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Charles Barkley Reveals Why He Rejected NFL Broadcasting Gig

Former National Basketball Association great Charles Barkley has made a nice second career for himself in the sports media realm. But he also almost entered the realm of football broadcasting.

As a basketball commentator on TNT’s “NBA on TNT,” Barkley excels in the position with a strong voice. His expert knowledge of the game makes him a natural fit in front of the camera with a microphone. The “Round Mound of Rebound” as he is affectionately known by fans, offers up excellent insight into the finer points of basketball. Barkley is a valuable commodity in the broadcast booth and also manages to draw a few laughs from the audience along the way.

In a recent appearance on “The Jim Brockmire Podcast,” Charles Barkley reveals that he once entertained an offer in football broadcasting. Though he’s never played professional football in his career, a heavily popular sports media entity wanted him to cover the NFL. Barkley has been known to offer some hot takes on the world of football, but his lack of experience in the sport may have put him in a tough spot.

“I like football, but I ain’t gonna be one of these jacka— get on TV and act like he knows about football,” he says of the situation. Ultimately, Barkley turned down the offer because of his inexperience.

Charles Barkley had the Opportunity to Jump to Football

According to Charles Barkley, he had the opportunity to join ESPN’s Monday Night Football crew. He doesn’t reveal how far along the talks got or when they were. Going on speculation, it could have been as soon as last year. ESPN made sweeping changes to its Monday Night Football team just before the 2020 season began. The 2020 MNF crew consists of Steve Levy, Brian Griese, and Louis Riddick in the booth. Lisa Salters is the reporter on the field.

In addition to Charles Barkley, ESPN also reportedly pursued Tony Romo and Peyton Manning for Monday Night Football duties. Romo would go on to receive a new contract to continue forward with CBS. The broadcast booth is still a possibility for Manning as he weighs his options post-retirement.

As for “Sir” Charles Barkley, he seems totally comfortable discussing and debating basketball for the time being. Could he make the jump to professional football in the future? That is anyone’s guess at this moment in time.