There isn’t a ‘LeBron James of football,’ and there never will be

Jamaal Charles and Adrian Peterson both think they’re the “LeBron James of Football.”

Both are wrong, and here’s why.

1. A running back can’t be a LeBron — The last two seasons were the most pass-heavy campaigns in NFL history. The face of almost every team is the quarterback. If being the LeBron of the league means being the face of the league, there’s no way Charles or Peterson make the cut.

2. Football is the ultimate team game — But not even the game’s top quarterbacks qualify for LeBron status because football doesn’t give players at any position the ability to make an impact like LeBron can as one of five starters and 12 active players on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Individual basketball stars make a way bigger impact than individual football stars, and they’re more accessible (no helmets or masks and courtside seats).

As a result, they’re more marketable. That’s why, according to Forbes, James earned $65 million last year, which was more than any other North American professional athlete in a team sport. The only football player above the $40 million mark on that list was Ben Roethlisberger.

3. If we’re speaking strictly in terms of dominance, it’s J.J. Watt — Remove the marketability aspect and just focus on who dominates the game to the highest degree and Charles, Peterson and all of the league’s quarterbacks take a back seat to reigning defensive player of the year J.J. Watt, who is coming off one of the best defensive seasons in NFL history and has already earned three All-Pro nods and two player-of-the-year awards in four seasons.

But Watt can’t possibly be a LeBron because he’s not even an offensive player in an offensive game.

This league just isn’t set up to have a LeBron, or anything close.

About Brad Gagnon

Brad Gagnon has been passionate about both sports and mass media since he was in diapers -- a passion that won't die until he's in them again. Based in Toronto, he's worked as a national NFL blog editor at theScore.com (covering Super Bowls XLIV, XLV and XLVI), a producer and writer at theScore Television Network and a host, reporter and play-by-play voice at Rogers TV. His work has also appeared at Deadspin, FoxSports.com, The Guardian, The Hockey News and elsewhere at Bloguin, but his day gig has him covering all things NFC East for Bleacher Report.

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