Rob Gronkowski Thinks LeBron James Would've Dominated NFL at One Key Position

Kristen Wong | Jun 26, 2024

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

In a hypothetical universe in which NFL players and NBA players switch sports—a thought experiment that, to this day, remains a hotly contested debate—future Hall-of-Famer tight end Rob Gronkowski believes Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James would have crushed it on the gridiron. 

Both Gronkowski and former New England Patriots teammate Julian Edelman agreed James’s football potential was sky-high, despite James’s only experience in the sport capped at the high school level.

Gronkowski lamented that the four-time NBA champion never tried out for the NFL and went on to praise James’s “freak” athletic qualities.

“LeBron would have been an absolute monster on the football field,” Gronkowski said. “I can kind of see him being like the hybrid F tight end. He's just so tall, but he's got the athleticism to pull off the F position. I don't see him being a true wide [receiver], throwing himself at defensive ends, D-ends that are like 280, 290, I don’t see him doing that, but I see him blocking the linebackers, blocking the safeties when needed. But also just dominating in the pass game, I mean, he’s a freak of an athlete… I just wanted to see his athleticism translated to the football field.” 

“LeBron would’ve been an absolute monster on the football field… I really wish he tried out for the NFL.”

- Rob Gronkowski on LeBron James football potential. @RobGronkowski @KingJames @gameswithnames

📺 Full Episode: https://t.co/YVQUcv6G3g pic.twitter.com/bKmOajcfwt

— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) June 25, 2024

James played two years of football at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School and was even named the No. 1 prospect in Ohio, described by one sportswriter as a “taller, slower version of Randy Moss.” The two-time All-Ohio wideout hung up his cleats by his senior year reportedly because of his team’s poor quarterback play.

Over a decade ago, then-Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and Dallas Cowboys general manager Jerry Jones attempted to recruit James during the NBA lockout in 2011. Fast forward to the present day, and Gronk likely isn’t the only NFL player wondering what would have happened if the Lakers star had taken one of those offers.