#WWE ROSTER PRO#
#WWE ROSTER PROFESSIONAL#

Three-time All-Pro? Wow! He was listed at 6-foot-9 and 290 pounds. But you look up his football credentials and have to say he is as good a football player as anybody on my list. 'The Big Cat' was a little bit before my time. Played in 112 games, with 76 starts, and registered 33.5 career sacks. WWEįootball credentials: San Diego Chargers, DT, 1961-65 Houston Oilers, DT, 1966-67 Kansas City Chiefs, DT, 1967-68. Ron Simmons, right, one half of the APA with John Bradshaw Layfield, was a decorated defensive lineman at FSU before playing in the CFL and the USFL. You knew when you'd been in the ring with Ron. He's another guy who for his size had such incredible agility, quickness and speed. DAMN! He definitely left me saying damn after getting hit with one of his clotheslines. Statistical data not available.Īny list like this has to include Ron, the first Black world heavyweight champion. A very powerful guy who threw me around with ease.įootball credentials: Ottawa Rough Riders, DT, 1981 Tampa Bay Bandits, DT, 1983-85. He stepped right off the football field and became a main eventer. There was a period when he was as big a star as anyone in the business. I'm not sure Lex gets the credit he deserves. Played in 14 games for the Alouettes and an undetermined amount of games in his USFL career. AP Photo/Dave Pickoffįootball credentials: Montreal Alouettes, OT, 1979-81 Tampa Bay Bandits, OG, 1984 Memphis Showboats, OG/OT, 1984-85 Jacksonville Bulls, OT, 1985.

#WWE ROSTER PRO#

Wahoo McDaniel was quite a linebacker for the Jets before becoming one of the biggest stars in pro wrestling. It's too bad he didn't get to use that with pads on. I'm glad I was a little too young ever to take one of those. And man, that chop of his - the best in the business. Legitimately one of the toughest guys on the field and in the ring. I grew up a fan of Wahoo, but my family liked to talk about his football success more than his wrestling success. Played in 105 games, with 91 starts and 13 interceptions. Edmonton Elks Football Clubįootball credentials: Houston Oilers, RG, 1960 Denver Broncos, LB, 1961-63 New York Jets, LB, 1964-65 Miami Dolphins, LB, 1966-68. Roman Reigns played briefly in the CFL before exchanging it for three other letters - WWE. Now, when you call yourself the head of the table in a family that includes The Rock, that's a bold statement in this business. And ever since he became the 'Tribal Chief' and the 'Head of the Table,' we've really seen him take his game to another level. So to say Roman has the business in his blood is an understatement. Rikishi was another of his uncles, and of course Rikishi's sons, the Usos, are Roman's cousins. Roman's father and uncle were the Wild Samoans, multiple-time WWE tag team champions. I've known the Anoa'i family since the 1970s. Stephen Dunn/Getty Imagesįootball credentials: Edmonton Elks, DT, 2008. Dark-haired Bill Goldberg patrolled the middle of the Falcons' defense long before embarking on his pro wrestling career. And you'll see Bill on SummerSlam this weekend in the co-main event. I wrestled Bill on a Monday Nitro in Milwaukee with Green Bay Packers players surrounding the ring. And it's still paying dividends to this day.

Goldberg's undefeated streak, on that stage on the worldwide scale, will never be duplicated. Bill Goldbergįootball credentials: Atlanta Falcons, NT, 1992-94. Here are my top 10 wrestlers who played pro football, many of whom I was in the ring with myself: 1. So you won't find superstars such as Vader, The Rock or Brock Lesnar on my list.

A lot of guys participated in NFL, USFL and CFL training camps who never made those leagues for various reasons.

#WWE ROSTER PROFESSIONAL#

The rules ESPN gave me are these: Only guys who took snaps in professional games could be included. What other sport could give you a guy as big and rugged as Ron Simmons and a highflier such as Brian Pillman? It produces guys with speed, power and agility as well as guys of various sizes. I've been fortunate enough during my Hall of Fame in-ring career to come across a number of great athletes, but football obviously lends itself to the ring. Wrestling long has attracted great athletes from other sports, and I can tell you it is as popular in NFL locker rooms as football is in wrestling locker rooms. I'm the third generation of my family in the wrestling business, and I've been a football fan ever since I can remember. Haha! Damn right I know wrestling and I know football.

Wwe roster