Tom Brady once tried recruiting LeBron James to Patriots - "Damn bro come play tight end"

Imagine LeBron James lining up with Tom Brady in every offensive play.

That combination would have been unstoppable because stopping a 6' 9" tight end with nimble feet and decent breakaway speed is difficult.

But that scenario nearly happened if James heeded Brady's request in 2018. The three-time NFL Most Valuable Player made the plea in an Instagram post of James playing pickup basketball, with photos courtesy of Cassy Athena.

The four-time NBA MVP captioned the post:

"Man I love this game!! THANK YOU #striveforgreatness #justakidfromakron”

Brady commented:

“Damn bro come play tight end you and gronk would be unstoppable!!!!”

Tom Brady really trying to recruit 😂 (via @KingJames) https://t.co/limZNo4viV

Tight end sets featuring James and Rob Gronkowski would have been a nightmare for opposing defenses.

One of them would be wide open if defensive coordinators chose to devote extra personnel to one guy. If Gronkowski is already a challenging cover, having LeBron James alongside him is an unfair advantage.

Likewise, LeBron James has workable football knowledge because he played the sport in high school.

He was a two-sport athlete in St. Vincent-St. Mary until he focused on basketball during his senior year. It became a good decision as he continued to dominate in his 19th season.

As it turned out, the New England Patriots didn't need the four-time NBA champion to secure their sixth Super Bowl title in 18 seasons.

Tom Brady and the Patriots won their 10th-consecutive AFC East division title with an 11-5 record. They defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in the Divisional Playoffs and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.

New England capped the 2018 NFL season with a victory in Super Bowl LIII. Its defense did the heavy lifting, limiting the Los Angeles Rams to three points. The Sean McVay-led Rams had the second-ranked offense during the regular season, averaging 32.9 points per game.

Meanwhile, the Patriots could have used James in that game after putting up just 13 points. Brady did not throw a touchdown pass, while Gronkowski had six catches for 87 yards.

Julian Edelman was the game's MVP, finishing with 10 receptions for 141 yards. Running back Sony Michel scored the game's lone touchdown.

An era ends if Tom Brady and LeBron James are both retired

Tom Brady announced that he is done playing football for good after the 2022 season. He couldn't resist playing one more year, so he canceled his initial retirement after 40 days.

Meanwhile, James will seriously ponder hanging up his sneakers after the Denver Nuggets swept them in the Western Conference Finals.

A glorious era in sports will conclude if LeBron James decides to walk off in the sunset. He and Tom Brady overcame enormous odds, especially their age, to stay at the peak of their respective fields.

But as they leave the games that made them legends, perhaps a flag football game with them on one team could happen.