Usain Bolt explained why he turned down multiple NFL offers - ‘It turned me off’

Usain Bolt has disclosed that fear of heavy tackles was a deal-breaker for considering a career in the NFL. After dazzling at three Olympic Games, Bolt hung up his sprinting shoes in 2017.

With eight  Olympic golds and current world records in the 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay, Bolt's speed is the stuff of legend. Nevertheless, since bidding farewell to the track, the man dubbed as the fastest human has shown a curiosity in other professional sporting avenues.

Speaking with Dan Patrick in a 2016 interview, Bolt divulged that there was indeed interest from NFL quarters in recruiting him, though he ultimately declined their approaches.

"I've never really thought about going," Bolt said to Patrick. "But I've gotten offers and people have asked me." The celebrated 38-year-old former sprinter refrained from naming any specific teams that had reached out, reports the Irish Star.

Despite his status as an athletic colossus, Bolt admitted that the primary deterrent against trading his spikes for cleats was the physical battering inherent in football. He added: "I used to watch [football] when I was younger, and the hits that the guys used to take. ... I know that it is not as bad now, but the hits that the guys would take kind of turned me off."

Bolt's concerns over the aggressive nature of American football have been underscored by numerous high-profile cases. Research has shown that repeated head trauma and concussions can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which may result in dementia and behavioural issues.

Boston University CTE Center even reported that out of 376 deceased NFL players, 345 had some form of CTE. Aside from potentially dangerous brain injuries players can also take heavy beatings as evidenced by Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson.

During the Lions' match against the Cowboys in game week six, Hutchinson sacked Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott. However, Hutchinson collided with team-mate Alim McNeill, causing his leg to break - an incident so gruesome FOX refused to show any replays of the incident.

While Bolt ultimately opted not to entertain offers from the NFL, that is not the only sport Olympic icon has considered. He made his professional football debut in 2018 with the Central Coast Mariners in Australia's A-League after being offered a contract but departed just eight weeks later.

Bolt was even given a two-day trial with German giants Borussia Dortmund in 2018. Although his speed and strength were evident, former Dortmund coach Peter Stoger felt Bolt still had "a lot of work to do" to compete at the highest level.

Stoger acknowledged the impressive capabilities of the former sprinter. Yet he firmly believed that Bolt fell short of what's required for Europe's elite football leagues.

"It's all about procedure and movement, but the most important thing is that he had fun," Stoger said. "I think he is talented, but when he wants to play at a higher level, he clearly has a lot of work to do.

"The physique he needs for his other sport is completely different from what he needs for football, but it was really fun for us."