Samardzija passes up NFL to sign with Cubs
CHICAGO (Ticker) - Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija will take his talents to the baseball diamond rather than the football field.
Opting to pass up a chance at the NFL, Samardzija on Friday signed a five-year contract with the Chicago Cubs.
ESPN 1000 in Chicago is reporting Samardzija’s deal to be worth $10 million, including a $2.5 million signing bonus. According to the report, the Cubs have options for a sixth and seventh year.
The 6-5 Samardzija, who was expected to be selected in the middle of the first round in April’s NFL draft, said his football career is over.
“Obviously, my decision means that I have played my last football game,” Samardzija said. “That does mean I have lost my passion for the game. But, as much as it seemed like a real possibility last summer, I have concluded that playing two sports professionally is impossible.
“I understand that some people may be skeptical of my intentions. I cannot lie. Leaving football will not be easy. But playing baseball is my first love. It is what I want to do for a living.”
A hard-throwing righthander, Samardzija was selected by the Cubs in the fifth round of last June’s draft. He pitched for the Cubs’ Class A affiliate at Boise in the Northwest League this past summer, where he went 1-1 with a 2.74 ERA in five games.
With excellent size and deceiving speed, Samardzija finished his final season at Notre Dame with 78 catches for 1,017 yards and 12 touchdowns in 13 games.
