If you are a fan of college basketball or the NFL, you might have wondered if Alabama forward Noah Gurley is related to former NFL star Todd Gurley. The two share a last name and both have ties to Georgia, but are they actually family? In this article, we will reveal the truth behind the last names and tell you more about the careers of these two athletes.
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Noah Gurley: A Key Player for Alabama
Noah Gurley is a fifth-year senior who plays for the Alabama Crimson Tide, the No. 1 college basketball team heading into the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Gurley is a versatile forward who can score, rebound, and defend. He averages 4.9 points and 3.2 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per game off the bench for the Crimson Tide, who went 29-5 this season.
Gurley transferred to Alabama from Furman, where he spent his first three years in college. At Furman, he started 83 of the 88 games he played and racked up 1,118 points and 405 rebounds. He chose Alabama over schools like Auburn, Duke, Florida, Marquette, Miami, San Diego State, and Tennessee, according to RollTide.com.
Gurley could face his former team in the NCAA Tournament, as Furman is also in the field as a No. 12 seed. Gurley said he still has friends on the Furman team and he wishes them well, but he is focused on helping Alabama win its first national title.
Todd Gurley: A Former NFL Star
Todd Gurley is a retired NFL running back who played six seasons in the league, mostly for the Los Angeles Rams. He was one of the best players at his position, winning Rookie of the Year in 2015, Offensive Player of the Year in 2017, and making three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams. He led the league in rushing touchdowns twice and was runner-up to Tom Brady in MVP voting in 2017.
Gurley was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in Tarboro, North Carolina. He played high school football at Georgia and then went on to star for the Georgia Bulldogs in college. He rushed for 3,285 yards and 36 touchdowns in three seasons at Georgia before entering the NFL draft.
The Rams drafted Gurley with the 10th overall pick in 2015 and he immediately made an impact as a rookie. He helped the Rams reach Super Bowl LIII in 2018, but his career was hampered by knee injuries that limited his effectiveness and availability. He played his final season with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 before retiring from football.
In retirement, Gurley has kept himself busy with various business and philanthropic efforts. One of which is an ownership stake in the FCF Beasts, a professional indoor football team. His partners in the venture include fellow retired NFL RB Marshawn Lynch, NFL player Marcus Peters, AEW professional wrestler Miro, and former WNBA star and Atlanta Dream part-owner Renee Montgomery.
The Verdict: Are They Related?
The answer to the question “is Noah Gurley related to Todd Gurley?” is no. The two are not related by blood or by marriage. They just happen to have the same last name and play sports at a high level.
However, they do have some things in common besides their last name. They both have ties to Georgia, as Noah grew up in Fayetteville and Todd played college football there. They both wear No. 21 on their jerseys, as Noah does for Alabama and Todd did for the Rams and Falcons. They both are also relatively close in age, as Noah is 23 years old and Todd is 28 years old.
So while they are not related, they are both impressive athletes who have made their mark on their respective sports.
