This document profiles several former football players who went on to become professional wrestlers, including: - Bill Goldberg, who played for the LA Rams and Atlanta Falcons before injuries sidelined him and led him to wrestling. - Lex Luger, who played defense for Penn State and the University of Miami before joining the CFL's Montreal Alouettes and later the Green Bay Packers. - Ernie Ladd, who played for the San Diego Chargers and helped them win four AFL championships before moving to the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Oilers, taking up wrestling during the offseason and eventually moving to it full-time.

1. From the
Gridiron
To the Squared
Circle
Football Players who became
Pro Wrestlers

2. A scholarship athlete from the University of Georgia, he
played for the Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons
before injuries put him on the sidelines. His last team, the
Carolina Panthers, never played him.

3. Bill Goldberg

4. A standout scholarship for Penn State, Lawrence Phohl
would later transfer to Miami, where he played defense for
the Hurricanes. He played in CFL’s Grey Bowl with
Montreal before moving to Green Bay, where he never
played another game.

5. ‘The Total Package’, Lex
Luger

6. He earned a basketball scholarship to Grambling before trading his
Converse for cleats with the San Diego Chargers. He helped win four
AFL championships before moving to the Kansas City Chiefs and
Houston Oilers. He took up pro wrestling during his off-season,
moving to full-time in 1969.
At 6’9” and 315 pounds, he was one of the
largest NFL stars of all time.

7. ‘The Big Cat’ Ernie Ladd
He was inducted into the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame (1981), the Grambling State
University Hall Of Fame (1989) and the WWE Hall of Fame (1995).

8. Excelling in both wrestling and football, he was an All-
American with the Oklahoma Sooners and lost in the finals
of the NCAA wrestling championship to Bruce
Baumgartner. He got his famous nickname from a goalie’s
mask he used to wear.

9. ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams

10. A two-time Second String All-American, he joined the
Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent before moving to the
Buffalo Bills. His roommate at the University of Miami
(OH) was future NFL coach John Harbaugh.

11. ‘The Loose Cannon’ Brian
Pillman

12. Recruited by Ohio State, he found his niche instead at
Southern Methodist (SMU) in Dallas where he was team
captain. He spent some time with the Atlanta Falcons until
sidelined with injuries.

13. ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan

14. It seems this guy could do anything…won the NCAA
heavyweight wrestling championship at the University of
Minnesota, WWE champion, UFC champion…only in the NFL,
and seemingly only because of a car accident…did his time with
the Minnesota Vikings wash out.

15. Brock Lesnar

16. A member of the University of Miami’s 1991 NCAA
Champion team, he was sidelined with injuries and
replaced with future NFL great Warren Sapp. Fortunately,
both parents were already in the pro wrestling business.

17. Dwayne ‘The Rock’
Johnson

18. He played for the University of Oklahoma Sooners, then
began his AFL career with the Houston Oilers and Denver
Broncos. After stints with the NFL’s New York Jets and
Miami Dolphins, he went to wrestling full-time.

19. ‘Chief’ Wahoo McDaniel

20. A consensus All-American for two years in a row, his number
with Florida State was retired in 1988. He spent only one year
with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns. In 1992 he became the first
recognized black heavyweight champion of the NWA (WCW).

21. Ron Simmons

22. An All-American at the University of Colorado, Leon
White played for two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.
In his second pro year, he was on the squad which
eventually lost Super Bowl XIV to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

23. Vader

24. Prior to his wrestling career, he made his mark at Abilene
Christian before moving to the L.A. Raiders, where he was
cut before the season started. He spent the 1991 season
with the WLAF’s San Antonio Riders.

25. John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield

26. Discovered by University of Minnesota football coach Clarence
Spears, he became a hallmark among Minnesota athletes and
later led the Chicago Bears to seven regional titles and two NFL
Championships. He is the only person in both the Football Hall
of Fame and the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.

27. Bronislau ‘Bronko’
Nagurski

28. (And one from the Diamond)
He was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals straight out of
high school in Downer’s Grove, IL, playing mostly outfield.
His all-time stats in the minors (with the Cardinals, Reds
and White Sox) was a batting average of .254, with 16 home
runs and 66 RBIs.

29. Randy ‘Macho Man’
Savage