Samuel Burgess is an English professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Warrington Wolves in the Super League, and former professional rugby league footballer who played as a loose forward, prop or second-row forward in the 2000s and 2010s. He played in England for the Bradford Bulls in the Super League and in Australia for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL. The Rabbitohs won the 2014 NRL Premiership, the club's first in 43 years, and Burgess was named winner of the Clive Churchill Medal for man of the match in the Grand Final. Burgess also played for Great Britain and England at international level.

Burgess was born on 14 December 1988 in Liversedge, Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. His late father, Mark Burgess, who died of motor neurone disease, was also a rugby league footballer who played for Nottingham City, Rochdale Hornets, Dewsbury and Hunslet. He played his junior rugby for Hunslet Parkside, Dewsbury Moor and also pplayedfor Liversedge Cricket Club. Burgess, also known by the nickname of "Slammin' Sam", is one of four rugby league-playing brothers; younger brother Tom played for the Rabbitohs, with his twin brother George retiring at the end of 2022 after playing for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Wigan Warriors and the St George-Illawarra Dragons, while older brother Luke retired after playing in England and Australia.

Burgess made his Super League debut against Leeds in 2006 after already being dubbed as "Great Britains Sonny Bill". After a highly successful debut season with the Bulls, Burgess was awarded the Senior Academy Player of the Year Award by the club. In 2007 Burgess established himself as a first team regular. After a great full season he was called up for the Great Britain squad for the 2007 Test series with New Zealand, and was named as young player of the year in the Super League.

Burgess made his Great Britain début against New Zealand in the 1st test in October 2007, scoring a try. Burgess also played in the centenary match between the All Golds and Northern Union; he was awarded the Man of the match. He gained attention for his big hit on New Zealand prop Fuifui Moimoi during the Kiwis' 2007 tour when he was only 19 years old.

In September 2009, the South Sydney Rabbitohs announced they had signed Burgess on a four-year deal from the 2010 season. Burgess, on contract at the Bradford Bulls until the end of the 2010 season, was released after the clubs agreed on a compensation fee. South Sydney co-owner and A-list celebrity Russell Crowe persuaded Burgess to choose his club over others that were competing for his signature, after inviting Burgess and his mother to the set of Robin Hood, which he was filming in England at the time.

In August 2013, the Burgess brothers became the first set of four brothers to line up in the same Australian side since Ray, Roy, Rex and Bernard Norman played for Sydney's Annandale club during the 1910 NSWRFL season. In February 2014, it was announced that at the end of the year, Burgess would switch to rugby union. In what was his last match for South Sydney, Burgess, along with brothers, Tom and George played against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the 2014 NRL Grand Final.

Despite suffering a broken cheekbone in the first tackle of the game, Burgess continued to play on, with his team winning the match. He was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal for best player in the grand final. Taking into account the retrospective Clive Churchill medal awarded to Ron Coote in 1971, Sam Burgess was the first South Sydney player to claim the medal in 43 years. His efforts rekindled the spirit of John Sattler who was also seeiously injured in the 1970 Grand Final, but continued to play on and guide his team to victory.

Burgess was signed for Bath Rugby in England's top competition on a three-year contract, starting from October 2014 but it was a failed sojourn into a game he wasn't accustomed to. In early November 2015 it was reported that Burgess had been signed to the South Sydney Rabbitohs for $1.5m AUD per season. This figure would make him the highest paid rugby league footballer of all time and in the top three highest paid of either code.

In September 2018 Burgess signed a four-year contract with Souths keeping him at the club until the end of the 2023 season. The new contract deal coincided with Souths returning to form in The NRL with the club finishing third on the table at the end of the regular season. Burgess started the 2019 NRL season strongly as Souths won 10 of their first 11 games. Following Souths Round 13 loss against Newcastle, Burgess was ruled out with a shoulder injury. It was later revealed that Burgess needed a drip inserted into his heart to fight an infection after shoulder surgery and was ruled out from playing indefinitely. In August 2019 Burgess was voted as one of the best players of the decade in the NRL team of the decade announcement which spanned from the 2010 to 2019 seasons.

At the end of the 2019 regular season, South Sydney finished in third place on the table and qualified for the finals. Burgess missed the qualifying final against the Sydney Roosters due to his suspension in round 25. Burgess returned for the elimination semi-final against Manly-Warringah which Souths won 34-26 at ANZ Stadium. The following week, Burgess played in South Sydney's 16-10 preliminary final loss against Canberra at Canberra Stadium. In October 2019, Burgess was forced into early retirement due to a chronic shoulder injury.

Burgess released a statement saying "To all South Sydney members and fans, fans of the game and even the supporters that aren't my biggest fans, I'd like to thank each and every one of you for making my career what it was in the NRL, I have loved absolutely every minute; the highs, the lows; the Grand Final; coming home; my injuries; my dates with the judiciary. It really has been a fantastic ride".

In August 2023, Burgess signed a two-year contract to become Warrington's new head coach ahead of the 2024 Super League season. In August 2023, Burgess was relieved from his duties as South Sydney's assistant head coach. It was reported that Burgess had clashed with head coach Jason Demetriou over training and standards at the club. Burgess would take Warrington to the semi-final where they were narrowly defeated by Hull Kingston Rovers.

In August 2024, the National Rugby League announced that Burgess was an inductee into the National Rugby League Hall of Fame. Burgess, who was ascribed Hall of Fame number 126, was amongst eleven male players in the 2024 Class.