In honor of the NFL Playoffs being underway, we decided to list the top 5 Superstars who got their starts in the NFL.
5. AHMED JOHNSON
Ahmed Johnson was one of the most feared competitors to ever step foot in the squared circle. His smash mouth in your face style was most likely derived from his stint as a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. Ahmed Johnson will forever be linked to the WWF/E because he was the first ever African-American to attain a singles championship, the Intercontinental Title. He would’ve been ranked higher but Johnson wasn’t able to stick around long enough in either the WWE or NFL. After four years in the WWE he was let go, speculation was he was too “stiff” in the ring as well as a cocky/bad attitude towards the other talents.
4. MONTY BROWN
Whether known as Monty Brown or Marcus Cor Von (WWE makes up the worst names) The Alpha Male has playing in Super Bowl XXVIII for the Buffalo Bills on his resume. Two years later, Brown signed on with the New England Patriots before ankle injuries had him searching for a new hard hitting career. Trained by Dan “the Beast” Severn, Monty would find his most success as a wrestler for TNA where he had a couple of cracks at the TNA Heavyweight title. Although he never won a championship with TNA, he was noticed and signed by WWE to their ECW brand. WWE changed his name to Marcus Cor Von where he would see minimal success joining the New Breed with the likes of CM Punk and Elijah Burke.
3. BRIAN PILLMAN
“The Loose Cannon” Brian Pillman wrestled with as much aggression as he once hit the gridiron with. Pillman was a defensive tackle for Miami University in Oxford Ohio. He set records for their team in the “tackles for loss” category. A two-time Second Team All-American, he went undrafted by the NFL. He would sign as a free agent with his hometown team the Cincinnati Bengals in 1984. Pillman would eventually join the Canadian Football League. He would then find his way to being trained by Stu Hart and his children in the art of professional wrestling. Pillman would go on to see success in WCW, ECW, and the WWF. Most remembered for his worked shoot interviews and loose cannon persona. He won the WCW World Tag Team Championships with the man who would go on to become Stone Cold Steve Austin.
2. Ron Simmons
DAMN! On August 2nd 1992 Ron Simmons became the first African-American to win the World Heavyweight Championship. He won the WCW United States Tag Team Championship and WCW World Tag Team Championship. He would go on to win the WWF Tag Team Championship three times with John Bradshaw. In 2008 Simmons was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame. Simmons also would eventually be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012 but before all of that he was a sixth round pick in the 1981 NFL Draft. He would go on to play for the Cleveland Browns. His number 50 is retired at Florida State University where he played.
1. Bill Goldberg
Bill Goldberg played professional Football for the Los Angelas Rams, the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers. He was selected in the 11th round of the 1990 NFL draft. Goldberg’s NFL career ended when he tore his lower abdomen off his pelvis. He had hopes of returning to the league after rehabilitation but, due to his lack of success, wasn’t considered a major asset. Goldberg has described playing in the NFL as “a mixed emotional experience” because, despite reaching the goal of simply playing in the NFL, he didn’t obtain the level of achievement that he desired but this was all for the best. Without having this career ending injury he may never have been spotted at the gym during his rehabilitation by Lex Luger and Sting. They convinced Goldberg (who was not a wrestling fan) to join the WCW Power Plant and the rest is history. Goldberg would go on to have 173 consecutive wins before a taser gun was needed to put the monster down for a 3 count. He won the WCW World Heavyweight title and again he won the World Championship in the WWE. He is the fifth Triple Crown champion in WCW history winning the US title and tag titles with Bret Hart. Goldberg’s spear and jackhammer made the man damn near unstoppable. He is one of the most feared men of all time in the wrestling world, his undefeated streak and physical appearance struck fear into his opponents. Often yelling “Who’s Next?” after pinning his opponents, we can say no one is next in our list. He sits at number one because of the sheer impact he had in the wrestling business.
