“Cannot Score Any Goals With a Helmet On” – Pele Turned Down NFL Legend’s Invitation to Play for New York Giants as a Kicker Back in 1975

Pele and Joe Namath are two players with very rich legacies in the sports universe. Pele and Namath will always be ‘one of a kind’ in the soccer and American football spaces. While Pele was loyal to his country, Brazil, Namath spent almost the whole of his career playing in New York. The NFL legend played for the New York Giants for over a decade. Interestingly, there was a time when both these legends actually met.

But quite lesser soccer fans know about the fact that Pele was once offered a chance by an NFL team.

An NFL team once tried to sign Pele!

The Brazilian soccer legend had made a shocking transfer to the US to continue playing soccer. It was when Pele had reached the deep end of his career. After partially hanging up his boots, the Brazilian made the surprise switch to America. At first, after arriving in America, Pele quite liked the look of the NFL. He was also intrigued by how ‘American football’ is actually played.

However, the soccer legend revealed several decades later that an NFL club actually enquired about him. Pele once told Page Six, “I still remember once, Joe Namath asked me if I have ever thought of kicking field goals in the NFL. My answer to him is that I cannot score any goals with a helmet on”. After being true icons of their respective sport, Pele and Namath also developed a bond with each other.

IN 1975, Subway planned to have one of the greatest ad campaigns of all time. The fast-food brand was aware that Pele quite liked American football. Hence, they decided to get both Joe Namath and the Brazilian soccer legend on one screen. Subway also crowned Pele as their first global ambassador.

Read More: “Founding Fathers of Sports”: Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Pele in Unearthed Picture With Legends Melts Twitter After Sad Demise of Brazilian Soccer Icon

Initially, Pele played a major role in order to develop soccer in America. The older fans will always remember his contribution to the sport back in the day.

Pele created a ‘soccer fever’ in America!

After making a surprise switch to America to play for New York Cosmos, the fans were confused with the soccer legend’s decision. Soccer in America was not even close to being a big deal back then. The fans couldn’t believe why a player of his stature would play an irrelevant sport in another country. However, before making his debut in the US, Pele admitted that he wasn’t in the country to win trophies. He was mainly there to help the sport grow.

In about three years, Pele transformed a portion of the American audience into soccer superfans. The entire soccer universe was in tears while he played his final game. However, his glorious tenure came to an end after the Brazilian soccer legend banged one in from 30 yards out. The fans have and will always believe that Pele was the first player to make soccer ‘The Beautiful Game’.

Watch this story: “Goodbye to the Eternal King Pele”: Usain Bolt Joins David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Soccer World in Mourning the Saddening Loss of GOAT Pele

Do you think Pele would be a good ‘kicker’ in the NFL? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.