Why a college football star abandoned the NFL for a career on the mound
In short: Jeff Samardzija was a standout wide receiver at Notre Dame, setting school records for receiving yards and touchdowns. Yet, despite being a top NFL prospect, he walked away from football to pursue professional baseball. His decision highlights the rare, high-stakes crossroads faced by elite dual-sport athletes in modern collegiate athletics.
Born in 1985 in Merrillville, Indiana, Jeff Samardzija excelled in multiple sports at Valparaiso High School before joining the University of Notre Dame. As a Fighting Irish wide receiver, he emerged as a national star, earning All-America honors and finishing his college career in 2006 as the school's all-time leader in receiving yards with 2,593. He was twice a finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation's top college receiver.
While his football success was undeniable, Samardzija was simultaneously a talented pitcher. After being selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 2006 MLB draft, he faced a pivotal choice. Though he initially considered playing in both leagues, he ultimately committed to baseball, officially announcing his departure from the NFL draft process in January 2007. He signed a deal with the Cubs that included a $1 million signing bonus and the potential for a total value of $16.5 million if club options were exercised.
His professional baseball career spanned over a decade, featuring stints with the Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox, and San Francisco Giants. Known as 'Shark,' a nickname earned at Notre Dame, Samardzija developed a versatile pitching repertoire, utilizing up to seven different pitch types, including a four-seam fastball reaching 99 mph. His career was marked by both impressive statistical peaks—such as leading the National League in innings pitched in 2017—and periods of adjustment, including a 2015 season where he struggled after inadvertently tipping his pitches.
Samardzija's transition remains a notable case study in athletic specialization. By choosing the diamond over the gridiron, he traded the immediate, high-impact physical toll of professional football for the longevity and technical demands of a major-league pitcher. His journey from a record-breaking wide receiver to a reliable MLB starter underscores the difficult trade-offs required when an athlete possesses the rare ability to compete at the highest level in two distinct professional sports.
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