Prior to becoming the most electrifying man in sports entertainment with an $800M fortune following his ascend in WWE, and then Hollywood, Dwayne Johnson initially had dreams of making it into the NFL. And even though he was deemed one of the most gifted and talented footballers of his college team, Maimi Harricuns, his dream would be cut short after going undrafted in the 1995 NFL draft.
Fortunately for the Black Adam Star, life had other plans set for him, as Dwayne Johnson would then proceed in his father’s footsteps in the squared circle, and the rest is history. Interestingly, he isn’t the lone celeb to go down this route, as several Industry biggies, including other WWE legends, too kickstarted their career in the realm of American football.
Four Actors Other Than Dwayne Johnson, Whose NFL Dreams Were Cut Short
Burt Reynolds
Before finding his footing in acting, the Deliverance Star was pretty fond of football, and his commitment eventually earned him a contract to play for the Baltimore Colts. Unfortunately, his dreams of going pro were dashed after he sustained a knee injury. The late icon did go on to star in movies delving into his favorite sport, and at the peak of his career, Reynolds, who enjoyed living a lavish lifestyle, was worth up to $60M.
Brock Lesner
Similar to Dwayne Johnson, Brock Lesner once had aspirations of breaking it to the NFL. But unlike Johnson, he had no experience playing football at a competitive level, neither in high school nor college. However, Lesner took his chances after leaving WWE in 2004 to play for the Minnesota Vikings in a couple of preseason NFL matches but never made it to the regular season. The Beast, who has a net worth of $20M, returned to WWE, which witnessed him skyrocketing to the top
Goldberg
Following his prowess as a defensive tackle, Bill Goldberg would get selected in the 11th round of the 1990 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams. The following years would witness him moving to the Sacramento Gold Miners and then the Atlanta Falcons, and after being released by them, he’d make his way into the Carolina Panthers. But following a pelvis injury, his career was cut short, and would eventually shift to wrestling on Sting and Lex Luger’s advice, which boosted his net worth to $16M.
Terry Crews
While Terry Crews has made a big name for himself in Hollywood and has a net worth of $25M, acting isn’t the only field he has expertise in. Starting his career in the field of football, Crews played three seasons in the NFL as a linebacker before ending his run in 1995. After sticking with the Los Angeles Rams for his very first season, Crews would join the San Diego Chargers for the 1993 season, and for his final run, he’d get signed by the Washington Redskins.
Although their dreams of becoming NFL icons never came to fruition, their determination helped them find success nonetheless, especially Dwayne Johnson.
