LeBron James once fantasized about retiring from the NBA to play in the NFL

LeBron James came close to hanging up his sneakers… to lace up cleats. During the NBA lockout in 2011, the Lakers icon seriously considered leaving basketball to try his luck in professional football. And it wasn’t just a passing thought. Pete Carroll, then head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, sent him a jersey and formally invited him to a tryout.

The revelation, shared in a recent chat with DraftKings and picked up by Marca, reveals a lesser-known side of LeBron James—his emotional connection to the NFL. “Football was my first love,” he said. And it wasn’t just a throwaway line. Before becoming an NBA legend, James was a standout wide receiver in high school in Ohio, with the size, speed, and hands to be a legitimate prospect.

LeBron James was ready to make the leap

During the lockout, uncertainty around the league’s future pushed LeBron James to train with football-specific routines. It wasn’t just for fun. He wanted to know if he could truly compete in another professional sport. “It was a serious consideration,” he admitted. And although the labor agreement between players and owners arrived in time to prevent his NFL debut, the memory still lingers.

LeBron James: I Almost Ditched The NBA For The NFL During The 2011 Lockout⁣
⁣
“I’ve had serious dreams about that shit. All the time.” pic.twitter.com/4dd2EQ4piw

— Overlap Sports (@Overlap_Sports) May 17, 2025

Over the years, LeBron James has revisited that story in interviews and podcasts, including “New Heights,” hosted by the Kelce brothers. The idea of seeing him as a tight end or wide receiver continues to fascinate fans and analysts alike. Standing 6’9″ with elite athleticism, he would’ve been a matchup nightmare. Some even speculate he could’ve been a hybrid between Calvin Johnson and Travis Kelce.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida de New Heights (@newheightshow)

LeBron James chose the NBA, and history followed

But fate led LeBron James back to the court. After the lockout, he guided the Miami Heat to back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. He also cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players in basketball history. Still, the “what if” lingers.

LeBron James remains one of the defining names in the NBA. But he also carries a past that could’ve taken a very different turn. In some alternate universe, maybe today we’d be talking about the greatest tight end to ever play in the NFL. Luckily for basketball, LeBron chose to keep writing his story with the orange ball.