‘What a throw!’: Prince William makes unexpected career move by joining the NFL and becoming an American Football star (for a day)

Prince William is no stranger to sports. Whether it’s lobbing balls or digs at his brother, Prince Harry, he doesn’t miss targets often. A regular feature at charity sports matches and a rugby fan, William has his sights trained on the NFL.

He showed off his “unbelievable arm” at an Oct. 2024 London event hosted by the NFL Foundation U.K., a charity working with youth in deprived areas. William was encouraged to do some drills, where he was shown the proper form and way to grip the football. Volunteers and kids partaking in the no-contact version of the sport were taken aback by his beginner’s luck, shouting “What a throw!”

The Prince, 42, was then given the starring role of the quarterback while practicing some runs with the kids. NFL Stars Osi Umenyiora and Jason Bell were also in attendance, interacting with everyone and giving out advice.

Umenyiora told Town and Country, “He was taller than I thought! He’s a really nice guy.” The former New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons player also said William had “intelligent eyes, and I think overall just his understanding, or wanting to understand, about the game of football, and his passion and his engagement with everybody, it was really fascinating and it’s something that I don’t think we’ll forget.”

Bell added, “He was asking about the intricacies of the game, really trying to understand it. He obviously loves his sport so he’s trying to dig into the minutiae of the game.”

William’s bright white trainers contrasting against his dark suit draw the eye as much as his throws do. Shockingly, nobody reacted to those scene-stealers with the ‘What are those!?‘ meme.

The Prince plays many sports. He was reportedly captain of the swimming and soccer team at his prestigious Eton school and also is an avid water polo player. All that athletic experience came in handy, according to Phoebe Schecter, GB Women’s Flag Football Team Captain. “He has an incredibly strong arm, it was just a little bit of technique to help him really aim,” she said.

“He was in a situation that he probably wasn’t very comfortable in and he took command. He did a handoff at one point and threw some incredible balls downfield. He’s got such a strong arm I couldn’t believe it. He said he played when he was younger on the beach with friends and family.”

You might think the Royals aren’t suited to the rough and tumble of American Football, but they’re arguably very good at getting down and dirty. After all, all that family drama and media strategizing requires a keen mind and a determined spirit.

It’s all in the name of a good cause… this time. The foundation’s mission statement is “Everyone deserves a level playing field.” The organization contributes to addressing this socioeconomic inequality by providing grants, training, and equipment to local communities. It also creates partnerships that enable young people to access positive opportunities, allowing them to “develop the skills, confidence, and belief to create their own future, impact society, and reach their potential.”