Meet Blake Proehl: 4 facts about the ex-NFL player turned American Idol star

If the name Blake Proehl sounds familiar to football fans, it should.

He was a solid wide receiver in college who played briefly in the NFL, and he’s related to a player some fans will know from back in the day. We’ll get into that in a few.

And now, he’s making the leap from the gridiron to another competition: American Idol, in which he’s made a splash already. As of writing this, he turned heads at auditions and will be on the 2024 (Season 22!) edition of the singing show.

Here are some facts about the former wide receiver you should know: