LeBron James has been known as an extremely versatile player. While he may not be the best in certain areas, there are few things that he cannot do on the court. One of the things that stood out about him during his career though, was his athletic ability. LeBron James has been an absolute wrecking ball when getting to the rim, using his explosiveness and leaping ability to make insane finishes near the basket.
There are many basketball players that used to be proficient in another sport, and LeBron James is certainly one of them. James was a wide receiver for his high school football team, and his athleticism would have likely allowed him to excel there had he not chosen to pursue basketball. There are even people who think LeBron James would do fine in the NFL today, and former tight end Greg Olsen notably claimed he could turn LeBron James into an All-Pro receiver.
As it turns out, LeBron James has actually gotten offers from NFL teams in the past, even when he was already an NBA player. During an appearance on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” with Peyton and Eli Manning, James revealed that he has actually gotten contract offers from the Dallas Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks. Those came during the NBA’s 2011 lockout.
We could have seen @KingJames in the NFL 😳 pic.twitter.com/79YtUae7oo
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 28, 2021
"I still got the jersey too, that Jerry [Jones] and Pete Carroll sent me from 2011."
Imagine LeBron on the Cowboys or Seahawks 😳 @KingJames pic.twitter.com/boMLsl4Jes
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 28, 2021
That’s true. Jerry Jones offered me a contract, also Pete Carroll did as well in Seattle, during our lockout time. It definitely got my blood flowing again, it got my mind racing again thinking about the game of football, being out there on Sunday. You know, we was able to get a deal done in the NBA, and I was back on the court in no time. But I definitely thought about it. I still got the jersey too, that Jerry and Pete Carroll sent me from 2011.
It would have certainly been interesting to see whether LeBron James would be able to be a great player in the NFL. It seems as though at least two teams thought he would have been a worthwhile addition. Obviously, LeBron James chose another path, but it’s fun imagining what could have been.
LeBron James claimed that he “definitely thought about” the offers he received from the NFL, but it is certainly good for us as basketball fans that he stuck with the NBA. LeBron James definitely made the right move for himself as well, as he is now a 4-time champion and a legend for 3 different franchises. James is a superstar in the NBA today, but things could have definitely turned out differently had he accepted one of those offers.
