5 times WWE worked with NFL players
WWE and the National Football League have had a pretty interesting relationship over the decades.
A former NFL player is currently your Universal Champion (Roman Reigns had brief runs with both the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars.) At least eight members of the WWE Hall of Fame have also been members of an NFL team at some point.
There have been plenty of other times, however, where the stars of the NFL jumped into the world of WWE while still playing. Some have merely been in the corner of a wrestler at a major event - and some have been in the main event of WrestleMania. OK, only one has, but still.
Seeing as how we're less than a week away from seeing the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Los Angeles Rams at Super Bowl LVI, we thought it would be fun to look at those moments. These are five times that NFL players got involved with WWE. Can you think of others? Name some names in the comments down below.
#5. Rob Gronkowski helps Mojo Rawley at WWE WrestleMania 33
Four-time NFL Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski is no stranger to WWE. Not only has he been the host of WrestleMania 36, he also won the 24/7 Championship there, as well. His personality and fun-loving lifestyle have made him a celebrity outside of football which has, in turn, drawn more eyes to the company whenever he's involved.
2-NIGHTIt’s official! I’m hosting @WrestleMania this year...and it’s gonna be too big for just one night. For the 1st time, #WrestleMania will be a 🚨2-NIGHT🚨event: Saturday, April 4 AND Sunday, April 5 on @WWENetwork! Tell you more this Friday night on #SmackDown at 8 ET on @FOXTV.
His first appearance at a WWE event, however, might also be his most memorable. And for a number of reasons.
Three years before his WrestleMania hosting gig, Gronk was seated at ringside at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, FL. At the time, Gronkowski was playing for the New England Patriots, the team he would win three Super Bowls with. It was during the kick-off show where he really made his presence known.
Following the Cruiserweight Championship match between Neville and Austin Aries, the annual Andre the Giant Battle Royale took place. Among the 33 entrants in the match was Mojo Rawley, a close friend of Gronkowski's since childhood. Near the end, the last three in the ring were Rawley, Killian Dain, and Jinder Mahal.
Rawley took a spill out of the ring between the top and middle rope, and Mahal followed. Seeing Gronkowski, Mahal taunted him, took Gronk's adult beverage, took a sip, and then threw it at him. The five-time Pro Bowl tight end wasn't going to stand for that. But before he could confront Mahal, he first had to (legitimately) contend with ringside security.
As Gronkowski climbed over the security railing, a member of the security team rushed in to cut him off. Apparently, she had not been informed of Gronk's involvement in the match and ran over to, you know, do her job. It was sorted out pretty quickly and didn't negatively affect the segment, but it was still pretty funny.
Gronk would hit the ring and nail Mahal with a Hacksaw Jim Duggan-style running tackle, helping Rawley go on to win the entire match.
Prior to his WrestleMania 36 appearance, Gronkowski signed a WWE contract, effectively making him a legit WWE Superstar. Not long after, however, it was announced he had been granted his release in order to return to the NFL. It was apparently a good move, as Gronkoski would reunite with his former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and win the Super Bowl that year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gronkowski is still signed with the Buccaneers. However, with Brady announcing his own retirement from the NFL earlier this month, it's unclear if Gronk will follow suit. If he does, however, could it only be a matter of time before we see him back in a WWE ring?