When the Dallas Cowboys made it to the NFL playoffs this year, many big names came out for their support. One man who was right behind his team was Shaquille O’Neal. The long-time Cowboys fanatic was even talking about his side during the Super Bowl. The reason behind Shaq being such a diehard fan of the Cowboys dates back to his childhood days. In a recent interview, the Big Diesel revealed that he always wanted to be a football player, a tight end for the Dallas Cowboys to be exact, till one NBA game changed his worldview forever.

If you know Shaq, you know his obsession with being successful. Don’t get it wrong, the four-time champion was a ruthless competitor. But coming from humble beginnings, money was a huge motivating factor for Shaq. The Los Angeles Lakers great made over $180 million in salaries alone. Today, he has grown into a business tycoon well worth over $400 million.

Recently, Shaquille O’Neal sat down as a guest on the ‘I AM ATHLETE’ podcast. During the discussions, he opened up about his childhood dream of playing football in the NFL. But that all changed after his father gave him some crucial information.

How one NBA game drove Shaquille O’Neal to give up on his dream

While on the ‘I AM ATHLETE’ podcast, Shaq spoke about not belittling the likes of Rudy Gobert. According to him, it is just a way of him trying to educate the new generation on the financial upsides of the league. Shockingly enough, the 2000 MVP himself was influenced into the sport of basketball due to the money.

The 51-year-old spoke about being a football guy all his childhood. As a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, he wanted to be a taller version of Joe Jones. His dream didn’t change until his father took him to watch an NBA game. There he would do a little research on Atlanta Hawks backup center John Koncak. This is when he would find out about the new deal he signed, a six-year $13 million deal. That was enough for him to abandon his dream of being an NFL tight end.

READ MORE-“Don’t Want No Beef”: 7’1 Shaquille O’Neal Resolves Some “Locker Room Problems” for Ex-NFL Star on Camera

Shaquille O’Neal told the NFL hosts, “I was football, I was tight end. I was just like you. Then John Koncak- he was making 15 for three. My father dragged me to the game.” Shaq further said,  “This motherf***er making $5 million? I can do that. that’s how I got in. That’s how I started playing basketball.” 

From there the story of utter domination began. Shaquille O’Neal surpassed Koncak within a few games in the NBA. He dominated his way through college and became one of the most feared centers on the planet. His large frame and quick pace made him a weapon. Shaq reshaped the entire landscape during the big man era.

Watch This Story – Twitterverse rallies around NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal following hospitalization