KC Royals: NFL Stars Drafted by the Royals

Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Weeden and Pat White

Back before Brandon Weeden was a confusing first round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns despite being 30 years old, he was a minor league pitcher who bounced around three different systems. Originally drafted in the second round of the 2002 MLB Amateur Draft by the New York Yankees, Weeden was traded to the Dodgers as part of the Kevin Brown deal. Two years later, Weeden was selected by the KC Royals in the 2005 Rule V Draft.

The one season that Weeden was in the Royals system was a disaster. He had a 6-5 record in 32 games, with four starts, but also had a 6.03 ERA and a 1.648 WHiP. Injuries that Weeden suffered that season, coupled with his ineffectiveness, led to his retirement at the end of the year, and his subsequent enrollment at Oklahoma State.

As mediocre as Weeden’s baseball career was, it was still more than Pat White did for the Royals. Selected in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft, White did not complete a pass in his NFL career and had 81 rushing yards. He was waived the next season, and signed with the Royals on September 10th.

After a stint in the Fall Instructional Leagues, White did not show up to Spring Training, informing the Royals that he was retiring from baseball. While he never officially played a game in the Royals system, his athleticism was certainly intriguing enough where both the Miami Marlins and Washington Redskins took a chance.

Now, on to those football players that were drafted by the KC Royals.

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