Is Jimmy Butler better than Demaryius Thomas, Antonio Brown for NFL?

NBA star Jimmy Butler recently claimed he could probably take the NFL spots away from current players Demaryius Thomas and Antonio Brown.

With Team USA riding high in Rio, Jimmy Butler appears to be high on his athletic skills. He recently commented about his chances at a starring role in the NFL. He didn’t just say he felt he could play in the league, but that he could take away Demaryius Thomas and Antonio Brown’s spots.

In the YouTube video clip below, Butler goes on to talk about his abilities. He says, “I love the game of football. I think I’m really good at it.” He then adds the jaw-dropping comedic statement, “I could probably take Demaryius Thomas’ spot, Antonio Brown’s spot.” He even claims he’d get a “franchise tag with one of their organizations.”

Of course Butler says all of this with a sly grin on his face. Thomas, who Butler was talking about, comments with “He know better than that.”

When asked which players on the current Team USA men’s basketball could play in today’s NFL, Butler simply responds with “Me.” Comments are captured from his fellow teammates including Kevin Durant who calls him an “idiot,” and DeAndre Jordan who says “No way.” However, Jordan did say Jimmy is good at running routes and catching.

Let’s face it. Basketball and football require two totally different sets of skills. While Butler may have had some fun sprinting down the field in Rio to catch passes, he would probably have a difficult time in today’s NFL. The NBA today is not nearly as physical as the NBA of years ago. It’s certainly not as physical as the current NFL.

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If Butler managed to make the NFL, he’d have to outdo two of the top receivers in the game today. That’s no easy feat, and shows that Butler is having some good fun imagining “what if” scenarios. Either that, or he’s completely nuts.