Former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2020 when he was with the New York Giants. Now, the 33-year-old is pursuing a professional career in a different sport entirely.
Tate signed on with the Port Angeles Lefties minor league baseball team, part of a collegiate summer league. Although he went on to have a terrific NFL career, Tate was also a stellar baseball player at the University of Notre Dame. He was drafted twice in the MLB draft, once in 2007 by the Arizona Diamondbacks and a second time in 2010 by the San Francisco Giants.
The former Seahawks star made his Lefties debut on Wednesday and had a great game, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI according to Sports Illustrated. You can watch a video of his double below.
Longtime NFL wide receiver Golden Tate went 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI in his West Coast League debut 👏
(via @Sliceykins)
Is Golden Tate Retiring from Football?
Although he has yet to officially retire from the NFL, Tate is 33 years old and now playing a different sport as training camp approaches. If this is the end for Tate’s football career, he will have still had a very successful run.
Tate was selected with the 60th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Seahawks, playing with the team for four seasons. He had 2,195 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns with Seattle, leaving after the 2013 season as a Super Bowl champion.
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After a solid start to his career in Seattle, Tate became a big-time playmaker for the Detroit Lions. He made the Pro Bowl in his first season with the team in 2013, and recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in three of his five seasons with the team. He finished his time with the Lions with 416 receptions for 4,741 yards, and 22 touchdowns.
Tate was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in the middle of the 2018 season, then signed with the New York Giants the following offseason. Although the veteran receiver showed flashes with the Giants, he struggled to stay on the field due to a four-game suspension in 2019 and being benched by head coach Joe Judge in 2020.
After not playing in 2021 and not signing a deal heading into NFL training camps, it’s becoming more likely that Tate’s football career has come to an end.
Golden Tate Excited to Play ‘His First Love’
Even if Tate’s NFL career might be over, the former Seahawks wide receiver sounds thrilled to be playing baseball, even in the West Coast League.
“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,” Tate said in an official press release. “I look forward to having a lot of fun and exploring baseball more.”
“We’re looking forward to Golden joining the Lefties,” lefties owner Matt Acker said in the release. “Having an elite athlete around, one who’s competed on the world’s biggest sports stage, is special. His passion for this sport, plus his competitiveness, work ethic, humility, and desire will be contagious to our players and opponents. We see this as a unique opportunity for the Port Angeles Lefties, the West Coast League, and for Golden.”
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Former Seahawks WR Golden Tate Shines in Debut for New Team