Buccaneers linebacker switches to Boston Red Sox

FORT MYERS, Fla.x – On Tuesday, March 24, Linebacker Brandon Magee learned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were releasing him.

The next day, he was in Fort Myers, practicing for the Boston Red Sox at spring training.

“My plan was to come here Wednesday and join spring training,” Magee told WINK Sports, “and it happened so fast! Luckily I was right up the street so it took me about an hour and a half drive to get down here an I was ready to go.”

Magee, an Arizona State University graduate, signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2013. He was released and picked up by the Cleveland Browns, where he played eight games. Last July, he appeared in nine games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, mostly as a contributor on special teams.

The 24-year-old athlete told WINK Sports he hasn’t played a baseball game in about three or four years, but he wants to see if he can cut it.

The Red Sox picked Magee in the 23rd round in 2012. He signed with Boston and attended spring training in 2014.

“Football is a whole different type of game,” he said, “When I’m on the football field, I’m a lot meaner, a lot more aggressive. You got to be macho.”

He said his technique for baseball is different. “If you go out there and hit macho man you’re not going to do very good, so I got to get that out of my system when I get up to bat.”

Magee, who also played baseball in college, said he hasn’t been assigned a specific position yet, but he’s been doing drills in the outfield.

“The difference here is, when I play in the NFL, the guys are a lot better,” Magee said. “When I come here (to spring training), these guys are a lot better and they play all year round. So, it puts a lot of pressure on me to really get up to speed really fast.”

The Major League hopeful also had some advice for other aspiring athletes.

“Don’t listen to what anybody outside says,” he said. “Sometimes even family members will be the person to tell you you can’t do something. Me, playing two sports, they told me I couldn’t do it for the longest time.”