WWE and the NFL are two of the most-watched sporting shows all across the world. While there are clear differences between the two games, an athlete would love to compete in both.
Many athletes have crossed over between the worlds of professional wrestling and football. From the gridiron to the squared circle, these athletes have left an indelible mark on the world of sports.
List of WWE Wrestlers who also played in the NFL
| Athlete | NFL Team |
| Mojo Rawley | Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals |
| Goldberg | Los Angeles Rams, Sacramento Surge, Sacramento Gold Miners, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers |
| Ron Simmons | Cleveland Browns |
| JBL | Los Angeles Raiders |
| Brian Pillman | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Steve McMichael | Chicago Bears |
| Lex Luger | Green Bay Packers |
| William “The Refrigerator” Perry | Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles |
| Marcus Cor Von | Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots |
| Kevin Greene | Carolina Panthers |
| Ernie Ladd | San Diego Chargers, Houston Oilers and Kansas City Chiefs |
| Wahoo McDaniel | Houston Oilers, New York Jets, Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins |
| Brock Lesnar | Minnesota Vikings |
| "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan | Atlanta Falcons |
| Cowboy" Bill Watts | Minnesota Vikings |
| Ahmed Johnson | Dallas Cowboys |
| Roman Reigns | Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Vader | Los Angeles Rams |
| Baron Corbin | Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals |
| Verne Gagne | Chicago Bears |
| Rob Gronkowski | New England Patriots |
| Pat McAfee | Indianapolis Colts |
WWE World Champions in the NFL
Over the years, various former NFL superstars have gone on to make it big in WWE. A few former NFL athletes have also won the pinnacle of achievement in WWE, the world championship.
Roman Reigns
One of the most popular wrestlers in the world, Roman Reigns was a Football Defensive Tackle before joining WWE. He played college football for the Georgia Institute of Technology. In the 2007 NFL Draft, he was signed by the Minnesota Vikings. Later that year, he was diagnosed with leukemia and then released. Reigns was also briefly signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Brock Lesnar
After leaving WWE in 2004, Brock Lesnar decided to pursue a career in the NFL. The then-26-year-old wrestler had not played professional football since high school. Despite that, he impressed many NFL teams. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings and played pre-season games for the team before being dropped the next month. A few years later, Lesnar returned to WWE.
Goldberg
A huge WWE and WCW legend, Goldberg played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs. Even before he ever stepped foot inside the WCW ring, Goldberg was picked by the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL draft. As a defensive tackle, he played for the Rams, Sacramento Surge, Sacramento Gold Miners, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers before picking up an injury and having to leave the sport.
JBL
JBL had one of the longest WWE Championship reigns in the 2000s. However, before his days in the ring, JBL was an Offensive Linesman and a Right Tackle in the Gridiron. He played college football for Trinity Valley Community College and for Abilene Christian University. In the NFL, he was picked by the Los Angeles Raiders during the 1990 season before joining WWE in 1992.
FAQ's On WWE Wrestlers Played in NFL
A. Brian Pillman played in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1984.
A. Roman Reigns was signed by the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars.
A. Roman Reigns was a defensive tackle.
A. Brock Lesnar was signed by the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL and played several preseason games.
