NFL players who became pro wrestlers

Sports crossovers have become more common over the last decade or so. There were always grand occasions in sports, such as boxing, where George Foreman regained the world heavyweight championship at the age of 45, in 1994. The viewing public considers events like this more of a spectacle and a one-off, but they provide drama and a real selling point.

Fast forward to the 2010s, and crossover events began to grip the imagination of those interested. Conor McGregor switching from UFC to boxing to fight Floyd Mayweather in 2017 created one of the highest-grossing pay-per-view events in the history of the sport. This hugely anticipated matchup showed what can be achieved if the right crossover captures the public’s imagination. NFL players who have switched to professional wrestling certainly fit into that category.

There have been famous near misses for iconic wrestlers, such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who narrowly missed out on being picked for an NFL team in the 1995 draft. If you’d like to find more comprehensive information about the draft across various sports, you can do so on thegameday.com. As you probably know, Johnson went on to have a massively successful career in the WWE and is now a huge Hollywood star.

Perhaps the most famous example of an NFL player making a successful transition to professional wrestling is that of Bill Goldberg, who is synonymous with professional wrestling. For many people outside of the United States, it is a surprise that such a high-profile wrestler was once an NFL player. This shows just how big an impact a successful transition can have on an individual’s career. Goldberg played for several high-profile teams, including the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Rams and the Carolina Panthers.

An injury cut his career short and he moved towards professional wrestling, culminating in 2003 when he joined WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), the high-profile wrestling entertainment company. Over a decade later, he returned to the WWE but has been sidelined again due to injuries. However, he has stated that he’s ready for a call to return to the highest level of wrestling.

Brock Lesnar, seemingly a man who can put his hand to any sport and compete to an extremely high standard, was also on the books of an NFL team. His transition worked differently from Goldberg’s, as Lesnar took a sabbatical from his successful WWE career to train with the Minnesota Vikings, who then signed him up to play in a number of pre-season games. Nevertheless, the man who also competed at a very high level in UFC also showed he could handle the rough and tumble of the NFL quite comfortably.

It’s easy to see why NFL players can make the switch to professional wrestling. A key requirement to compete at the highest level involves being naturally large, athletic and well-conditioned. Such individuals need to have these characteristics to play such a high-contact sport. The agility and strength required to perform are key components and crossover skills that work extremely well in professional wrestling.

Another high-profile NFL player who made the transition is current WWE superstar Roman Reigns. The former Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle was diagnosed with leukemia and was forced to retire in 2010. He later made a full recovery and joined the WWE the following year. He is now considered one of the biggest names in the global organization and looks to have many strong years ahead of him, as he has only just turned 37.

Last but certainly not least is ex-WWE superstar Mojo Rawley. Rawley played for the Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals before switching to professional wrestling in 2012. After a modest

career in the NFL, Rawley went on to find huge fame and success in the ranks of professional wrestling.

Common to all of these players is the fact that they struggled with serious injuries or illness, and battled against this adversity. It highlights that what may seem like a serious and career-ending event at one time can be a catalyst or springboard to bigger things. What may seem like a detrimental issue could be an event that changes the trajectory of your life for the better.

As well as this, these individuals moved on from successful NFL stints to become huge stars in the world of global wrestling. Despite the obvious physical similarities that breed success in both fields, they are entirely different prospects in reality. This certainly isn’t any small feat and is an extremely difficult transition.