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The following is a list of gridiron football players who became professional wrestlers.[1][2][3] People may appear on the list multiple times if they were signed to more than one league. For example, Clem Turner appears on the list five times because he was in five different leagues. Also, if someone's most common ring name is different than their real name, the ring name is listed in parentheses.
Played in regular season or postseason games
- Dick Afflis (Dick the Bruiser)[4]
- Kay Bell[5]
- Verlon Biggs[6]
- Monty Brown[7]
- Bob Bruggers[8]
- Lloyd Burdick[9]
- Joe Carollo[10]
- Don Chuy[11]
- Darren Drozdov (Droz)[12]
- Bobby Duncum[13]
- A. J. Francis (Top Dolla)[14]
- Russ Francis[15]
- Bill Goldberg (Goldberg)[16]
- Kevin Greene[17]
- Herman Hickman[18]
- Ernie Holmes[19][20]
- George Hultz[21][22]
- Walter Johnson[23]
- Adam "Pacman" Jones[24]
- Don Joyce[25]
- Alex Karras[26]
- Bob Konovsky[27][28]
- Nick Lassa[29]
- Len Levy (Butch Levy)[30]
- Gene Lipscomb[31]
- Al Lolotai[32][33]
- Tony Matisi[34]
- Pat McAfee[35]
- Mayes McLain[36]
- Steve McMichael[37]
- Art Michalik[38]
- Ron Mikolajczyk[39]
- Century Milstead[40][41]
- Bronko Nagurski[42]
- Leo Nomellini[43]
- Quinn Ojinnaka (Moose)[44]
- Brian Pillman[45]
- Sabby Piscitelli (Tino Sabbatelli)[46]
- Ron Pritchard[47]
- Bob Sapp[48]
- Dan Sileo (Bonecrusher Sileo)[49]
- Otis Sistrunk[50]
- Gus Sonnenberg[51]
- Don Stansauk (Hard Boiled Haggerty)[52]
- Sammy Stein[53]
- Frank Stojack[54]
- Clem Turner[55]
- Art White (Tarzan White)[56][57]
- Reggie White[58]
- Cy Williams[59][60]
- DeAngelo Williams[61]
- George Wilson[62][63]
- Jim Wilson[64]
- Lee Wykoff[65]
Active roster but did not play
- Chad Fortune[66]
- Nick McNeil (Percy Watson)[67]
- Lester Speight (Rasta the Voodoo Man)[68]
Offseason, practice squad, or injured reserve
- Jack Adkisson (Fritz Von Erich)[69]
- Babatunde Aiyegbusi (Commander Azeez)[70][71]
- Joe Anoaʻi (Roman Reigns)[72]
- Demitrius Bronson[73]
- James Duggan ("Hacksaw" Jim Duggan)[74]
- Doug Furnas[75]
- Verne Gagne[76]
- Jeff Gaylord[77]
- Jon Heidenreich (Heidenreich)[78]
- Bill Kazmaier[79]
- Jim Lanning (Soldat Ustinov)[80]
- John Layfield (Bradshaw)[81]
- Dean Muhtadi (Mojo Rawley)[82]
- Jim Neidhart[83]
- Paul Orndorff[84]
- Tom Pestock (Baron Corbin)[85]
- Larry Pfohl (Lex Luger)[86]
- Bronson Rechsteiner (Bron Breakker)[87]
- Bruce Reed (Butch Reed)[88]
- Sylvester Ritter (Junkyard Dog)[89]
- Ron Simmons (Faarooq)[90]
- Eugene Snisky (Gene Snitsky)[91]
- Merced Solis (Tito Santana)[92]
- James Thomas (Shag Thomas)[93]
- Randy Thornton (Swoll)[94]
- Leon White (Vader)[95]
- Del Wilkes (The Patriot)[96]
- Brennan Williams (Mace)[97]
Played in regular season or postseason games
Offseason, practice squad, or injured reserve
- Wayne Coleman ("Superstar" Billy Graham)[102][103]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Len Levy (Butch Levy)[30]
- Al Lolotai[32][33]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
Note: This also includes the CFL's predecessor leagues the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union and the Western Interprovincial Football Union
Played in regular season or postseason games
- Nick Albert[107][108]
- Joe Anoaʻi (Roman Reigns)[109]
- Joe Blanchard[110]
- Larry Cameron[111]
- Wayne Coleman ("Superstar" Billy Graham)[112]
- Lionel Conacher[113][114]
- Darren Drozdov (Droz)[12]
- Jeff Gaylord[115]
- Butts Giraud[116]
- Jon Heidenreich (Heidenreich)[117]
- Gene Kiniski[118]
- Glenn Kulka[119]
- Bob Lueck[120]
- Ron Mikolajczyk[121]
- Angelo Mosca[122]
- Brian Pillman[123]
- Larry Pfohl (Lex Luger)[124]
- Ron Simmons (Faarooq)[125]
- Wilbur Snyder[126]
- Merced Solis (Tito Santana)[127]
- Randy Thornton (Swoll)[128]
- Herb Trawick[129][55]
- Clem Turner[55]
- Mike Webster[130]
- George Wells[131]
- Rich Young (Ricky Ortiz)[132]
Active roster but did not play
- George Momberg (Killer Karl Krupp)[133]
Offseason or practice roster
- James Duggan ("Hacksaw" Jim Duggan)[134]
- Dwayne Johnson (The Rock)[135]
- Dan Matha[136][137]
- E. J. Nduka[138]
- Dan Sileo (Bonecrusher Sileo)[139]
Played in regular season or postseason games
- Ed Gantner[140]
- Jeff Gaylord[115]
- Ron Mikolajczyk[121]
- Larry Pfohl (Lex Luger)[124]
- Ron Simmons (Faarooq)[125]
- Steve Williams ("Dr. Death" Steve Williams)[141]
Offseason or practice squad
- William Danenhauer Jr. (Dave Sullivan)[142]
Played in regular season or postseason games
Offseason or practice squad
- Paul Orndorff[144]
- Dan Spivey (Waylon Mercy)[145]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Rich Young (Ricky Ortiz)[132]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Chad Fortune[146]
- Bill Goldberg (Goldberg)[147]
- Jon Heidenreich (Heidenreich)[117]
- John Layfield (Bradshaw)[148]
- Nick McNeil (Percy Watson)[149]
- Dan Sileo (Bonecrusher Sileo)[150]
- Randy Thornton (Swoll)[128]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Thaddeus Bullard (Titus O'Neil)[151]
- Bobby Duncum Jr.[152]
- Jon Heidenreich (Heidenreich)[117]
- Kyle Rasmussen (Conrad Tanner)[153][154]
- Dan Sileo (Bonecrusher Sileo)[150]
- Rich Young (Ricky Ortiz)[132]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Jim Myers (George "the Animal" Steele)[159]
- Bill Watts[160]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Wayne Coleman ("Superstar" Billy Graham)[161]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Wayne Coleman ("Superstar" Billy Graham)[161]
- Frank Goodish (Bruiser Brody)[162]
- Dusty Runnels (Dusty Rhodes)[163]
- Clem Turner[164]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Frank Goodish (Bruiser Brody)[162]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- George Momberg (Killer Karl Krupp)[133]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Matrick Belton (Trick Williams)[165]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Nick Mitchell (Mitch)[166][167]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Babatunde Aiyegbusi (Commander Azeez)[168]
- Played in regular season or postseason games
- Babatunde Aiyegbusi (Commander Azeez)[168]
Note: If people were in more than one division, they are only listed at the highest division.
Division I
- Kevin Adkisson (Kevin Von Erich)[170]
- Matthew Anoa'i (Rosey)[171]
- Chuck Austin[172][173]
- James Bednarski (Scott Putski)[174]
- Mike Bell[175]
- Dick Beyer[176]
- Josh Bruns (Josh Briggs)[177]
- Tully Blanchard[178]
- Cal Bloom (Von Wagner)[179]
- Parker Boudreaux (Harland)[180]
- Matt Cappotelli[181]
- Scott Colton (Colt Cabana)[182]
- Ettore Ewen (Big E)[183]
- Tevita Fifita (Camacho)[184]
- Greg Gagne[185]
- Donald Hager (Jack Swagger)[186]
- Charles Kalani (Professor Tanaka)[187]
- Kevin Kiley (Alex Riley)[188][189]
- Kenneth Layne (Kenny King)[190]
- Bruce Leaupepe (Toa Liona)[191]
- Andy Leavine[192]
- Keith Lee[193]
- Bill Miller[194]
- Wayne Munn[195]
- Omari Palmer (Odyssey Jones)[196]
- Michael Rallis (Madcap Moss/Riddick Moss)[197]
- Windham Rotunda (Bray Wyatt)[198]
- Frank Speer[199][200]
- Joe Spivak (Tank Ledger)[201][202]
- Jesse White (Jake Carter)[203]
Division I FCS
- Steven Anderson (Steve Austin)[204]
- Hank Avery Jr.[205][206]
- Brady Booker (Bodhi Hayward)[207][208]
- Accie Connor (D'Lo Brown)[209]
- Lance Hoyt[210]
- Christopher Jijak (Dominik Dijakovic)[211][212]
- Roman Macek (Luca Crusifino)[213]
- Chris Nowinski[214]
- Dan Rodimer[215]
- Jason Seguine (Buck Quartermain)[216]
- Charles Wright (The Godfather)[217]
- Emmanuel Yarbrough[218][219]
Division II
- Josh Bredl (Bronson Matthews)[220]
- Jonathan Fatu (Jimmy Uso)[221]
- Josh Fatu (Jey Uso)[222]
- Glenn Jacobs (Kane)[223]
- Raymond Lloyd (Glacier)[224]
- Ernest Miller (Ernest "The Cat" Miller)[225]
- Joseph Ruud (Erick Rowan)[226]
- Nelson Simpson (Nikita Koloff)[227]
- Joe Zimbardi (Richard Holliday)[228]
Division III
- Eric Arndt (Enzo Amore)[229]
- Randy Beidelschies (Javier Bernal)[230][231]
- John Cena[232]
- Fred Rosser (Darren Young)[233]
Junior college
- Gary Gordon (Angelo Dawkins)[234]
- Nick Campofreda[235]
- Kenneth Doane (Kenny Dykstra, college)[236]
- Brock Lesnar (offseason only)[237]
- Gable Steveson[238]
- Christy Hemme[239]
- Kailey Latimer (Kamille)[240]
- Danielle Moinet (Summer Rae)[241]
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