Roman Reigns Doesn’t Think He Would Have Gotten Into Wrestling If Football Worked Out

Roman Reigns profiled by ESPN. 

Before he became The Head of the Table, Roman Reigns played defensive tackle at Georgia Tech. Reigns was first-time All ACC in 2006, but went undrafted in the 2007 NFL draft. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2007, but was diagnosed with luekemia during his physical and was released. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars after going into remission, but was cut in camp.

Reigns played a year in the CFL before retiring from football. 

In an extensive profile done by Harry Lyles Jr of ESPN, Reigns’ football career is chronicled with comments from Reigns and those who played with and against him at Georgia Tech. 

Reigns says in the piece that if football had worked out, he doesn’t think he ever would have gotten into wrestling.

“I wanted to have an impact on young men,” he said. “I wanted to be the way Emmitt Smith and Michael Jordan and Joe Montana and the stars of when I was a child, the way they made me feel. I wanted to make other young athletes feel that way. But no matter what, it was either you’re going to be a wrestler, or you’re going to be a football player. A superstar of some sort.”

Reigns followed his cousins Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso into the world of wrestling, signing with WWE in 2010. 

The rest is history. 

Reigns will now headline both nights of WrestleMania 40, teaming with The Rock on night one and defending his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Cody Rhodes on night two.