In 2011, amid a lengthy NBA lockout, LeBron James seriously considered switching from basketball to football, a move that could have reshaped sports history. The star athlete, then 27 years old, trained to become a football player, exploring a possible career in the <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/football/nfl/”>NFL with the Dallas Cowboys.
This surprising chapter emerged during a 2020 appearance by James on the Uninterrupted After Party show, where the athlete disclosed his brief but intense focus on football during the NBA labor dispute. His business partner, Maverick Carter, also confirmed that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones offered LeBron a contract, which James has framed in his office as a keepsake.
LeBron’s Football Background and Scouting Interest
LeBron’s interest in football was not casual; before his NBA superstardom, he was a highly regarded wide receiver at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. In his junior year, James earned All-State honors after recording 61 receptions for 1,245 yards and 16 touchdowns, although a wrist injury kept him off the field his senior year. His football talent attracted attention from notable scouts, including Urban Meyer, then-coach at Notre Dame, who considered recruiting him as a wide receiver.
How Close Was LeBron to Joining the Cowboys?
LeBron James brought his football aspirations into public discussion again in January 2025, during a podcast appearance on New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce. He admitted that the NBA lockout, which lasted 149 days and shortened the regular season, was the only time he gave serious thought to playing in the NFL.
The only time I’ve really taken it super-duper seriously was in 2011 when we had the NBA lockout,
James explained.
And I didn’t know when we were going to make the deal with the owners and get our league back going, so I actually thought about it a little bit back then. I was still young enough to get out there with y’all, but that’s the only time I’ve actually seriously considered it.
Had the lockout extended further, James might have suited up for the Cowboys, triggering an unprecedented media storm. A Dallas Cowboys jersey with “LeBron James” would likely have become the best-selling NFL jersey of all time. Some have even speculated LeBron’s potential as comparable to elite NFL tight ends, such as Travis Kelce, based on his athleticism and size.
LeBron’s Current Views on the Dallas Cowboys
Despite this near switch to football, James has distanced himself from the Dallas Cowboys franchise. During a 2022 Instagram Live session with Maverick Carter, he openly criticized the team’s response to players kneeling during the national anthem, which conflicted with his views on peaceful protest and freedom of speech.
Nah, man. I had to sit out on the Cowboys, man,
James said when asked if he still supported the team.
There’s just a lot of things that were going on when guys were kneeling. Guys were having freedom of speech and wanting to do it in a very peaceful manner. … The organization was like, ‘If you do that around here, then you will never play for this franchise again.’ I just didn’t think that was appropriate.
Because of these values, it seems improbable that LeBron will ever wear an NFL jersey again, whether with the Cowboys or another team like the Cleveland Browns.
The Challenges of Transitioning Between Sports
During his discussion with Jason and Travis Kelce, LeBron elaborated on why basketball players might adapt more easily to football, rather than vice versa. He noted that football requires coordination, running, and jumping similar to basketball, but the consistency and fewer timeouts in basketball create a different rhythm of play.
Football going to basketball, it’s much more coordination and running and jumping, and it’s consistent,
he said, referencing the pace differences between the two sports.
Yet, LeBron’s extraordinary basketball longevity likely would not have translated had he pursued football, given the physical toll football players endure compared to basketball athletes.
The Legacy of a What-If Scenario in Sports
LeBron James’s brief flirtation with professional football remains one of sports’ most intriguing hypothetical scenarios. While he ultimately remained in basketball and cemented his legacy there, his potential as an NFL player, especially with the Dallas Cowboys, invites speculation about how his career and sports culture might have changed.
Though this chapter closed without an active NFL career, it underscored LeBron’s exceptional athletic versatility and ambition beyond basketball. In the future, LeBron’s involvement in football might not be on the field but possibly in ownership or other leadership roles within the NFL, creating a full-circle moment connecting him to the sport he once nearly played professionally.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Does LeBron James sleep 12 hours?
A. Professional athletes use up more energy than most people, so they usually sleep more than the suggested 8 hours. LeBron James typically sleeps about 12 hours each night. This is remarkable, especially since top athletes often travel for competitions, which can make getting enough rest difficult.