Wide receiver Devin Funchess had a unique experience with the Green Bay Packers. First, he signed with the team in 2020, but opted out of the season because of covid. In 2021, he played the preseason and received a couple of passes from Jordan Love, but went on injured reserve and ended up being released.
#Packers WR Devin Funchess makes a diving catch across the middle.
— Steve Frederick (@SteveFrederick_) August 15, 2021
Love 4-for-4 on this drive. Gains of 34, 8, 10 & 15. pic.twitter.com/et3CN0FZEP
After a solid eight-year NFL career, Funchess' sports career (and his life in general) took a surprising turn. He went to Colombia, in South America, to become the former NFL player to sign a contract with a professional basketball league.
"I told my grandfather, I said, man, I'm going to go win the Super Bowl and then I'm going straight to basketball," Funchess told the Carolina Panthers official website.
When younger, Devin promised to his grandfather that he'd win a Super Bowl, play professional basketball and become a farmer. As a rookie, he played in the big football game for the Panthers, even though they lost to the Denver Broncos. The idea to go to Colombia was another step to keep his promises.
"I just started dribbling and once you start dribbling, you just get addicted to it," Funchess mentioned about his return to basketball. "That's what all the greats in that sport say, like you got to do it every day, you got to do it every day and make sure you fall in love with that."
Former #Panthers WR Devin Funchess has signed a deal with the Caribbean Storm Llaneros of the Professional Colombia Basketball league.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 8, 2024
Funchess is the first former NFL player to go on and sign a professional basketball contract.
Here are his highlights:pic.twitter.com/hyZuHp2KHo
After a short stint with the Statham Academy of the AsiaBasket league, he has signed a deal with the Caribbean Storm Llaneros, who play the Baloncesto Profesional Colombiano (which means Colombian Professional Basketball in Spanish).
Funchess still wants to play professionally in the United States, but the experience abroad has been valuable.
"I've been able to engulf myself in a couple of different countries, a couple of different cultures and trying to establish some of that right now," he said. "I want to utilize the aspect of seasonal sports and me doing football, flag football and then the basketball journey."
In high school, Devin Funchess was a three-sport athlete, competing in football, basketball and track. In the NFL, he spent time with the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, and Detroit Lions. He had four seasons as a starter for the Panthers, but then played only one regular season game after that, for the Colts, before multiple injuries shortened his career.
The discussion about football and basketball players switching sports was a hot topic because Austin Reaves said on the Pat McAfee Show that it's more realistic for NBA players to play football.
"I can take 30 players right now from the NBA and throw them in the NFL," Rivers said. "You cannot take 30 NFL players and put them in the NBA."
JJ Watt answered with a valid point.
You don’t got a job in either right now, go head and try it… https://t.co/9C5Y4oZyXZ
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) May 7, 2024
In history, just one person has been drafted both in the NBA and in the NFL. Bud Grant was a fourth round pick in the NBA and played from 1949 to 1951 for the Minneapolis Lakers. Then, he was a first round pick in the NFL, playing two seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles before moving to the CFL.
Grant returned to the NFL as the Minnesota Vikings head coach, a job he held from 1967 to 1983, and then again in 1985, becoming a football Hall of Famer.
The difference for Devin Funchess is that he was an NFL player before signing a professional basketball contract.
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