Willson, a winner of Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seattle Seahawks in 2013, played seven years in the NFL in a career as a tight end and also represented Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders and Baltimore Ravens.

A heart related condition forced him to quit the sport, but he took up cycling in his home town of LaSalle Ontario, initially as a recreational activity.

"When I was done playing it was somewhat of an an abrupt retirement, and I still felt young and I want to have another shot at being pro, the Olympics or whatever,I want to relive that journey while I still can," the 33-year-old Willson told CBC Sports.

"I fell on the love of track cycling which has been epic, its been a lot of fun, I met a ton of great people, the  only draw back is I am not very fast right now."

Wilsson is training with Tokyo 2020 sprint gold medallist Kelsey Mitchell ,who only took up cycling herself aged 23 after a previous career as a footballer.

"The fun part for me in track cycling is it all definitive, if you can ride your bike and hit this time, you’ll be in the mix whereas with football there were a lot of other moving pieces." Willson said.

Willson also revealed that teenage experiences in baseball had also played a part in his Olympic aspirations.

He played for the Canadian team which finished sixth at the 2008 Junior Baseball World Championships held in Edmonton.

"To be in Edmonton, wearing Canada across your chest and playing against the best 18-and-under kids from planet Earth was a special experience," Willson recalled, 

"To be able to be like, OK, we're at the Olympics, I've got Canada across my chest and I'm ripping this bike around the velodrome, I think that'd be something really cool."

A total of 43 Olympians have also competed in the NFL, but only three have the commemorative Super Bowl winner’s ring.

Bob Hayes won the men’s Olympic 100 metres at the Tokyo 1964 before lifting the 1972 Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys.

Michael Carter was a shot put silver medallist at Los Angeles 1984 and won the Super Bowl three times with the San Francisco 49ers in 1985, 1989 and 1990. 

Nate Ebner had already won the 2015 Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2015 when he was called up for the United States rugby sevens squad which finished ninth at Rio 2016.

He returned to gridiron to win two further Super Bowls with the Patriots in 2017 and 2019.