Jamie Foxx wanted to be an NFL player before thriving in comedy, music and film
Picture this: It's five seconds left in the fourth quarter of a Dallas Cowboys game. QB1 Jamie Foxx and his offense have the ball at the 1-yard line. The score is 21-24, and Dallas' offense has the opportunity to tie with a field goal or take the lead and win the game with a touchdown. The ball is snapped, and Jamie throws a dime to one of his receivers, snagging six points (seven, including the field goal) and winning the game.
Oh, what could've been. Jamie Foxx was born in Terrell, Texas, and began playing the piano when he was five years old. Music was always an imperative part of his life, but so was comedy. Foxx told the Associated Press in 2007 that he had the best jokes as a child, and the teacher often used his skills to reward the class for good behavior.
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"Growing up in the country, church was where you got everything," Foxx said. "It was where you got all your jokes, where you saw your first girl. Church, for me, was really the learning ground for everything."
He also revealed that although comedy made him famous, he always wanted to be a singer — well, that was after he realized that the NFL might not be for him.
"I wanted to be a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys," he added. "But when you find out you're not big enough, you've got to find something else to do."
He played the quarterback position in high school (while also playing basketball and being an honor student).
Being "big enough" might not be the end in today's NFL, but back in the late '80s and early '90s, players were most certainly far from the average size. That dream might've been cut short, but it led to a life full of more fulfilling success that Foxx deemed surreal.
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