"Every time I see him, I'm like this guy is a monster" - Eli Manning believes Yankees' star Aaron Judge would excel in NFL
On Sunday, New York Giants legend Eli Manning appeared on the YES Network broadcast for the New York Yankees game and had to comment on Aaron Judge. The 2022 AL MVP is the talk of the Yankees, which means even former NFL stars have noticed. As for Judge's prospects on the football field, Manning believes he could make the transition and dominate a different sport.
"I see a tight end," Manning said. "I see a great tight end right there. Every time I see him, I'm like, 'This guy is a monster.' My wife and kids at the game, they said the same thing when they saw Aaron Judge. She said, 'Oh my goodness, she looks like a tight end.' He's a big man."
Judge was a three-sport athlete in high school, playing football, basketball and baseball. In college, he focused on baseball and eventually became one of the most dominant hitters the game has ever seen. Nevertheless, if he'd chosen football, a two-time Super Bowl winner believes that Judge would have done well on the gridiron.
Aaron Judge's HS coach remarks on outfielder's attempt at QB
Aaron Judge was once a promising football player. With the cannon of a right arm, he has now in the outfield, one might assume he was a quarterback in his heyday. His high school team tried it, but it didn't work.
His former coach Mike Huber said via Bleacher Report:
“He didn’t stick at quarterback because he couldn’t throw the ball very well. We made the decision to make him a receiver, which he became prolific at. For as big as he is—he was 225 pounds at the end of his senior year—he was still lanky and really quick. He could run.”
Judge would go on to dominate catching the ball at his size, but he eventually sided with baseball. Huber wanted him to continue trying in football. However, Judge seems to have made the right decision as he's on the cusp of a second career MVP award.