Bryce Boettcher applauds Astros for letting him continue his career as a two-sport athlete

It isn't entirely uncommon for a powerhouse program like Oregon to have a two-sport athlete excel at both of their ventures.

However, to find the success to the extent that former Oregon outfielder and linebacker Bryce Boettcher has is uncommon for almost anyone in the nation.

A Eugene native, Boettcher committed to Oregon to play baseball for the Ducks, and then during his sophomore season, he walked onto the football team, adding a new jersey to his closet. Then, he was drafted by the Houston Astros in 2024 and his football career was up in the air.

Despite drafting him and Boettcher having the opportunity to pursue his dream of playing professional baseball, the Astros allowed Boettcher to finish out his collegiate football career in 2025 and 2026. To put it lightly, sticking with football was well worth it for Boettcher.

Bryce Boettcher praises Astros at NFL Combine

"They've been super supportive, man. Obviously, waiting to see how the [NFL] Draft shakes out, but they've been super understanding that I'm from Oregon and wanted to finish out my football career there," Boettcher said at the NFL Draft Combine.

He went on to say that both he and the Astros recognize what a cool opportunity he has in front of him as he prepares to see when his name is called in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Over his four-year career for Oregon baseball, Boettcher amassed 83 runs, 72 hits, 14 home runs, and 48 runs batted in. On the defensive side of things, he had a jaw-dropping fielding rate of 99.6 percent, only committing one error.

For the Ducks' football team, Boettcher earned 269 total tackles (121 solo), nine pass deflections, four sacks, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions for 31 yards. During his fourth and final season on the team, head coach Dan Lanning put him in on offense, where he scored a one-yard rushing touchdown.

Boettcher is clearly and undeniably a phenomenal athlete, and now, it's time to see where his football career could take him next (if he doesn't decide to head to Houston to play in the MLB, that is).