The guy loves to compete, it’s about as simple as that.
Quarterback Christian Hackenberg was selected by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, but it’s his baseball career he wants to pursue after all this time.
"I've kind of had my trials and tribulations with the NFL, and had success and had that roller-coaster ride,” Hackenberg told NBC 10 in Philadelphia. “At the end of the day, I'm sitting here at 25. For me ... I feel like I've got a lot left in the tank."
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SIGN UP HERE His time in the NFL wasn’t glamorous by any means. After being drafted by the Jets, the former Penn State star didn’t take one snap in the NFL during the regular season. He spent little time on various teams including time with the Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles and the Cincinnati Bengals from 2016-18.
Hackenberg would play for the Memphis Express in the Alliance of American Football (AAF), but would be benched in the third game after lack of production with no touchdown passes.
As far as a baseball career is concerned, Hackenberg hasn’t played since high school, and wants to make it as a pitcher.
NBC Sports California reached out to a scout asking about Hackenberg, and the scout had no knowledge of any baseball association with Hackenberg.
NFL
“The f----n’ quarterback?” the scout asked.
The scout said Hackenberg does have small ties to baseball with his family, but that’s all that was offered.
His younger brother, Adam, is a standout catcher at Clemson.
According to MaxPreps, across three seasons with his varsity squad at Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia, it appears he had success on offense, finishing with a .378 average across those years with a .459 on-base percentage with 56 hits in 47 games.
His pitching, however, wasn’t great finishing with a sub-eight ERA. But Hackenberg was also playing at first and third base during that time so those numbers should be taken with a grain of salt.
This is how he’s throwing now:
Not too bad.
Will Hackenberg be the next Tim Tebow?
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Tebow also played at the quarterback position for the Jets and made an interesting career for himself in baseball making it all the way to Triple-A with the New York Mets organization.
Believe it or not, from some of the social media comments (which should also be taken with a grain of salt) it appears people are truly pulling for him.
And why not?
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