What if Joe Mauer had chosen football?

[Seth Stohs]

Fox Sports has a story that asks that questions, what if Joe Mauer had chosen to go to Florida State to play football and baseball? 

 

He was the #1 rated football player in the country as a Quarterback at Cretin-Derham Hall as well as the top high school baseball player. Friends said that Mauer was serious about going to Florida State even after the draft. It's really an interesting story of What If. At that time, there wasn't anything a team who was unable to sign a first round pick (today, the team would get a pick the next year). 

 

Obviously in the end, it was a great decision for Mauer and the Twins, but one can't help but wonder how good he could have been in college... and the NFL?

[Halsey Hall]

If Joe would have gone to Florida State he'd of played a couple of years and got injured.  He then fell back on baseball, but continued to be injury prone and washed out after 5 years in the minors.  He'd then be a working stiff like the rest of us, along with his brothers Jake and Billy.  He made the right choice. 

[old nurse]

Brad Johnson or Chis Weinke might have had the most success as a past FSU qb in the NFL.  Mauer might have had a similar type career in the NFL Bowden might have won another championship or 2 as Mauer would have beat out Chris Rix and the rest of the team was very good. If he would have been viewed as the top qb instead of Alex Smith in 2005 , he might have received the about 50 million contract. You do have to remember that Mauer's health and luck was pretty golden when it came contract time

[D. Hocking]

A number of Mauer's injuries have also probably been related to crouching 5 to 6 times a week for six months of the year.  It is possible some of his knee, back, mysterious surgery, etc. would not have occurred and he would have had a decent career.  It is also possible he would have had a career ending injury in 2002 - we will never know.

 

One thing that is too bad, is that you see kids doing multiple sports less and less.  By the time they get in their early or mid teens, some are pressured to choose one, and then do special camps and extra seasons of that sport in the off-season.  In order to be dedicated to that sport, they might feel pressured to give up another one they enjoy, not to mention devoting most of their summers and weekend tournaments at a pretty young age.  Not much free time for these kids at any time of the year, plus it seems like other family activities end up having to be sacrificed for the hectic sports schedule.  And I sound like the cranky 85 year old... (no offense to some of the more senior posters on this board).

[TheLeviathan]

His determined need to be patient no matter the situation results in an unprecedented number of QB sacks?

 

[Boom Boom]

I don't think Joe has the personality to take charge of a huddle.

[mnfireman]

Interesting topic! Mauer would have entered the draft in 2004, 2005 or 2006 depending on redshirt status and if he stayed all 4 seasons. Let's look at the QB's drafted in those 3 years and the Vikings draft spots:

 

2004 - Manning, Rivers, Roethlisberger & Losman were 1st round picks, the Vikes picked #20.

2005 - Smith, Rodgers & Campbell were 1st round picks, the Vikes picked #7 & #18.

2006 - Young, Leinert & Cutler were 1st round picks, the Vikes picked #17.

 

I think not only would the Twins future have been affected, but an NFL team may or may not have been affected also - imagine Mauer with the Cheeseheads

[Thrylos]

If Joe Mauer chose football, the Twins would had won at least the same amount of World Championships...

[ken]

Instead of complaining about Mauer not hitting home runs for the Twins, we could be complaining about him not throwing the long pass for the Vikings.  But as a Viking, the complaining would be a lot louder,

[nicksaviking]

If he would have been viewed as the top qb instead of Alex Smith in 2005 , he might have received the about 50 million contract.

Hmm, interesting thought, but you're missing the possible larger picture. If Mauer goes # one instead Alex Smith, then does Smith get picked by Green Bay, leaving Aaron Rodgers to be drafted by a less heinous franchise?

[ashbury]

If Joe Mauer had chosen football, TD forums would have been filled with discussion about why they didn't draft Mark Teixeira instead of that injury-prone bum Mark Prior.

[notoriousgod71]

Mauer would have been injured during the first non-contact drill.

 

It wouldn't be pretty to see how the typical Florida State athlete would have dealt with Mauer.

[jimmer]

If Joe would have gone to Florida State he'd of played a couple of years and got injured.  He then fell back on baseball, but continued to be injury prone and washed out after 5 years in the minors.  He'd then be a working stiff like the rest of us, along with his brothers Jake and Billy.  He made the right choice. 

I always wondered if his first freak injury he got in early April 2004, while tracking down the foul ball behind home plate, left him susceptible to the back injuries and such.  Like a domino effect compounded by playing catcher.

[USAFChief]

We'd have seen more of Drew Butera.

[glunn]

I always wondered if his first freak injury he got in early April 2004, while tracking down the foul ball behind home plate, left him susceptible to the back injuries and such.  Like a domino effect compounded by playing catcher.

 

I have thought this as well and would like to have a word with whoever put the artificial turf in a place where dirt would have been a lot safer.

[DaveW]

Even if Joe went on to become an MVP level NFL QB, chances are he still ends up making significantly less then he does in baseball.

[Pius Jefferson]

He doesn't live up to the hype due to FSU being on the decline and Mauer not facing tough enough competition at CDH. He continues to strive in baseball at FSU winning the Golden Spikes Award in 2004 and being drafted the same year by Milwaukee Brewers with the 5th pick.

[Paul Pleiss]

If Joe Mauer had played football who would be selling us our Kemps skim milk?

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

If Joe played football - would the Twins have kept AJ longer? Does that mean no Liriano, no Joe Nathan, no BOOF?

[DaveW]

One step further, with no Joe (and no Liriano/Nathan trade) the Twins likely don't go on a run winning the same amount of division titles, thus limiting the chances for a new stadium even more.

[ashbury]

One step further, with no Joe (and no Liriano/Nathan trade) the Twins likely don't go on a run winning the same amount of division titles, thus limiting the chances for a new stadium even more.

The Twins move to New Orleans, the Vikings follow suit to LA, the Timberwolves are contracted, the Twin Cities become a cold Omaha, 3M and Target go out of business as a result...

 

Joe!  Put that football down, I'm telling you!

[Twodogs]

They would have thrown him back out on the field even after he got his bell rung! 

[D. Hocking]

The Twins move to New Orleans, the Vikings follow suit to LA, the Timberwolves are contracted, the Twin Cities become a cold Omaha, 3M and Target go out of business as a result...

 

Joe!  Put that football down, I'm telling you!

 

You forgot the most unthinkable, horrible change if he had gone this route ----

 

Twins Daily would never have been created.  I am not sure it would be a world worth living.

 

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