Chairshot Top 5: Professional Wrestlers Who Played in the NFL

Before they entered the squared circle, these professional wrestlers tackled quarterbacks, chased championships and fought for roster spots in the NFL.

Professional wrestling and football have always shared a natural connection. Both reward strength, speed, toughness and the ability to perform while thousands of people react to every move.

Countless wrestlers played football in high school or college, but reaching the NFL is an entirely different accomplishment. Roman Reigns, Baron Corbin, Lex Luger and Ron Simmons all came close, while Brock Lesnar famously attempted the transition after already becoming a WWE Champion.

The five wrestlers on this list went beyond simply signing a contract or attending training camp. Each appeared in regular-season games in the NFL or the American Football League, which merged with the NFL in 1970 and is recognized as part of modern professional football history.

The ranking considers accomplishments in both careers, the length of each football run and the significance of the wrestler’s overall legacy.

#5: Wahoo McDaniel

Long before wrestlers regularly moved between national promotions, Wahoo McDaniel was drawing crowds while simultaneously playing professional football.

McDaniel began his football career with the Houston Oilers during the American Football League’s inaugural season in 1960. The Oilers won the first AFL Championship, giving McDaniel a title before his wrestling career reached its peak.

He later played linebacker for the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. McDaniel became especially popular with Jets fans, who would answer “Wahoo!” whenever the stadium announcer asked who had made a tackle.

McDaniel did not wait until retirement to begin wrestling. He competed during football offseasons, building his reputation inside the ring while still absorbing and delivering hits on Sundays. WWE credits him with playing for the Broncos, Jets and Dolphins before committing to wrestling full time.

After leaving football, McDaniel became one of wrestling’s most recognizable attractions. His hard chops and believable toughness made him a natural rival for Ric Flair, Harley Race, Johnny Valentine and the Funk brothers.

Modern fans may primarily know Wahoo from photographs, championship histories and Flair’s stories about the territory days. His football résumé explains why opponents and audiences found him so convincing. Wahoo did not need to pretend he was tough because he had already spent nearly a decade tackling professional football players.

#4: Darren “Droz” Drozdov

Darren Drozdov possessed the size and athleticism to earn opportunities in two demanding industries.

After playing defensive tackle at the University of Maryland, Drozdov spent time with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles before appearing in six regular-season games for the Denver Broncos in 1993. NFL records credit him with five tackles during that season.

Drozdov also became known for vomiting during football games, including an incident during a Monday Night Football broadcast. That unusual ability eventually became part of his introduction to Vince McMahon in the wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat.

WWE signed Drozdov in the late 1990s and initially attempted to turn the vomiting into his defining character trait. He was eventually renamed Droz and became associated with the Legion of Doom before moving into a rivalry with Prince Albert.

His wrestling career ended tragically in October 1999 when an accident during a match with D’Lo Brown left him paralyzed. Drozdov maintained a remarkably positive public outlook afterward and remained connected to WWE until his death in 2023.

Droz never received enough time to determine how far his wrestling career could have progressed. His NFL experience demonstrated the athletic foundation that made WWE interested in him, while his resilience after the accident became more important than anything he accomplished in either sport.

#3: Monty Brown

Monty Brown may be the most overlooked legitimate NFL player to become a nationally recognized professional wrestler.

Brown joined the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 1993 and appeared in 32 games across three seasons. He later signed with the New England Patriots, playing 11 games and making four starts during the 1996 season.

His football career included trips to two Super Bowls. Brown was part of the Bills organization when Buffalo reached Super Bowl XXVIII and played for the Patriots team that advanced to Super Bowl XXXI.

After leaving football, Brown entered professional wrestling and developed into one of TNA’s earliest homegrown stars. His size and speed immediately distinguished him from the rest of the roster, while his explosive Pounce became one of the promotion’s most memorable finishing moves.

The Pounce was essentially a football collision brought into a wrestling ring. Brown would launch himself across the canvas and drive through an opponent with a shoulder tackle, often sending the recipient flying sideways.

Brown challenged for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and appeared capable of becoming one of TNA’s central performers. He later joined WWE as Marcus Cor Von, becoming part of the company’s revived ECW brand and adapting the Pounce into an offense built around his football background.

Family responsibilities led Brown to step away from wrestling before reaching his full potential. His relatively short career still produced an unforgettable move and established him as one of the most explosive football players ever to enter the ring.

#2: Goldberg

Goldberg looked like a professional wrestler before he had ever considered becoming one.

The Los Angeles Rams selected him in the 11th round of the 1990 NFL Draft after his college career at the University of Georgia. He later appeared in 14 regular-season games for the Atlanta Falcons between 1992 and 1994, recording 11 tackles and one start.

An abdominal injury helped end Goldberg’s football career, forcing him to reconsider his future. While rehabilitating and training in Atlanta, he was encouraged to pursue professional wrestling and eventually entered WCW’s Power Plant.

The transition produced one of the fastest rises in wrestling history. Goldberg debuted on WCW television in 1997 and quickly became the centerpiece of an undefeated streak that transformed him into the company’s biggest homegrown star.

His football background shaped nearly every part of the character. Goldberg wore short trunks and boots without the colorful accessories associated with traditional wrestlers. His offense emphasized tackles, throws and sudden bursts of power, while the spear looked like an NFL defender driving through an unprotected opponent.

Goldberg eventually won world championships in WCW and WWE, headlined major events and defeated stars including Hulk Hogan, Brock Lesnar and The Rock. His wrestling accomplishments easily surpassed his football career, but the credibility developed on the defensive line became essential to his presentation.

Without the NFL, Goldberg may never have developed the physical style or intimidating presence that made him believable from his first appearance.

Honorable Mention: Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar did not play in a regular-season NFL game, but his attempt to make the Minnesota Vikings deserves recognition because of how close he came without playing college football.

Lesnar left WWE in 2004 and signed a free-agent contract with the Vikings. The former NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion attempted to become an NFL defensive lineman despite not having played organized football since high school.

His preparation was interrupted by a motorcycle accident that left him with a broken jaw, injured pelvis and other physical damage. Lesnar still recovered in time to participate in training camp and appeared in multiple preseason games.

Minnesota released him during final roster cuts. Vikings coach Mike Tice praised Lesnar’s effort, and the organization discussed the possibility of sending him to NFL Europe for further development, but Lesnar decided not to continue pursuing football.

The failed experiment remains an absurd display of Lesnar’s athletic ability. He walked away from professional wrestling, survived a serious accident and nearly earned an NFL opportunity at a position he had not played competitively in years.

Lesnar returned to wrestling, became a UFC Heavyweight Champion and eventually resumed his WWE career. Missing the Vikings roster may have been disappointing at the time, but it redirected him toward accomplishments no other WWE star has matched.

#1: Steve “Mongo” McMichael

Several professional football players became wrestlers. Steve McMichael was a genuinely great NFL player before he ever stepped into the ring.

The New England Patriots selected McMichael in the third round of the 1980 NFL Draft. After one season in New England, he joined the Chicago Bears and became an essential part of one of the most feared defenses in football history.

McMichael spent 13 seasons with Chicago, including the Bears’ dominant Super Bowl XX championship season. He recorded 92.5 sacks with the franchise, which ranks second in Bears history, and finished his career with 95 sacks across 213 games.

He earned two Pro Bowl selections, received first-team All-Pro honors twice and played 191 consecutive games for the Bears. McMichael finished his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers in 1994 before moving more seriously into professional wrestling.

After appearing at WrestleMania 2 as part of the NFL-versus-WWE battle royal, McMichael became a WCW commentator and later joined the active roster. He turned against Kevin Greene to become a member of the Four Horsemen alongside Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Chris Benoit.

Mongo was never the smoothest technical wrestler, but his personality belonged on wrestling television. He was loud, unpredictable and physically credible, while his membership in the Horsemen ensured he remained part of major WCW storylines during the Monday Night War.

McMichael also won the WCW United States Championship, giving him significant accomplishments in both sports. His football career received its highest possible recognition when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024.

Goldberg became the bigger wrestling star, but nobody on this list matched McMichael’s NFL résumé. Mongo reached the highest levels of professional football, won a Super Bowl, entered the Hall of Fame and still found enough success in wrestling to hold a major championship and join one of the greatest factions in history.

Football experience does not guarantee professional wrestling success. The skills overlap, but learning to perform safely, connect with an audience and build a compelling match requires an entirely different kind of training.

The wrestlers on this list made the transition because they possessed more than size and athleticism. Wahoo McDaniel and Steve McMichael had natural charisma, Goldberg projected unmatched intensity and Monty Brown transformed a football tackle into one of wrestling’s most entertaining finishers.

Their careers also demonstrate why wrestling promotions continue scouting former football players. Someone who has survived an NFL training camp already understands physical preparation, pressure and the demands of performing in front of a massive audience.

Most football players never become wrestlers, and most wrestlers never reach the NFL. The few who accomplished both earned membership in one of professional sports and entertainment’s most exclusive groups.

Research includes information from: NFL.com, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Pro Football Reference, WWE.com, and University of Minnesota Athletics.