Did You Know Marvin Gaye Was Nearly A Detroit Lion? Inside His Unique Tryout

You may have heard of the soulful Marvin Gaye "through the grapevine", the 70s Motown hit-maker whose songs "What's Going On", "Sexual Healing," and many more have remained immensely popular nearly 50 years after his death.

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But while he was known for his music, audiences almost knew him for something completely different: football. It's a pretty drastic career pivot, going from your words being your biggest asset to your body. Yet, in the year 1970, Marvin Gaye found himself at a Detroit Lions tryout for a chance to join the team in one of the biggest what-ifs in not just sports, but music.

Angela Deane-Drummond, Getty Images

Marvin Gaye's 3 Day Stint With The Detroit Lions

When Michael Jordan hung up his Bulls jersey for a White Sox uniform, people called him crazy; this is arguably crazier. The story goes, according to ESPN, that after the death of Gaye's close recording partner Tammi Terrell, Gaye was depressed and burnt out from making music. It was just one of many things in the world that had worn the artist down, and he was personally done with music.

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But after being approached about the song "What's Going On," he struck a deal with an unexpected source to create the song: two Detroit Lions players, whose voices you can hear at the beginning of the song. That was the first criterion for the song's release.

Running back Mel Farr and defensive back Lem Barney had a years-old friendship with Gaye, and Gaye wanted a shot at playing football, despite having no prior experience. But the two players pulled some strings.

VIEW OF A PHOTO OF GAYE AT TRYOUTS HERE

30 pounds of muscle later, the newly bulked-up Gaye found himself in a 3-day tryout, where he impressed the coaches but not enough to move on to the next stage. Plus, Motown would have their heads if their star singer got injured.

But it gave him the spark he needed to get him out of his rut and back in the studio. You can read the full story, including interviews with Farr and Barney, here.