Breaking down the ‘Special Forces' season 4 cast — which celebs will survive the grueling test?
The Fox reality show puts contestants through a series of challenges designed to replicate the United States Special Forces selection course. It's physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting, and most people don't have what it takes to make it to the end.
During season 3, only two out of 16 recruits — Kayla Nicole and Brody Jenner — passed the course. The rest were disqualified, voluntarily withdrew, or were medically withdrawn due to injuries.
Let's take a look at the 'Special Forces' season 4 recruits and see who has a chance at making it all the way.
Kody Brown
The 'Special Forces' Directing Staff (DS) tend to take issue with big egos, so I can't wait to watch them interact with Brown. The 'Sister Wives' star likes to have things his way, so I don't think he'll thrive in an environment where authority figures are screaming in his face and telling him what to do.
Brittany Cartwright
The 'Valley' star is certainly going into 'Special Forces' with determination. She and her husband and fellow 'Vanderpump Rules' alum, Jax Taylor, separated in 2024, and she's since been candid about his drug abuse and aggressive behavior.
'He threw my phone and broke it. He threw my laptop and broke it. He threw me into the rose bushes,' Cartwright said during the season 2 'Valley' reunion, which aired in July. Taylor denied the claims, but Cartwright said she had footage on her Ring camera.
Cartwright will likely be seeking healing and transformation during her 'Special Forces' journey. The reality TV star is not the type who typically makes it to the end, but never discount a woman who's been to hell and back.
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Randall Cobb
Cobb is a former NFL wide receiver, who played for the Green Bay Packers, the Dallas Cowboys, the Houston Texans, and the New York Jets. It probably seems like a no-brainer that a pro football player would excel on 'Special Forces,' but history has proven otherwise.
Season 1's Danny Amendola, season 2's Dez Bryant, and season 3's Golden Tate and Cam Newton all fell short of the 'Special Forces' finish line. Could Cobb be the one to break that pattern?
Eric Decker
Decker is another NFL alum. He was a wide receiver for the Denver Broncos, the New York Jets, the Tennessee Titans, and the New England Patriots.
Despite NFL players' poor track record on 'Special Forces,' Decker has a leg-up on past competitors. Most contestants struggle with missing their loved ones on the show, but Eric is married to another season 4 star: country singer Jessie James Decker. Perhaps the duo will encourage one another to stick it out when the going gets tough.
Jessie James Decker
Jessie finds time to stay in shape despite having four kids — daughter Vivianne, 10, and sons Eric Jr., 9, Forrest, 7, and Denver, 17 months — with Eric. I could see her keeping up with her pro athlete husband on 'Special Forces.'
However, the tight-knit couple seem like a package deal. If one of them ends up injured or wants to medically withdraw, I foresee them leaving as a unit.
Andrew East
Yet another NFL alum! East was a long snapper for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Seattle Seahawks, the Oakland Raiders, the Los Angeles Rams, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Washington Commanders.
East has also competed on several seasons of 'American Ninja Warrior,' but he's never made it to the semifinals. Perhaps he'll be hungry to prove himself on 'Special Forces.'
Like the Deckers, East is competing alongside his spouse, Shawn Johnson.
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Gia Giudice
Season 4 of 'Special Forces' is shaping up to be a family affair. Gia and her mother, 'The Real Housewives of New Jersey' star Teresa Giudice, will both put themselves to the test this season.
Gia is only 24, and while she might be in better shape than some of the older cast members, her age could also work against her. She may find it harder to dig deep and push through the physical and mental anguish.
Teresa Giudice
Teresa served 11 months in prison for fraud, so she knows a thing or two about resilience. It'd be easy to count her out as a 'Special Forces' frontunner — she didn't make it past week two on 'Dancing With the Stars' — but reality stars often do better than expected. Bachelor Nation alums Hannah Brown, Tyler Cameron, and Nick Viall all passed the course, as did The Hills' Brody Jenner.
However, I wouldn't be surprised if Teresa voluntarily withdraws like her fellow 'Real Housewives' stars Kenya Moore (season 1) and Denise Richards (season 3).
Mark Estes
The TikTok personality, known for his videos with his fellow 'Montana Boyz' Kaleb Winterburb and Kade Wilcox, is young (25) and in shape (he posts a lot of Instagram workout videos).
I could see Estes making it far on 'Special Forces' — or going too hard during a challenge and getting medically withdrawn.
Chanel Iman
Iman is a supermodel, so we know she can perform under pressure. She's also spoken in the past about incorporating boxing into her fitness regimen, and there was a hand-to-hand combat challenge during season 3 of 'Special Forces.'
It seems like Iman has a chance to do well on the strenuous reality show.
Shawn Johnson
The Olympic gold medalist is a legendary gymnast best known for her performances on the balance beam. She and East tied the knot in 2016, and they went on to welcome three kids: daughter Drew, 5, and sons Jett, 4, and Bear, 19 months.
Johnson is one of the greats, but Olympic gymnasts strangely don't have a great track record on 'Special Forces.' Season 1's Nastia Lukin and season 3's Jordyn Wieber both voluntarily withdrew from the course.
Brianna 'Chickenfry' LaPaglia
Like Cartwright, LaPaglia is healing from a toxic relationship. She has accused country singer Zach Bryan, whom she dated from 2023-2024, of emotional abuse. She'll likely bond with Cartwright, as they've both called their past partners narcissists.
LaPaglia, who is known for her Barstool Sports podcasting career, teased via Instagram that she 'cries a lot' on the show. Compared to the Olympians, LaPaglia may not be the most physically fit person on the show, but something tells me her emotional tenacity will take her far on 'Special Forces' season 4.
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Johnny Manziel
Season 4 of 'Special Forces' is essentially an NFL reunion. Manziel was a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.
The only other quarterback who's been on 'Special Forces' is Cam Newton, who often frustrated the Directing Staff with his ego. He ended up getting disqualified from the show. Time will tell whether Manziel is more suited for the Special Forces than Newton.
Eva Marcille
You might known Marcille from 'America's Next Top Model,' 'The Young and the Restless,' or 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta.' She's a very determined person, and I could see her making it far on 'Special Forces.'
'I will always be my biggest competition. Fear has never threatened me enough to give up,' she wrote via Instagram while celebrating the season 4 cast announcement.
My money's on Eva getting medically withdrawn or making it to the end, because I don't see her quitting.
Ravi Patel
Patel is an actor best known for the Fox sitcoms 'Grandfathered' and 'Animal Control.' While he seems like an underdog, Patel called the show 'one of the best experiences of [his] life' via Instagram. He also teased that he 'got jacked' in preparation and 'crushed' the course.
Perhaps Patel will put all the athletes to shame?
Christie Pearce Rampone
I like Pearce Ramone's chances. She's an Olympic soccer champion, so we know she's physically fit and a team player. There's also already been a female Olympic soccer champion who passed the 'Special Forces' selection course: season 1's Carli Lloyd.
Jussie Smollett
Smollett is going into 'Special Forces' with something to prove, and I can already hear the Directing Staff using his past against him during an interrogation session.
In Janaury 2019, Smollett told police that he'd been physically attacked by someone who called him homophobic and racial slurs. A police investigation later determined that Smollett had paid two work acquaintances to stage the assault.
In 2021, Smollett was found guilty of five counts of felony disorderly conduct related to the false police reports. He was sentenced to 150 days in county jail and two and a half years on probation.
READ MORE: Jussie Smollett will make rare appearance in new Netflix documentary
It will be interesting to hear the 'Empire' alum — who has consistently maintained his innocence — tell his side of the story on 'Special Forces.' The DS may be eager to break him, so I'm skeptical that he'll make it to the end.
Nick Young
Young is a former NBA shooting guard who won an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2018. Despite his last name, he's one of the older male athletes on the season 4 cast at age 40.
Is Young still in prime physical shape, or will he fall behind on 'Special Forces?'
Season 4 of 'Special Forces: World's Toughest Test' premieres on Fox on Thursday, September 25, at 9 p.m. ET. Episodes will be available to stream on Hulu the day after they air.
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