Detroit TE had hoop dreams
Fells played pro basketball before return to gridiron
DETROIT — Darren Fells dreamed of being in the NFL while he was playing professional basketball overseas.
Instead of sticking with basketball as a profession and collecting a steady six-figure salary for a sixth season, Fells decided to take a shot at playing football.
Seattle gave him his first opportunity to change sports in 2013, working him out initially as a defensive end before inviting him to training camp as a tight end. The Seahawks signed and cut him twice that year and he ended up spending a season on Arizona’s practice squad before making his NFL debut with the Cardinals in 2014.
After he spent three seasons in Arizona, usually relegated to blocking, the Detroit Lions signed him in March. He was expected to block most of the time for the Lions, but he matched a career high with four receptions in last week’s win at Minnesota.
“Every day, I pinch myself when I walk in here,” Fells said softly, standing in Detroit’s locker room. “It is still a dream.”
Fells might not be a star for the Lions (3-1) when they play host Sunday to the Carolina Panthers (31), but he might have the best back story of anyone on the turf at Ford Field.
He resumed his football career five years ago after it was dormant for a decade. After being a standout tight end and defensive end at Fullerton High School in California, he ignored advice and chose to play basketball at UC Irvine instead of football at a larger college.
“Straight out of high school, everybody told me I should’ve played football over basketball,” Fells recalled. “After senior year in college, I got a call from my head coach and he told me Minnesota wanted to give me a tryout. I’m thinking ,‘ Timber wolves?’ He said, ‘ No, Vikings.’ I said, ‘ They do know I play basketball, right? That’s weird.’
“I had a tryout and they wanted to have me come to training camp, but I had a guaranteed contract from five countries to play basketball and make about $100,000 with the team paying taxes, an apartment, a car and some food.”
Fells played basketball for two years in Belgium and went on to spend time -beenin Whileand Finland, college Argentina.there France,are basketballand have Mexico playerstight end such Antonioas San GatesDiego and former NFL star Tony Gonzalez, and track stars, including former NFL receiver Willie Gault, to make a leap to the league, it’s seems unlikely another athlete paved the way for Fells’ path. “I can’t think of anyone that has done it like him,” said former Dallas Cowboys general manager Gil Brandt, who has six-plus decades of experience in and around the NFL.