“I Played Tight End”: Tempted by $15 Million, Shaquille O’Neal Gave Up on His NFL Dream at the Behest of His Father

Shaquille O’Neal might have been a two-sport athlete, but fans unfortunately didn’t get to see it for too long. In fact, during a recent episode of The Big Podcast with Shaquille O’Neal, Shaq revealed that he was originally a football player back in High School.

On being asked if he ever wanted to pursue football as a career, Shaq revealed,

” I played tight end. I thought about going to the NFL. But one day. I was at the house and my father came in and he hit me in the back of the head with his paper…there was this player from Atlanta…John Koncak and he signed a contract for $15 million for 3 years…the math ain’t adding up for football, I’ll start playing basketball.”

Shaq has often praised his father for guiding him in the right direction. The Lakers Legend had the size and strength to play tight end but fortunately for those who would have been in the NFL at the same time as him, Shaq decided to take his physicality to the NBA.

Growing up in army bases around the country, Shaq grew up playing both basketball and football. But since the money was always tight in the O’Neal household, Shaq was responsible for earning a living for himself and his family. In this regard, basketball was the right direction, as Shaq would win 4 Championships and millions of dollars during his 19-year career in the NBA.

Shaquille O’Neal made a fortune listening to his father

Shaq never had his biological father around, but that didn’t matter much as Shaq’s step-father, Sgt. Phillip Harrison guided him well. The guidance to follow basketball over football paid off handsomely for O’Neal, as he made over $292 million in his career as a basketball player alone.

But unlike Koncak, Shaquille O’Neal would be so handsomely rewarded as a rookie even though he went number 1 overall in the 1992 draft. This rubbed Shaq the wrong way, as the Orlando legend would make sure he got handsomely rewarded when it came time for free agency.

As soon as his rookie contract with the Magic was up, Shaq went shopping for the highest bidder. Fortunately for Shaq, The Lakers came calling, offering the big man $120 million. The Lakers and O’Neal would close the deal in 1996, sending Shaq to play alongside a young Kobe Bryant. A few years later, the duo would dominate, bringing three championships to the Purple and Gold during their time together.