LeBron James says he could have given the NFL a shot during the 2011 NBA lockout.
“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
Appearing on Monday Night Football with former quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning, the Los Angeles Lakers star said he was offered deals by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.
“Jerry Jones offered me a contract and also Pete Carroll did as well in Seattle during our lockout time,” James said. “It definitely got my blood flowing again, got my mind racing again thinking about the game of football and being out there on Sundays. We were 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.”
The six-foot-nine, 250-pound James added he wanted to be a “red-zone specialist, like Gronk,” referring to Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski.
James also played wide receiver in high school in Ohio before focusing on basketball.
It’s hard to argue with James’ decision. The 36-year-old is a four-time NBA champion, four-time MVP and a 17-time all-star.