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Report: Pete Carroll invited LeBron James to try out for Seattle Seahawks in 2011

By Ben Arthur, Seattle P-I

Pete Carroll once offered NBA superstar LeBron James a chance to try out for the Seattle Seahawks, according to The Athletic.

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During the 2011 NBA lockout, Carroll sent James a custom Seahawks jersey along with an invitation to workout for the team, per the story published Monday, which detailed the future basketball Hall of Famer’s longtime love and passion for football.

James, of course, did not end up trying out for the Seahawks. But if he did -- according to James himself -- he would have made the team.

The Athletic story also noted that James “seriously considered” an offer from the Dallas Cowboys. He was intent on resurrecting his football career, according to the piece, but people close to him talked him out of it.

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 12: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates his three point basket at the buzzer at the end of the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center on February 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 12: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates his three point basket at the buzzer at the end of the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center on February 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

“I would have made the team,” James told The Athletic on if he tried out for the Seahawks or Cowboys. “I would have tried out, but I would have made the team. One thing about it, I don’t mind working for something, so if I would have had to try out for the Cowboys or the Seahawks, or if I’d have stayed home and went back home to Cleveland, I’d have tried (out), but I would have made the team.

“I just know what I’m capable of doing on the field,” James continued. “Especially at that age.”

James, now 36 years old, was 26 during the 2011 NBA lockout.

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For years, sports fans have imagined what James could have been had he pursued football. Listed at 6-9 and 250 pounds, some have suggested the Lakers star would have been a potent tight end.

In addition to starring on the hardwood at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, James also shined on the gridiron. He was a Division-I recruit and a first-team All-State football player as a wide receiver, though he did not play as a senior.

James was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft straight from high school by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Ben Arthur covers the Seattle Seahawks, the Mariners, and other Seattle-area sports for the SeattlePI