At least one NFL team was confident in David Beckham‘s ability to bend it … through the uprights.
A scout from an unnamed NFL team called Beckham last fall and offered him a chance to try out for the team as a kicker. The former England captain declined the invitation, according to the Mirror.
“A couple of scouts felt that David has the potential to become a kicker in the NFL team, and one actually put a call into him for a trial,” a source told the Mirror.
“It is no secret that David is one of the best in the business when it comes to accuracy and length in his passing. And he has stood on the greatest stages to perform magnificent feats with his feet.
“Major league [NFL] kickers can send the ball 40 yards straight — David has shown for the last 15 years he can do that week in week out.
“It was obvious too that if Becks took up the offer then any NFL franchise would be interested as his international appeal would generate billions in PR and commercial opportunities.
“The offer came in and he politely said that it wasn’t right for him. Perhaps in the next few months he could change his mind.”
At the time, Beckham was mapping out the final stages of his illustrious soccer career. He left the L.A. Galaxy in December and joined French club Paris Saint-German in February. His three-month swansong in European soccer saw him win a Ligue 1 (French first division) title, participate in the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League and bid the game a tearful goodbye in his final appearance as a professional player.
Beckham scored 65 free-kick goals in his career, but that ability wouldn’t necessarily translate to gridiron success. He honed his world-famous technique over the years using soccer balls. How quickly he would adapt to a new ball, target, sport and surroundings is unknown. While NFL teams would love the international exposure and marketing opportunities Beckham’s presence would create, their primary business is winning football games.
Beckham will remain a busy man in his post-playing days. He serves as a global ambassador for China’s Super League (where he created some doubt over his kicking ability). He is in talks to buy a Major League Soccer expansion team, which would play in Miami, and Tom Cruise wants him to consider starring in action movies.
If those activities don’t quench Beckham’s thirst for life then, by all means, he should look into American football. He also should remember Ray Finkle, whose story showed us the dark side of life as an NFL kicker.
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