Why now is a better time than ever for Kyler Murray to return to baseball

Former Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray has plenty of options as an NFL free agent for the first time in his career, but his choices are not limited to one sport.

Before Murray began his seven-year career in the NFL when the Arizona Cardinals selected him with the top pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Oakland Athletics took him ninth overall in the 2018 MLB Draft despite Murray's known plans to pursue football. Murray still signed a contract with the Athletics, though, and the organization still has the rights to Murray if he chooses to play baseball again.

With a pausing point in his NFL career and decisions to make, now would be a better time than ever for Murray to try another professional sport if he ever actually does. And if Murray wants to, A's general manager David Forst confirmed the option is still available.

Athletics confirm MLB option is still available for Kyler Murray

"Kyler is an elite NFL quarterback and I’m sure there are plenty of opportunities for him to continue his football career,” Forst told MLB.com on Wednesday. “That said, he and his baseball representatives know that we’re always open to him exploring a return to baseball with the A’s if that time ever comes.”

Murray was, and still is, an absolute freak athlete. He was almost as highly touted as a baseball recruit out of Allen High School in Texas than football, and many predicted him to choose baseball over football because of his size at only 5-foot-10. He was the first high school athlete ever to be selected to both the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game and Under Armour All-America Football Game.

After one season at Texas A&M, Murray transferred before baseball season and headed to OU to play both football and baseball. He backed up Baker Mayfield for a season, then took over as QB1 the next year to become the best player in college football as the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner, all but confirming his future would be in football.

Even after winning the Heisman Trophy, Murray still played baseball that following spring for OU and started in the outfield for the second straight season. He had a .296 average with 10 home runs, 47 RBI and 10 stolen bases in his final baseball season.

Other than some batting practices, Murray hasn't stepped on a baseball diamond since that 2018 season with the Sooners, so obviously he wouldn't be at the same level eight years later. However, Murray's ability as an athlete isn't normal and the Athletics would be willing to see what he's still capable of.

Murray making the decision to step away from the NFL and pursue professional baseball sounds far-fetched, and that's exactly why it deserves serious consideration from him. This is Murray's opportunity to not just go down as a solid NFL quarterback, but as one of the greatest athletes ever by accomplishing the extremely rare feat of playing two sports professionally.