Five NFL stars who fought in the WWE ft. Lawrence Taylor, Pat McAfee and more

Biggest NFL stars to have wrestled in WWE

#3 - Rob Gronkowski

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski

Few NFL stars are as recognizable to the casual NFL audience as Rob Gronkowski. The 32-year-old is one of the biggest crossover stars the WWE has ever had, as his time in the WWE was during 2020 when he was in retirement from the NFL.

Gronkowski is known in the NFL for his freak athleticism and brute strength at the line of scrimmage. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end showed in 2020 that his skills could transfer into the squared circle.

Gronkowski won the WWE's 24/7 championship after leaping off a high distance to pin the then champion, Gronkowski's friend, Mojo Rawley.

In addition to a short 24/7 title reign, Gronkowski appeared at WrestleMania in a Battle Royal in 2017 when he was still with the New England Patriots. The four-time First-Team All-Pro wasn't a designated participant in the match. But that didn't stop him from entering the ring to shoulder tackle WWE's Jinder Mahal.

Of all the NFL stars to compete in WWE, Gronkowski seemed like the best long-term fit with the company. Ultimately, his NFL career caused him to stop pursuing his wrestling career. But McMahon will likely jump at the opportunity to bring him back whence he decides to retire again.

#4 - Kevin Greene

Former NFL defensive legend Kevin Greene

Kevin Greene is one of the most renowned NFL stars to come out of the 1990s, as he notched an impressive 160 career sacks. Greene played for many teams throughout his 15-year NFL career, but he made an impact everywhere he went.

Greene never competed in WWE specifically, but he competed for WWE's largest competitor throughout the 1990s, WCW. Greene wasn't as technically gifted or athletic as Gronkowski or McAfee in the ring. But his move set fit him well, and he fell in love with the business.

His wrestling career began in 1996 and began to take off in popularity in 1997. Unfortunately for Greene, his wrestling career ended prematurely as the NFL introduced no wrestling clauses in their contracts beginning in 1997.

Of the NFL stars to compete in the squared circle, Greene arguably had the most success on the gridiron out of all of them. It's surreal to imagine the ceiling he could've had if he wrestled in the WWE after they bought WCW in 2001.

#5 - William Perry

William Perry (Courtesy of WWE.com)

William Perry may not be the biggest of the NFL stars to have appeared in WWE in terms of star power. But he is the biggest NFL player to have wrestled in a WWE ring. At 335 pounds, Perry was a force on the interior of the defensive line for the Chicago Bears.

Perry is the only one among the players on this list who is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame. Perry is a Hall of Famer for his role in WrestleMania II in his home city of Chicago.

Perry competed in a battle royal that featured icons Andre The Giant, Bruno Sammartino, and The Iron Sheik. His biggest target in the match was Big John Studd, who was 6'10" and 365 pounds.

Perry was eliminated from the match by Studd. But Perry got his revenge by going for a handshake and pulling him out of the ring.

The NFL and WWE will continue to have more partnerships like this going forward. McAfee having a match at WrestleMania this year will draw eyes from around the world.