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NFL football players are highly specialized. One can't get ahead in pro football without being supremely detailed in the knowledge of at least one part of the sport's craft. However, that doesn’t mean football was their first love. Given that most professional athletes used to play multiple sports in the amateur (scholastic) ranks, it wouldn’t be a surprise if football wasn’t their main sport. The NFL sport spectrum is wide. For this piece, let’s take a look at 10 NFL players who didn’t have football as their main sport.
10 NFL football transitions: Odell Beckham Jr. from baseball
OBJ has made his mark in the NFL. He was NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, made three trips to the Pro Bowl, and won the Super Bowl championship in the 2021 season with the Los Angeles Rams. While OBJ has carved out a decorated NFL career, he also had potential in baseball.
In 2015, OBJ played baseball in a charity event. After showcasing his skills, OBJ received an offer from the Rockland Boulders to play baseball professionally in the Can-Am League.
Antonio Gates: Boxing
With eight trips to the Pro Bowl and five All-Pro selections, Antonio Gates has carved out a successful NFL career. While many may think Gates’ first love was basketball, since he played college basketball, his first love is actually boxing. Gates grew up in a boxing family. He spent time with his grandfather, the late Henry Hank, who racked up a 62-30-4 professional boxing record.
After retiring from the NFL, Gates rekindled his passion for boxing. He currently serves as a boxing promoter, having launched AG Promotions.
Josh Cribbs: Swimming
While other NFL players started their amateur careers in football, Josh Cribbs’ attention was on swimming. Since his high school days, Cribbs has been swimming competitively, participating in the freestyle, breaststroke, and butterfly. Although he never pursued swimming, Cribs worked the sport into his training regimen, which played a huge part in helping him produce a successful nine-year career in the NFL.
Julius Peppers: Basketball
Julius Peppers didn’t really like football at first. In fact, his first love was basketball. Peppers shined on the hardwood and played for the University of North Carolina. In two seasons, he averaged 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
But as we all know, Peppers would eventually choose football. He played in the NFL for 17 seasons. He was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, earned six All-Pro selections, and collected nine Pro Bowl appearances.
Bo Jackson: Track and Field
Bo Jackson is one of the best multi-sport athletes of all time. He made his mark in the NFL and MLB. Jackson is an MLB All-Star Game MVP who also made the Pro Bowl in the NFL. However, his first sport was neither baseball nor football; it was track and field.
In an interview, Jackson revealed that track and field was his first love. Unfortunately, the paychecks he would get from the sport weren’t as big as the salaries given in football and baseball.
Golden Tate: Baseball
Despite creating a decorated 12-year NFL career in which he won a Super Bowl championship, Golden Tate confessed that his first love is baseball. Before choosing a football career, Tate was picked out of high school in the 2007 amateur draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Three years later, he was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 50th round of the 2010 MLB draft.
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After hanging up his football sneakers, Tate reignited his love for baseball by signing with the Port Angeles Lefties of the West Coast League.
A.J. Brown: Baseball
Although A.J. Brown fell in love with football, a sport he played for Ole Miss, his first favorite sport was baseball. In 2022, the Eagles’ wide receiver didn’t hide his desire to pick up his baseball bat again.
The San Diego Padres were interested in his services. However, Brown would have to give up his football duties in order to do so. Despite the intriguing potential career change, Brown respectfully declined the offer. However, he still remains open to the idea of going back to baseball after he retires from football.
Back in 2016, Brown was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 19th round of the 2016 MLB draft.
Tony Gonzalez: Basketball
This NFL sport saga is well-known. Tony Gonzales thrived in the NFL, leading the league in receptions at one point. He also made 10 All-Pro selections and 14 Pro Bowl appearances. However, he will never forget his first love, which is basketball. In fact, in 2002, the NFL veteran played for the Miami Heat’s Summer League team.
Although he suited up for only two games, Gonzales did enough to get Pat Riley’s attention. The Heat executive claimed that Gonzales was capable of carving out a 10-year career in the NBA.
Jordan Mailata: Rugby
Before playing in the NFL, Jordan Mailata never played American football. In fact, growing up in Australia, Mailata played rugby. Back in his home country, Mailata played in several rugby leagues including the National Rugby League. Despite having no experience in American football, Mailata’s experience in rugby has translated well enough to keep him on the Philadelphia Eagles’ roster.
Josh Scobee: Golf
As the Jacksonville Jaguars’ all-time leading scorer, Josh Scobee has been enjoying his life after the NFL. In fact, he spends a lot of his free time doing what he loves, which is golf. In 2019, Scobee ‘s amateur status was reinstated by the United States Golf Association. NFL players probably can relate to this part of Scobee's story.
