, much like the classic cantina music from the Modal Nodes is to "A New Hope."

The hulking, yet sweet creature that is both Miller and Chewie is a skilled warrior on the battlefield and a gentle soul off it. Each oozes swagger coupled with a ton of ability that puts them at the top of their respective fields.

At first glance (or season), R5-D4 and Todd Gurley look like a great pickup. That quickly changes as R5-D4's motivator blows and Gurley no longer has the explosiveness from his rookie season.

Like C-3PO, Sam Bradford has had his fair share of knocks but doesn't let them get him down. Bradford has missed roughly 50 games due to injury in his career but is having a more than admirable season leading the Vikings. Luckily Sam hasn't had to wear a red arm instead of the normal gold one like C-3PO.

What do a droid and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson have in common? Put plainly, they get it done. Whether it's through the air or on the ground, Russell uses his superior game IQ and crafty actions to capitalize on whatever the defense throws at him.

Ron Rivera likes to roll the dice on the gridiron like Lando Calrissian does when hanging out with other gambling smugglers. By taking gambles on play calls, Rivera has won some wild games but also suffered defeat, much like Lando in Cloud City and at Jabba's palace.

These are two of the most-feared men in their respective fields. One has been reduced to the broadcast booth. The other CGI.

In Philip Rivers and Han Solo, we have two gunslingers with a certain swagger about them. Solo has the classic vest, while Rivers has the snakeskin boots. Neither respond well to failure but are definitely people you want on your side when you go into battle.

OBJ and Darth Maul are the most athletically gifted and awe-inspiring individuals in the galaxy. Beckham Jr. needs only one hand to gut a defense deep. Maul, on the other hand, thanks to the lessons he learned from the Sith masters, possesses vast lightsaber abilities and uses a double-bladed lightsaber.

Confidence and his tendency to pick fights with others are paramount to both Kirk Cousins and Greedo. Things might not always turn out the way they would have wanted, but at least there's confidence in the action. Much like Greedo was overlooked within Jabba's stable of bounty hunters, Cousins can sometimes get lost in the mix of elite NFL QB's.

Marcus Mariota and Kylo Ren are the new kids on the block in the NFL and the Star Wars universe. Fans aren't yet sure whether either of them are a villain or a hero, but there is a lot of time left to figure it out. Kylo's past is shrouded in doubt, but we know Mariota's past and are eager to see if he can continue his success in the future.

Both Matt Ryan and Biggs Darklighter are elite talent. One is a top shelf Pro Bowl quarterback and the other was a vital member of the Rogue Squadron during the assault on the Death Star. Hopefully Ryan will have a more fortuitous end to his season than Biggs met off of Yavin 4.

Matthew Stafford and Leia Organa are both pivotal characters that do whatever is necessary to pull out a victory for their respective side. Stafford doesn't have the iconic hair style like Leia but is in elite company in the NFC North with Aaron Rodgers, who could be considered his sibling based on the many duels they've been involved in.

General Grievous is a giant four-armed, lightsaber-swinging droid that gave the Jedi fits on Geonosis. Mike Evans is a giant, sure-handed and high-flying wide receiver that the NFC South has major issues defending. Two handfuls to say the least.

Darrelle Revis and Boba Fett are two of the best in the galaxy at what they do and are up for hire. Revis Island has been dominant in the league for over a decade, but as a free agent, his skills can be compared to Boba Fett, available for the highest bidder.

Derek Carr and Poe Dameron are the most exciting new talents in their respective universes. Dameron is the hot-shot Rebel pilot that is considered the best in the galaxy, while Derek Carr is the unflappable young quarterback for the surging Oakland Raiders.

Old, kind and dangerous are three traits that the Saints quarterback and Obi-Wan Kenobi have in common. Brees is on the back nine of his career but still leads the NFL in passing yards, but the Saints are fading like Obi-Wan at the end of "A New Hope."

Eli Manning and Wedge Antilles have one glaring similarity that sets them apart from the rest of the league/galaxy. They have taken down the empire twice. Eli led the Giants to two Super Bowl wins against the Patriots in unexpected fashion, while Wedge Antilles was a pivotal Rebel pilot in the destruction of both Death Stars.

Both Wicket and Eric Berry can be characterized as not very tall but extremely effective. Wicket is an Ewok scout on the planet Endor that helped the Rebels hold off the Imperials in order to destroy the second Death Star. Berry's mission is equally as daunting, as he leads a high-powered defense hoping to bring down the empire, I mean Patriots.

Nobody in the Star Wars or NFL universe is as Jay Cutler or Anakin Skywalker. They have all the talent in the world but can never seem to put it together to be the hero that many expect them to be. Much like Padme, Kristin Cavallari seems to be the only person in Jay's corner, at least publicly.

John Harbaugh doesn't have the same body type as Jabba, but they are in similar situations in the galaxy. Jabba and John both have a stable of capable and talented mercenaries but none that are well liked throughout the league/galaxy.

In "A New Hope," like Bortles sophomore season, the Stormtroopers were on point and formidable. However, this season is much more like every other Star Wars movie in which the Stormtroopers accuracy isn't to be lauded.

Brock Osweiler is not as well-known as other mercenaries (free agents) and to prove himself quickly with the payout he is receiving. Much like Jango and his clone army modeled after him, there's still a lot to be done before criticizing his decision.

These are two individuals that you do not want to go 1-on-1 with. Cameron Wake is a beast off of the edge and is one of the top rushers in the league. The Rancor, on the other hand, is a three-story tall killing machine that Luke was lucky to takedown at Jabba's palace.

Qui-Gon Jinn is considered to be one of the most unconventional Jedi masters much like Dalton is a unique quarterback in the AFC North. Each of them flourishes throughout the bulk of the season and Episode 1, but in the end, there is heartbreak for each; one caused by the rest of the AFC and the other by Darth Maul's hand.

Jek Porkins was a vital member of the Death Star Assault and also happens to look like Ben Roethlisberger. Each of them aren't necessarily the fastest, as Ben carries a big frame and Porkins flew a X-Wing, but each are precise and respected in the AFC North/Rebel Alliance.