Get a load of this…
Jake Paul just refuses to be realistic. The YouTuber turned prizefighter is now floating perhaps his wildest ambition yet, saying he wants to trade boxing gloves for shoulder pads and eventually suit up in the NFL. The internet has gone mad.
During an appearance on the a16z Podcast Network, Paul insisted he was being completely serious when he revealed his latest goal. He wants to walk onto Stanford University’s football team as a slot receiver and then play in the NFL.
“I do have NFL aspirations after boxing,” Paul said. “I want to play slot receiver, and so I think to get that experience, in college first would be good so I could walk onto the Stanford team.”
After a brief pause, Paul laughed before making sure listeners knew he wasn’t trolling.
“I’m being serious,” he said.
He then explained that his original plan was even bolder. Follow this.
“The idea of it happened today. I was originally thinking I’ll just go straight to the Cleveland Browns or Dallas Cowboys, but they’re probably going to want to see me play first. So, it might be better if I start off in college and have a little bit of an advantage over the younger, not as big kids before going into the NFL.”
What a cotton pickin’ minute.
Paul weighed in at 216 pounds for his last boxing match, significantly heavier than the typical slot receiver. Stanford isn’t known for handing out participation trophies. The university maintains some of the toughest academic admissions standards in America. I think this dude forgot about academics. Paul left traditional high school, finishing his diploma online. Not mad, but you might not make it in Stanford.
Then there’s the football.
Playing in the NFL isn’t simply about athleticism. It’s about years of development, route running, football IQ, and more. Former NFL players weighed in.
Antonio Brown said, “Dude would get fkn rocked.”
Taylor Lewan gave Paul credit for stirring, but wasn’t buying the football pipe dream.
“Jake Paul A+ promoter, rage baiter, and a solid athlete,” Lewan wrote on X. “0.000001% chance he could make it to the NFL but I would love to watch this unfold,” he said.
Paul has built an entire career by proving people wrong. His jaw was shattered in three places last time he got in the ring. He was wrong on that one. He’s an accomplished promoter though and that’s not going anywhere. Rumor has it, Jake is coming back to box this year or sometime next year. The NFL is another matter entirely. You cannot “Rocky” your way in the league.
Stranger things have happened… just maybe not this strange.