It’s been nearly 20 years since he’s played in the NFL, but former running back Herschel Walker still thinks he can do it. During an interview on Thursday, Walker said that there is no doubt in his mind that he could contribute to an NFL team today if needed, as noted by John Breech of CBS Sports.
53-year-old Herschel Walker says he could still play in the NFL and return kicks
Herschel Walker will need to set aside his MMA career before making any transition back into professional football.
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
Walker, 53, cites the fact that many NFL teams are going with a running back-by-committee approach as a big reason he thinks he can contribute in today’s NFL. He thinks that playing just a few plays per game would keep him fresh enough for his body to hold up, but he didn’t stop there. Walker went on to say that he can return kickoffs because he still runs “very well.”
“The last time I ran a 40, I ran a 4.3,” Walker said, “That was like a year ago. That was when I had not been doing any track work.”
Walker is notably one of the best athletes to ever play the game, and it’s true he’s currently doing a whole lot more than most people over 50 years of age. Heck, he’s currently doing more than most people period, but at the same time, imagining a running back at 40, let alone 53, is a tall order.
Walker is currently competing in mixed martial arts, where he holds a 2-0 record. He hasn’t been actively fighting since he beat Scott Carson by TKO in the first round back in 2011, but he keeps up with his training and has been adamant that he could have a third fight in the future.
In the NFL, Walker played for the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He carried the ball 1,954 times for 8,225 yards with 61 touchdowns, and added another 4,859 yards receiving and 21 touchdown receptions. He retired from the league following the 1997 season.
★★★
MMA Video: 51-year-old Ken Shamrock is training to fight Kimbo Slice
See More:
