LeBron James discusses considering the NFL in 2011: "I would have made the team"
Although LeBron James might be the greatest basketball player of all time, there was a time when he was an incredible football player as well. He didn't end up playing football past the high school level as he didn't go to college, but James has said he could have been an elite football player as well.
James said the Dallas Cowboys offered him a tryout in 2011, and he seriously considered going out there and trying out. This didn't end up happening, however, but it is fun to think about.
In an interview with The Athletic, LeBron James said:
“I would have made the team. I would have tried out, but I would have made the team. One thing about it, I don’t mind working for something, so if I would have had to try out for the Cowboys or the Seahawks, or if I’d have stayed home and went back home to Cleveland, I’d have tried (out), but I would have made the team.
"I just know what I’m capable of doing on the football field. Especially at that age.”
Obviously, playing high school football is much different than playing in the NFL or even at the college level. James probably could have played at a high level in college considering the type of success he found in high school, but it's not 100% certain that he was going to find a ton of success playing football at the Division I level.
However, it certainly poses the question of how LeBron James would have looked at the NFL level.
What's known is that he's one of the most physically fit athletes in the world, and even of all time. The reason he finds this type of success on a yearly basis, even at 38 years old, is because of what he does for his body. He continues to work hard and once said that he puts $1 million per year into his body.
This is clearly a huge what-if in the sports world, but it certainly would have been awesome to see LeBron James get out on the football field and show what he's got. If he was anything like he was as a basketball player, we might have seen one of the greatest football players of all time as well.