Former NFL Pro Bowl WR Golden Tate Signs Contract with Amateur Baseball League
June 14, 2022
Golden Tate is back, but instead of returning to the football field, he's headed to the baseball diamond. The former NFL Pro Bowl receiver agreed to a deal with the Port Angeles Lefties of the amateur West Coast League.
West Coast League @WCLBaseball🚨Golden Tate is coming to the West Coast League🚨. The 11-year NFL veteran has signed with <a href="https://twitter.com/LeftiesBaseball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeftiesBaseball</a> and is set to make his debut tonight in Port Angeles. Learn more about former Pro Bowl wide receiver <a href="https://twitter.com/ShowtimeTate?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShowtimeTate</a> pursuing baseball in the WCL. <a href="https://t.co/SOQmU5MKS5">https://t.co/SOQmU5MKS5</a>
"I am extremely thankful to the West Coast League and the Port Angeles Lefties for allowing me to join their league. As some might know, I was drafted twice in baseball," Tate said. "As a child, my first love was baseball, so I’m excited about the opportunity to compete against some of the best young players in the league. I look forward to having a lot of fun and exploring baseball more."
Tate played for five teams during his 11-year NFL career. He was a part of the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl-winning season in 2013. He earned his lone selection to the Pro Bowl the following year as a member of the Detroit Lions after recording career highs of 99 catches and 1,331 receiving yards.
The 33-year-old also played two seasons of baseball during his time at Notre Dame, hitting a team-high 45 home runs in his sophomore year. Tate was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks out of high school and the San Francisco Giants in 2010, but he declined to sign a professional baseball contract both times.
Tate will join Jake Locker and Jordan Poyer as NFL players who spent time in the WCL.
