Carl Edwards Declares for Football Draft

Carl Edwards

Roush Fenway Racing’s Carl Edwards made his case that drivers are athletes when he visited Bristol earlier this week for some final off-season conditioning.

Edwards participated in a ‘mock’ NFL combine at Velocity Sports Performance, where he was worked out by former University of Tennessee and national championship head football coach Phillip Fulmer and current East Tennessee State head coach Carl Torbush.

Activities at the combine tested skills of agility, quickness and flexibility and included everything from stretching to executing true passing and blocking drills.

“I learned a little bit about being a defensive back," said Edwards, a two-time NASCAR champion. “I realized as these guys talked to me that the sport of football is very technical – just like racing. You have to work on it for years to get better."

The coaches and media were impressed by Edwards’ abilities, challenging the star NASCAR driver to tasks often reserved for only elite athletes. Not only can the Columbia, Mo. native withstand the toll that is placed on his body in his No. 99 Ford Fusion each week, he might just be called upon to enter the upcoming draft.

Be sure to check out Carl’s next athletic feat this Saturday in the Sprint Unlimited which airs at 8:00 PM on Fox Sports 1.