Former Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson Jr. was without a doubt one of the most gifted athletes in the history of football, which he parlayed into a Hall of Fame football career. But according to Johnson, he could also go pro in professional golf.
Yes, you heard that right. Johnson claimed in a recent interview with TMZ that according to him, he could easily become a professional golfer on the PGA Tour.
“If I had the time to put the level of work that I did when I played football, I think I would be able to get there,” the Hall of Famer told TMZ. “Because I love the game. I hit more than my share of shots every time I go out. And it’s like, ‘You know what, that’s like the pros do.'”
It’s easy for anybody to make this kind of claim. But Johnson, standing at 6’5” and weighing around 235 pounds during his playing days in the NFL, very clearly has the athletic ability to become great at any sport that he is able to put his mind to if he puts in enough practice.
However, according to him, his priorities currently lie with his family, which will likely prevent him from ever chasing that potential professional golf career.
“I’m married,” Johnson added in his conversation with TMZ. “I’ve got family, I’ve got a business now — I don’t have the time.”
It sounds like nobody will ever know whether Johnson really could play professional golf successfully. But on paper, it sure seems like he could have a much more difficult time in doing so than he seems to believe.
Yes, the likes of Tiger Woods and Scottie Scheffler certainly do have athletic bodies that make it seem like any big and strong person can do what they do. But as any golfer knows, there is far more that goes into playing golf at the highest level than just being a great athlete.
[TMZ]
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.