Terrelle Pryor did not appear in an NFL game last season and had a major scare when he was stabbed earlier this year, but the former Ohio State star is not giving up on his playing career.
Pryor told TMZ on Saturday that he wants to play football this season. He says his reps have been in contact with five teams, including the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Those two are very intriguing, especially with Cam (Newton) — I’ve been a big fan of him throughout the years. … And obviously Big Ben (Roethlisberger), that’s my hometown city, Pittsburgh,” Pryor said. “Those are the two teams I really want to play for.”
Pryor spoke about how injuries have held him back and pointed out that he was off to a productive start with the New York Jets in 2018 prior to tearing his groin.
“I can still play. I can still make plays and dominate, I know that,” he said. “They gotta see that I can stay healthy. That’s the only thing that’s really held me back.”
This offseason has been a complicated one for players like Pryor, as teams are not really allowed to host players for workouts because of the pandemic. That means Pryor has no real way of showing he is healthy, which was the same concern many teams had about Newton.
Pryor was stabbed by a woman in November who was later charged with attempted homicide and aggravated assault. The 31-year-old had to undergo surgery but has since fully recovered.
Pryor was with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season but was released in September and won an injury settlement. If he is, in fact, healthy, he may get an invitation to training camp on a league minimum salary.
