In a move that is either a publicity stunt or proof positive of the perils of concussions, 48-year-old former NFL running back Herschel Walker says that he’s thinking about returning to the field.
“I’ve told everyone that at 50 I might try football again to show people I can do that,” Walker said Monday in a conference call aimed at promoting an MMA event in which he’ll be participating, according to Franklin McNeill of ESPN.com. “I want to be the George Foreman of football, come back and do that one more time.”
Walker says he’s in better shape now than when he played in the NFL. “I’m a much better-conditioned athlete now than when I was playing football,” Walker said. “I’m 48 and in better shape now than I was when I was in my early 20s, playing football.”
And he already has his two teams selected.
“The two teams I would come back to play for are Minnesota or Atlanta,” Walker said. “It would probably be Atlanta because that’s home for me.”
This time around, the Vikings presumably could get Walker for slightly less than they gave up to secure his services 21-plus years ago.
Though he likely won’t be playing football any time soon, he’ll be engaging in his second MMA fight on Saturday night in California, 52 weeks after Walker made his debut -- on the same night and in the same location that Jets coach Rex Ryan fired off a $50,000 middle finger to Dolphins fans.