In an interview with USA Today, Herschel Walker, 52 year old former NFL running back and current MMA fighter, said “I can play in the NFL today.” Although he conceded that he “couldn’t take every snap”, he was quick to point out, “running backs nowadays don’t play every down. Now they send in the choir section. Physically, I can still do it.”
Walker made similar noises about returning to the NFL back in 2011, when he was still 48. “I’ve told everyone that at 50 I might try football again to show people I can do that,” he had said at a news conference, “I’m 48 and in better shape now than I was when I was in my early 20s, playing football.” He added that, if he did join a team, it would be the Atlanta Falcons because “I’m a Georgia boy. That’s just home.”
It has been 17 years since Walker last played football. His last game was in 1997 when he played for the Dallas Cowboys and barely touched the ball. The Cowboys lost to the New York Giants 20 to 7.
Playing football wasn’t all Walker discussed with USA Today. He said that Donald Trump would be “a great owner, and a credible owner” for the Buffalo Bills.
“People can think what they want to think about Jerry Jones — he’s a terrible general manager, but he’s a great owner. He has done a tremendous job in marketing his team to keep it relevant. I think that’s the same thing Donald Trump would do with the Buffalo Bills,” Walker explained, “He may rub some people the wrong way, but you can’t argue with his success as a businessman. You want an owner with some flair. He knows how to promote.”
Speaking of promotion, Trump was apparently tickled with Walker’s comments, repeating them in a tweet:
"@dallasnews: Ex-Cowboys RB Herschel Walker: Like Jerry Jones, Donald Trump would be a great NFL owner. @nflcommish
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2014
There is no mention of Walker’s comments on his Twitter account. Instead, the former football player focuses on his charity efforts. WHAS11 reported that Walker was in Louisville, KY last week to discuss mental health. Health, both mental and physical, has been a key issue for Walker in the many charity events he attends.
@HerschelWalker visiting with two of the children who illustrated "The Me I Can Be" book for #charity. #givingback pic.twitter.com/PWJ0263A1q
— Livio International (@LivioCommunity) April 12, 2014
Herschel Walker wrote Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder. According to the publisher’s website, “In Breaking Free, Herschel tells his story — from the joys and hardships of childhood to his explosive impact on college football to his remarkable professional career. And he gives voice and hope to those suffering from DID. Herschel shows how this disorder played an integral role in his accomplishments and how he has learned to live with it today.”
Image via Wikimedia Commons
