Although Shaquille O’Neal, the NBA icon, has been synonymous with basketball, his fandom extends far beyond the hardwood courts. It is also common knowledge that O’Neal is a devoted supporter of the Dallas Cowboys. However, the origins of this allegiance make for quite an intriguing story.

During an episode of ‘The Big Podcast with Shaq,’ the 52-year-old NBA legend peeled back the layers of his journey as a football fan. Shaq admitted that he was initially a Bears fan since he spent his childhood in Chicago. However, the lack of dynamism in the Chicago Bears brought him closer to the Texas-based Cowboys. Recounting his early years, Shaquille O’Neal also confessed to building a familial tie to none other than Ed “Too Tall” Jones, an icon in the Cowboys lore.

“I used to tell people Ed Too Tall Jones as my father.”

O’Neal’s admiration for the Dallas Cowboys was rooted in a genuine desire to emulate the gridiron icons, he idolized as a child.

“Can you guess my favorite team and why? Cowboys, because they’re America’s team,” Shaquille O’Neal quipped during the podcast.

Nevertheless, life took O’Neal down a different path, leading him to basketball superstardom instead. Despite this divergence, his love for football and the Cowboys never waned. Yet, O’Neal’s allegiance to the Cowboys has not shielded him from the heartbreak that comes with being a Cowboys fan currently. The team’s recent upset during NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend left him, like many fans, reeling from disappointment.

Can you imagine Shaquille O’Neal in the NFL?

It seems like a far-fetched idea, but Shaquille O’Neal, the basketball legend, once harbored dreams of gracing the gridiron. In a surprising revelation, O’Neal shared a vivid memory of his football aspirations, shedding light on a lesser-known chapter of his high school days.

In the same podcast episode with Kirk Cousins, Shaquille O’Neal reminisced about his early days in sports, revealing that football was his initial passion. “I started off playing football. Football is my sport,” he confessed, highlighting his deep-rooted connection to the gridiron. Besides, it was his ambition to don an NFL jersey that truly set his heart ablaze, as recalling his aspirations, O’Neal said, “I wanted to make the NFL.”

Interestingly, Shaq even had a position in mind, as when Cousins suggested he could have played as a left tackle, the NBA icon interjected claiming, “No, I’m tight end. I’m not blocking for you.”

In hindsight, Shaquille O’Neal’s NFL dreams may seem like a distant thought, but his love for the sport has continued to flourish. Moreover, it was his injury during his junior year that forced him to reconsider his career trajectory, redirecting him toward basketball.

Hence, even though O’Neal’s NFL dreams may remain unrealized, his enduring legacy as one of the most dominant players in NBA history establishes him as a true sports icon.