Bill Goldberg Panthers icon? When WWE legend made a strange bit of history during brief NFL career
The Carolina Panthers have been around in the NFL for some time now. From their humble beginnings, being named an expansion franchise in 1993, to reaching the two Super Bowls, the Panthers have come a long way.
Plenty of superstars have donned the iconic blue and black Panthers jersey over the years. Luke Kuechly, Cam Newton, and Steve Smith, to name a few. But a little-known fact among NFL fans is that WWE legend Goldberg, too, was once part of the franchise.
Before leaving an everlasting mark on the world of wrestling, William Scott "Bill" Goldberg was signed up by the Panthers as part of the expansion draft with their 33rd pick. The wrestling legend's time with the franchise, though, was short-lived. In fact, he was the first player ever to be cut by the franchise. An infamous tag to live with for the rest of his life.
Just learnt that both LaVar and Goldberg [WWE wrestler] were in the first Carolina Panthers (practice) squad in 1995 in their inaugural season, Goldberg was the first player cut in camp by the Panthers https://t.co/lta9vkWbMN
The Panthers had 44 draft picks that year, almost half of whom would not even make it through training camp. Unfortunately for Goldberg, he was the first one to fall after tearing his lower abdomen.
Which NFL teams did Goldberg represent?
Bill is a retired professional wrestler who is best known for his time with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). A former WCW World Heavyweight Champion and WWE Universal Champion, he is often regarded by many as the greatest wrestler ever to step foot in a WWE ring.
ALSO READ - Rare video shows a young Goldberg talking about NFL career
But before making an everlasting mark in the world of wrestling, he had a brief stint in the NFL. The former WWE superstar was a former University of Georgia defensive end who was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 11th round of the 1990 Draft. He enjoyed a brief stint with the side before moving on to the Atlanta Falcons.
One of my favorite pictures... sometime in the fall of 98. When Warrior came in to WCW, he actually asked to speak to Me and Goldberg. Came back to our locker room and told us we were responsible for him coming back after watching us have so much fun on tvπ₯π https://t.co/APJSOaxdnN
He spent two years with the Falcons before ultimately signing with the Panthers before being cut before training camp. After some underwhelming spells in the league, the former defensive end realized that football might not be a viable career choice for him. In 1997, he made his WCW debut, and the rest is history.