FILE - In this Dec. 8, 2018, file photo, Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray poses with the Heisman Trophy after winning the award in New York. Kyler Murray, the first-round Major League Baseball draft pick and Heisman Trophy-winning Oklahoma quarterback, says he is declaring himself eligible for the NFL draft. Murray announced his decision Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, in a tweet. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File)

Kyler Murray was in a no-lose situation.

The uber-talented multi-sport athlete was either going to go play professional baseball as a first round draft pick of the Oakland A’s, or enter the 2019 NFL Draft, where he most assuredly is going to be a first round pick.

Murray chose the latter this week, and, despite size limitations (he’s 5-10), most expect him to be the first or second quarterback off the board, along with Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins.

Before diving into the specifics of Murray’s decision, let’s simply marvel at how talented an athlete you have to be in order to be a first-round MLB draft pick and win a Heisman Trophy.

The list of multi-sport athletes who have possessed that kind of freakish DNA might begin and end with Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders.

So, while many in the media chose to debate which sport he should choose, I simply enjoyed watching him compete at a remarkably high level in both.

There wasn’t a bad choice, so rather than list the cons, here are some of the pros as to why Murray ultimately chose football.

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Money Matters

Major League Baseball was willing to allow the A’s to negotiate a lucrative big league contract with Murray, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. That’s something they typically don’t allow draft picks who have already signed contracts (as Murray did for $4.7 M) to do.

That’s how bad the A’s, and more specifically MLB wanted Murray to choose baseball.

Most MLB draft picks don’t have the star power that Murray has, and even as a minor leaguer, he would have sold out stadiums.

But, if he is a first round NFL draft pick, he will make more money in his first contract than anything the A’s could have offered him. And he wouldn’t have to spend time in the minor leagues.

Now, if Murray reached star status in baseball, he could have been in line for a huge payday. But if he turns out to be a franchise quarterback, he will make just as much, if not more.

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Star power

There’s a reason MLB wanted Murray so bad, and its lack of star power is perhaps the biggest.

Now most of that is their own doing. It’s not that baseball doesn’t have superstars, they have plenty, they just do a poor job of marketing them, especially if they play outside of New York or Boston.

From Murray’s perspective, does he want to be the immediate face of an NFL franchise, or does he want to toil in the minor leagues, with the ultimate prize being the A’s everyday center fielder?

It’s not just that allure of playing football, it’s of playing the most prominent position in all of sports. That’s tough to pass up.

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Going back

I hope this doesn’t happen, but if Murray failed as an NFL quarterback, he could always go back to baseball.

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Love of the game

I watched an interview last month with Murray and Tim Tebow (another 2-sport athlete), and came away genuinely convinced that he loves playing both sports.

Ultimately, that’s more important than any other argument anyone could make.

If he’s great in either, he’ll be a star and he’ll make millions no matter what.

I hope he is, because the guy sure is fun to watch, and he has the personality to match.