Video: Goliath Grouper vs. NFL Linebacker

Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Sam Barrington may push opponents around with ease on the gridiron, but it’s another story when the battle is against a 300-pound goliath grouper.

Fishing with Josh Jorgensen of BlacktipH Fishing, the Florida native and a group of friends used 10-pound-plus bonito for bait and hooked up within seconds of dropping the rig. That the 6-foot, 1-inch, 248-pound professional football player was immediately jerked to the rail on the hookup is a testament to the goliath grouper’s immense power. Barrington described it as feeling “like a car doing downhill—and I was attached to it.”

Barrington battled the fish using a pool-cue rod that somewhat cushions the shock, but as a grand finale, he decided to go head-to-head with the monster on a handline! (Viewing tip: The handline action begins at the 9-minute mark.)

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