It looks like Jake Paul is taking his ambitions to become an NFL slot receiver seriously. The YouTuber-turned-fighter has drawn considerable attention with his recent comments, criticizing NFL players for their lack of athleticism while claiming that some teams have already approached him about joining their rosters.

The remarks, which follow his knockout loss this past December, have put Jake Paul under the microscope, with critics questioning both his intentions and the legitimacy of his claims. To back up his argument, the Cleveland native has now come up with an audacious plan that includes fighting an NFL player in a boxing match.

“Will pay any NFL player $1 million dollars if you can box me better than I run routes against you,” Paul’s latest tweet read. “The Internet is judge. Will send my jet to pick you up who’s down?”

Given that he suffered a knockout in his last fight against former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, Paul’s public call-out is likely to surprise a few. The challenge, however, becomes easier to understand after his latest appearance on The Pivot Podcast.

Paul, joined by close associate Nakisa Bidarian, found himself confronting some piercing questions from the show’s hosts, Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, and Fred Taylor, all former NFL players.

In his attempt to prove his superior fitness level, Paul argued that he not only lifted more weight than any of the three did but also believed he was quicker than any of them.

When Clark and Crowder tried baiting him with the knockout defeat to Joshua that left him with a broken jaw, Paul dismissed it as something temporary that did not hurt him at all.

According to Paul, a similar uproar erupted when he decided to transition into boxing. Rising through the ranks, he eventually defeated the likes of Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva. He felt he had been receiving a similar response ever since sharing his interest in becoming a slot receiver. As he did before, he hopes to surprise the naysayers once again.

His arguments rest most strongly on boxing. Citing a study that remains unverified, which ranked boxing as the toughest sport, Paul believed that the mentality required to stand alone against an equally tough opponent in the ring is superior to that of a team sport like football.

That likely explains why he felt the need to challenge NFL players to a $1 million boxing match.

Jake Paul, however, is not the first member of his family to find himself at the center of NFL crossover talk.

Before Jake Paul, Logan Paul picked a fight with the NFL

Months ago, his elder brother, Logan Paul, while never explicitly expressing his ambition to play in the NFL, made similar claims by suggesting that he was more athletic than many NFL players.

Those comments sparked backlash and even led to a bitter feud with Tom Brady.

Yet, instead of backing down, Logan Paul doubled down by throwing a million-dollar challenge to any NFL player to beat him in a boxing match. The only difference between his and Jake’s call-outs was that the WWE star specifically called out players, including Myles Garrett, Puka Nacua, and Tom Brady.

That only made the story more intriguing. Logan Paul’s challenge drew responses from a few retired and active football players. However, the older Paul’s move eventually fizzled out after reports suggested that WWE management had objected to him competing in a boxing fight.

Seen from that perspective, there appears to be nothing preventing Jake Paul from following through on his own challenge.

He already runs a fight promotion that has now expanded into MMA after merging with the Professional Fighter League (PFL).

Yet, critics may not hesitate to point out that Paul is simply following a familiar script – facing opponents who are well past their prime, either retired or semi-retired professionals with questionable skills.

Adding an NFL player, who may or may not have any boxing background and whose prospects, despite a few months of training, would still appear slim against him, may not represent anything new for Paul.