LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes in the history of American sports. He is frequently named alongside Michael Jordan in debates of who is the greatest basketball player ever and is arguably the generational talent who most lived up to the hype.
However, it’s not just basketball he had talent in, as his high school football highlights have frequently circulated around social media. In fact, he revealed on the latest episode of “New Heights” which NFL players he was most compared to when he was playing football.
LeBron James Saw the Most Comparisons to These Three NFL Legends
When speaking with Jason and Travis Kelce, James said “probably like a mix between Gronk or Randy Moss a little bit … but like Megatron, we kind of have that same stature as far as build,” when asked which players he was most compared to.
Can you imagine a LeBronimus Prime vs. Megatron matchup? 😮💨
(via @newheightshow) pic.twitter.com/ZFOj493hhQ
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 15, 2025
Talk about being mentioned in great company. Moss and Calvin Johnson are two of the best receivers to ever play in the NFL, while Rob Gronkowski is arguably the greatest tight end in league history.
While it’s impossible to know if LeBron’s skills would’ve translated to the NFL, his athleticism and strength are undeniable and have been on full display in the NBA for over 20 years.
Moss once said, “I think LeBron could come in and do better than Antonio Gates,” when asked about James’ ability to play football at the NFL level. “The things that he does are something we haven’t seen before.”
LeBron was the No. 1 ranked football prospect in the state of Ohio 👀
(via @KingJames) pic.twitter.com/sxQd1SpCZE
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 10, 2020
The One Time James Thought About Playing in the NFL
“The only time I’ve really taken it super seriously was in 2011 during the NBA lockout,” James said. “But ultimately, I think it was just one of those what-if moments in life.”
This isn’t the first time James has said this publicly, as he even mentioned in 2011 that the Seahawks and Cowboys made him offers. What those offers looked like is unknown, but it’s interesting to hear that there was interest from both James and teams around the league in him playing in the NFL for a brief period.
LeBron James says that not only did Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones offer him a contract during the 2011 NFL lockout, but Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll did so too.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 28, 2021
The talent is undeniable, and the name recognition alone would have sold tons of jerseys and tickets.
James on an NFL field is something that must be left to the imaginations of sports fans. As a highly ranked football prospect while in high school, with his insane combination of size and speed, it’s easy to see why people think he could’ve played at pro football’s highest level. Imagining the NBA legend on the NFL field will always be a fun thing to do, and as James said himself, it will always be a crazy what-if scenario.