Should Kyler Murray play baseball or football?

[Bucky]

The argument for baseball:

Jeff Samardzija was a projected first or second round draft pick at WR at Notre Dame but decided to play baseball. For his career, he has been an average pitcher throughout his career but has earned $88 million. As a mediocre baseball player, he makes about the same if not more than star NFL players.

Alex Rodriguez, who was considered an elite baseball player has nearly double Peyton Manning's career earnings.

The argument for football:

He plays the premier position, quarterback. Quarterbacks make more money than any other NFL position. Also, good quarterbacks get more publicity and endorsements than baseball players.

My thoughts:

If the decision was solely based on money, he should choose baseball. It is a better bet. I think he will have more fun as a football player though.

Given how good he is as a football player, I believe he should turn down baseball and focus fully on football. The fame and glory that comes with being a football player is greater.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Baseball - more money (over the average career) and much less chance of a suffering a career ending (and life altering) injury.

 

[Threegoofs]

The argument for baseball:

Jeff Samardzija was a projected first or second round draft pick at WR at Notre Dame but decided to play baseball. For his career, he has been an average pitcher throughout his career but has earned $88 million. As a mediocre baseball player, he makes about the same if not more than star NFL players.

Alex Rodriguez, who was considered an elite baseball player has nearly double Peyton Manning's career earnings.

The argument for football:

He plays the premier position, quarterback. Quarterbacks make more money than any other NFL position. Also, good quarterbacks get more publicity and endorsements than baseball players.

My thoughts:

If the decision was solely based on money, he should choose baseball. It is a better bet. I think he will have more fun as a football player though.

Given how good he is as a football player, I believe he should turn down baseball and focus fully on football. The fame and glory that comes with being a football player is greater.

The average NFL career is about three years vs about 6 years in MLB.

I remember a year ago when the Cubs had an old timer game- guys in their 60s (Bill Madlock!) were out there.

I also remember being at a Bears game and seeing the great players from the past being honored. These guys looked like a cripple ward walking on the field, and some had only retired a decade or two before.

Another huge reason, if those aren’t enough, is CTE. It’s just not worth the risk for your imaginary ‘glory’ difference.


The best counterargument is that football is easier. Success in baseball is hard to predict, and washing out in the minors is a very real possibility.

 

[PirateMk1]

The argument for baseball:

Jeff Samardzija was a projected first or second round draft pick at WR at Notre Dame but decided to play baseball. For his career, he has been an average pitcher throughout his career but has earned $88 million. As a mediocre baseball player, he makes about the same if not more than star NFL players.

Alex Rodriguez, who was considered an elite baseball player has nearly double Peyton Manning's career earnings.

The argument for football:

He plays the premier position, quarterback. Quarterbacks make more money than any other NFL position. Also, good quarterbacks get more publicity and endorsements than baseball players.

My thoughts:

If the decision was solely based on money, he should choose baseball. It is a better bet. I think he will have more fun as a football player though.

Given how good he is as a football player, I believe he should turn down baseball and focus fully on football. The fame and glory that comes with being a football player is greater.

Do what Bo Jackson did and play both.

 

[Bucky]

Do what Bo Jackson did and play both.

QB is a different position than WR, RB, or CB. You can't just wing it playing QB.

 

[Crovax]

The argument for baseball:

Jeff Samardzija was a projected first or second round draft pick at WR at Notre Dame but decided to play baseball. For his career, he has been an average pitcher throughout his career but has earned $88 million. As a mediocre baseball player, he makes about the same if not more than star NFL players.

Alex Rodriguez, who was considered an elite baseball player has nearly double Peyton Manning's career earnings.

The argument for football:

He plays the premier position, quarterback. Quarterbacks make more money than any other NFL position. Also, good quarterbacks get more publicity and endorsements than baseball players.

My thoughts:

If the decision was solely based on money, he should choose baseball. It is a better bet. I think he will have more fun as a football player though.

Given how good he is as a football player, I believe he should turn down baseball and focus fully on football. The fame and glory that comes with being a football player is greater.

It certainly depends on what his goals are but I’d like to see him try football. For him it’s probably better to play baseball because his style doesn’t really work in the NFL

 

[PirateMk1]

QB is a different position than WR, RB, or CB. You can't just wing it playing QB.

If he is good enough to play both sports in college then maybe he is the professional level. I would like to see him try.

 

[Bucky]

If he is good enough to play both sports in college then maybe he is the professional level. I would like to see him try.

Actually, I think a bold organization like the Patriots would invest a high draft pick in him, even without insurance he would play football.

Tom Brady is a hell of a guy. He has helped Josh Gordon overcome his problems, he can probably convince Murray to give up baseball.

 

[Bucky]

The average NFL career is about three years vs about 6 years in MLB.

I remember a year ago when the Cubs had an old timer game- guys in their 60s (Bill Madlock!) were out there.

I also remember being at a Bears game and seeing the great players from the past being honored. These guys looked like a cripple ward walking on the field, and some had only retired a decade or two before.

Another huge reason, if those aren’t enough, is CTE. It’s just not worth the risk for your imaginary ‘glory’ difference.


The best counterargument is that football is easier. Success in baseball is hard to predict, and washing out in the minors is a very real possibility.

IMO there is more glory playing football compared to baseball.

1. high school football stadiums in Texas were probably drawing as many fans as college baseball games. In Texas, football is life

2. Star Football players in the NFL are treated like royalty. There is definitely football worship more so than baseball worship.

Walk down the street and the average joe probably wouldn't know if he walked passed Mike Trout.... Tom Brady or Peyton Manning? They are rockstars.

 

[rocket88]

The argument for baseball:

Jeff Samardzija was a projected first or second round draft pick at WR at Notre Dame but decided to play baseball. For his career, he has been an average pitcher throughout his career but has earned $88 million. As a mediocre baseball player, he makes about the same if not more than star NFL players.

Alex Rodriguez, who was considered an elite baseball player has nearly double Peyton Manning's career earnings.

The argument for football:

He plays the premier position, quarterback. Quarterbacks make more money than any other NFL position. Also, good quarterbacks get more publicity and endorsements than baseball players.

My thoughts:

If the decision was solely based on money, he should choose baseball. It is a better bet. I think he will have more fun as a football player though.

Given how good he is as a football player, I believe he should turn down baseball and focus fully on football. The fame and glory that comes with being a football player is greater.

Samardzija probably would have been drafted way too soon. If he had played football, his career would be over by now. Maybe he would have played 5 or 6 years as an average slot receiver. Instead, he still pitches, and could probably be in someone's bullpen for another 5 years from now.

In football, you make more money earlier in your career, but after that....most guys are out of football. RG3 was a highly touted prospect, washed out and will never play again. He played and did not succeed and now nothing.

 

[slick]

He deserved the award a swivel hipped darter who can throw with accuracy & motor! The decision is obvious take thee baseball money
9th player drafted with 4.66 million guaranteed. It,s a no brainer.

Two great high school QB's faces the same predicament:

josh Booty- Josh Booty was the bluest of blue chip QB’s coming out of Evangel Christian Acadeny in Louisiana in 1993.
Non other than Bill Walsh, the reigning genius of the NFL. said Booty was the best High School QB he had ever seen
That’s quite a statement considering Boooty was a senior the same year as fellow Louisianian Peyton Manning.
As quarterback for the football team, he threw for 11,700 yards and 126 touchdowns, becoming the
first high school player in history to throw for more than 10,000 yards. Booty was named the USA Today
Offensive Player of the Year and was named the National High School Player of the Year by at least six
associations, including Parade and the Football News.
Booty was named to the All-Time National High School All-American team by Dick Butkus. Joe Namath, and
John Elway were the other two QB's mentioned on the All-Time team.

Booty also a star baseball player however opted to sign a baseball only contract as the Florida Marlins 1st round pick,
5th pick overall in the 1994 Major League draft. Booty spent five years in the Marlins organization, and was a career .269
hitter in the big leagues. The Marlins reportedly paid him $1.6 million, a then draft signing bonus record.

After his baseball career went sour he went to play football at LSU during two years there, he completed 49.3% of his
passes for 3,951 yards and 24 touchdowns. Drafted by the pros in the 6th round he never played game in the NFL.

Drew Henson- Henson agreed to a six-year, $17 million contract with the Yankees and will forgo his
senior year as the University of Michigan quarterback and a chance at winning the Heisman Trophy.
Henson received a $1 million signing bonus in a deal negotiated by his agent, Casey Close. From 2001 to 2006,
his annual salaries were $1 million, $1 million, $2 million, $2.2 million, $3.8 million and $6 million.
Yankees' Manager Joe Torre said, ''He's a future superstar, no question.’'

Then in 2004 March 15, 2004 he walked away from a guaranteed $12 million remaining on the final three years of his baseball
contract, that Henson became serious about his future in football when The Houston Texans have traded his rights to the Dallas Cowboys.
His NFL never got on track playing in 7 games for Dallas starting in one.

https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/25/...gan-to-accept-lucrative-offer-from-yanks.html

So there you go, two great two sport athletes who never really lived up to expectations but they chose baseball & financially
made the correct choice. Murray 99% will take the guaranteed money from baseball. With the apparent success of Mayfield
& Russell Wilson's success in Seattle, smaller QB's like Murray should get mucho interest from the NFL. Murray is sensational
& could star there but baseball is the natural choice & I hope he succeeds where Booty & Henson did not, where ever he goes.

 

[rocket88]

Actually, I think a bold organization like the Patriots would invest a high draft pick in him, even without insurance he would play football.

Tom Brady is a hell of a guy. He has helped Josh Gordon overcome his problems, he can probably convince Murray to give up baseball.

Belichick would never draft somebody whose focus I ever off of football, and we saw how Brady treated the last guy who was supposed to take over his job at some point.

 

[cabse5]

Baseball. He doesn't seem to have elite football skills or elite physicality. He did have an elite offense at Oklahoma. Everyone is elite in the NFL including the defense. Elite NFL defenses may bury him.

I assume he's good enough to have a quality baseball career?

 

[The Man]

Samardzija probably would have been drafted way too soon. If he had played football, his career would be over by now. Maybe he would have played 5 or 6 years as an average slot receiver. Instead, he still pitches, and could probably be in someone's bullpen for another 5 years from now.

In football, you make more money earlier in your career, but after that....most guys are out of football. RG3 was a highly touted prospect, washed out and will never play again. He played and did not succeed and now nothing.

RGIII just played in a game last week.

 

[rocket88]

RGIII just played in a game last week.

Really? Damn, I thought his career was over. Still, supposed to be the next big thing...not now

 

[The Man]

Really? Damn, I thought his career was over. Still, supposed to be the next big thing...not now

In a way that’s even better. Millions of dollars to stand on the sideline, no worries of getting hit and/or injured. I’d take it.

 

[Bucky]

Really? Damn, I thought his career was over. Still, supposed to be the next big thing...not now

He's in the game right now in overtime against the Chiefs. Almost threw a int.

 

[Bucky]

Belichick would never draft somebody whose focus I ever off of football, and we saw how Brady treated the last guy who was supposed to take over his job at some point.

It appears he will enter the NFL Draft:

Oakland A's expect Kyler Murray to declare for 2019 NFL draft

I would guess the Bucs, Giants, Jaguars, Lions, and Broncos will all be willing to draft Murray without a promise to commit football. I wouldn't be surprised if one of these teams trades up.

John Elway is arrogant enough to think he can convince Murray to play football.