With his unmatched confidence, Travis Hunter, the two-way Heisman Trophy winner, made some big claims, while comparing football and its physicality with baseball. And he referred to none other than MLB star Shohei Ohtani.
In an interview at the NFL Draft Combine, Hunter claimed, “Ohtani is a great player, but you’ve got to do a lot in football.”
Hunter’s perspective
The ex-Colorado Buffaloes star’s main argument is that the physical toll in football is much greater than in baseball.
Sure, that’s not exactly wrong. NFL caliber defenders typically hit with over 40G worth of force. That’s 40 times the pressure of Earth’s Gravity. Ouch. That will definitely take its toll on anybody.
Baseball and Ohtani’s perspective
As Hunter embarks on his new chapter in the NFL, his desire to play both positions presents some opportunities and challenges. He may have to choose just one end of the football field. Ohtani’s a different beast.
Ohtani could earn MVP on either end of the ball (he’s won three). In 2023, he had a 3.14 ERA, hit .304 and belted 44 homers. Can’t top that, right?
Well, despite undergoing elbow surgery, he followed up that stellar performance in 2024 by hitting .310 and becoming the first member of the 50/50 club. Oh, and he had 130 RBIs.
Debate and reactions to Travis’ Ohtani comment
Travis Hunter just said that playing WR & CB is harder than Shohei Ohtani pitching & hitting.
Conclusion: Travis Hunter is delusional.
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) February 28, 2025
The football star’s comparison sparked a world of debate. Many critics argue that hitting a baseball is one of the most challenging feats in all of sports. So much so, that MLB tried to stop pitchers from batting (DH role) because they were so bad!
There were those who backed Hunter too, resonating with the unique physical demand of football’s rigorous seasons.
Implications of Travis’ comment?
Some people on X (formerly Twitter) mention that if they were an NFL scout, a comment they find this absurd would tank his stock. But at the end of the day, teams appreciate someone confident. A harmless comment doesn’t change anything.
The debate surrounding his comments underscores the larger conversation about the feasibility and impact of dual athletes in professional sports. Kudos to him if he could pull it off.
Last word to Chad Johnson. What say you Ocho?
“The two most difficult things in life are hitting a baseball and keeping a woman happy long term." -Chad Johnson pic.twitter.com/r8dxa1SazZ
— Calico Joe (@CalicoJoeMLB) March 3, 2025
