In a league where stars are playing deep into their 40s, Anthony Edwards still has plenty of time left in his NBA career. Still, if he had it his way, Ant would win a championship and dip out of the NBA for good in order to pursue a career in the NFL. In a chat on YouTube, the Timberwolves star admitted that he’s thought about trying his luck as a receiver if he wins a championship in the next six years.
“I’m trying to find a way to get a ring,” said Edwards. “Once I get one, that would be cool. I’ll go play football, especially if I get one while I’m still young. If I get one before I turn 30, I’m definitely gon’ try to play football. I’d probably play receiver. I might try to go QB, probably backup QB, because I don’t really have to play unless the starter gets hurt.”
Basketball and football are two sports that frequently overlap, and Edwards is hardly the first player who has dreamed about making the jump from one to another. Years ago, LeBron James received offers from several NFL teams, including the Dallas Cowboys, to play during the NBA’s lockout in 2011. He never ended up going that route, but it’s still wild that he had the choice.
Edwards doesn’t have any contract offers just yet, but he’s athletic enough that teams might take a genuine interest. The 24-year-old guard is a notoriously high-flier, and he’s got the kind of competitive edge that would be perfect in an NFL locker room. While we have not seen him play on an actual field, he’s got all the intangibles to be a capable receiver.
Still, even at his best, it’s unlikely his football status will ever reach the heights it has achieved in the NBA. At his age, any leap to another sport would put him behind his peers and significantly limit his potential for growth. Regardless of the potential outcomes, this scenario is extremely unlikely, especially given that the Timberwolves are in no position to win a title anytime soon.
Despite back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Finals, Minnesota is largely considered an underdog to win the West, with teams like the Thunder, Nuggets, and Rockets being viewed as superior. If Ant wants his best chance at a championship in the next six years, he’ll likely have to leave Minnesota to do it.
