Former Wide Receiver Becomes First NFL Player to Play Professional Basketball

On Tuesday, former NBA role player Andrew Rivers stated that he believes the game of basketball is far harder to play than football. According to Rivers, NFL players only have to “Catch the ball and run North or South…it’s not that complex.”

Read more: NFL Players Bash Former NBA Role Player For Saying Football is Easier Than Basketball

Rivers also stated, “You could take 30 players right now and throw them into the NFL.” Naturally, this led to a handful of NFL players going after Rivers. Players like J.J. Watt, Mike Davis, and Matt Leinart all went in on his bizarre comments.

In the wake of Rivers’ comments, it’s been revealed that a former NFL player has become the first player in history to sign and play with a professional basketball team.

Former #Panthers WR Devin Funchess has signed a deal with the Caribbean Storm Llaneros of the Professional Colombia Basketball league.

Funchess is the first former NFL player to go on and sign a professional basketball contract.

Here are his highlights:pic.twitter.com/hyZuHp2KHo

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 8, 2024

Longtime NFL analyst Ari Meirov revealed the news on X, stating, “Former #Panthers WR Devin Funchess has signed a deal with the Caribbean Storm Llaneros of the Professional Colombia Basketball league. Funchess is the first former NFL player to go on and sign a professional basketball contract.”

Funchess retired from the NFL in 2022, and had his eyes set on playing basketball. In Nov. 2023, he made his professional basketball debut, playing for Statham Academy in the Philippines.

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Now, he has become the first NFL player in history to sign a professional basketball contract. Funchess has signed a contract with the Caribbean Storm Llaneros of the Professional Colombia Basketball.

He will have to work his way through the international leagues if he hopes to play in the NBA one day, but he is already on his way to playing basketball professionally.

Funchess spent five seasons in the NFL, initially being drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2015 in the second round of the draft. Between the 2015 and 2018 seasons, Funchess secured 2,233 yards and 21 touchdowns. He secured a career-high 840 yards and eight touchdowns in the 2017 season.

After his stint with the Panthers, Funchess signed a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts. He unfortunately broke his collarbone early on in the season and was not activated after the three-week window IR requirement — leading to his not playing the remainder of the season.

Funchess would then sign a one-year deal with the Green Bay Packers in 2020 but opted out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a couple of stints on the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 and the Detroit Lions in 2022, he officially retired to pursue a career in basketball.

Funchess is clearly athletic as he becomes the first NFL player to achieve signing and playing for a professional basketball team. Time will tell if he can hone his skills enough to land in a better professional basketball league.