While fans of the show may believe those with careers as professional athletes could have an advantage when it comes to The Amazing Race, host Phil Keoghan appears to disagree.

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In an interview with CBS Sports after throwing out the first pitch in at a recent Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim game,  the longtime host of the Emmy darling reality competition series admitted that while he loves seeing professional athletes on the show, their intense training doesn't always give them a clear advantage over other teams.

"I think it helps to be fit, but I don't think being a world-class athlete or a really strong athlete is a huge inherent advantage," Keoghan said. "There are some qualities that obviously translate. Certainly, whether someone has great hand-eye coordination or they're used to pressure, but those skills can also come from other areas of life-like a pilot or a competitive gymnast or somebody who has even competed in debate. Pressure is pressure and that's probably the number one thing that people have to be good at."

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He also added that the show has cast several professional athletes over the course of 25 seasons-including the upcoming seasons' pro wrestling duo, Brooke Adams and Robbie Strauss-but that doesn't mean these teams have always been guaranteed to do well.

"We've had some very confident athletes come on the race and be eliminated before teams where you'd think, 'well, there's no way that can compete with a pro athlete,'" Keoghan said. "That's why the show works. Not to take anything away from pro athletes, because I have so much respect for pro athletes, it's just that The Amazing Race is unlike any other competition."

A wide variety of professional athletes have indeed appeared on the show over the years, starting in season 10, when Ironman Triathalon competitor Sarah Reinertsen competed with her then-boyfriend, Ironman and prosthetist, Peter Harsch. The couple placed 7th overall.

Other pro-athletes have included:

1. Former Saint Louis Cardinals and San Diego Chargers Safety Ken Greene. He placed 2nd in season 13 with his wife, Tina.

2. Harlem Globetrotters Herbert 'Flight Time' Lang and Nathaniel 'Big Easy' Lofton. The teammates appeared initially on season 15, where they placed 4th, but later returned for 'Unfinished Business' in season 18, where they finished 2nd, and 'All-Stars' in season 24, where they placed 6th.

3. Professional bull and bronco rider Cord McCoy. With his brother, Jet, he initially appeared in season 16 and finished 2nd. They too returned for seasons 18 and 24, where they finished in 6th and 5th place.

4. Former Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons Tight End Marcus Pollard. He placed 3rd with his wife, Amani, in Season 19

5. Professional Snowboarder Andy Finch. He placed 4th in season 19 with his friend, Tommy Czeschin.

6. Portland Timbers Goalkeeper Andrew Weber. He placed 9th in season 20 with his twin brother, Elliot.

7. Professional Paralympian snowboarder Amy Purdy. She finished 10th in season 21 with partner Daniel Gale.

8. Former Houston Texans Offensive Guard Chester Pitts and Offensive Tackle Ephraim Salaam, who placed 9th in season 23.

The only professional athletes to win The Amazing Race were Toronto Maple Leafs Winger Bates Battaglia and his brother, Anthony Battaglia, is season 22 of the show.

As an explanation of why professional athletes-and no one in particular-may have an advantage going into the race, Keoghan said:

"In The Amazing Race, you have to be a jack of all trades. You have to be ready for anything at any time in any place in any weather. You don't know whether you're going to be doing indigenous fishing or running with the bulls. I don't think there is any show that is this diverse."

The Amazing Race season 25 premieres Friday, September 26 at 8 p.m. on CBS.