Being successful in a sport involves an immense sacrifice, a lot of talent and a touch of luck, that's why very few achieve it. But in this case, some gifted people had the happiness of being successful in both football and wrestling.
Anyone would think that these sports require a similar type of person, at least physically; and they'd be right. However, it's not even a little bit like having to play on a 320-foot field to fight in a ring. That is a reason that makes evident the complexity of adapting to each of these sports, in addition to the years of training, of course.
10 Brian Pillman
Brian Pillman played in the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders and in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Buffalo Bills. When he felt that he was "finished" as a footballer, he decided to go another way.
As a wrestler, his name was "Flyin Brian" and he won the WCW Light Heavyweight Title a couple of times and teamed up with Steve Austin and won the WCW World Tag Team Championship. Stu Hart is said to have convinced him to become a professional wrestler.
9 Steve McMichael
Steve McMichael was one of the most talented and intimidating defensive tackles in the NFL during the 1980s. He had two Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl championship with the Chicago Bears in 1986.
This guy was an extremely fantastic player, very difficult to obtain at the time. He certainly had a gift for football, but it was not his only gift. Using the name "Mongo," he participated in WCW for five years, was a member of the Four Horsemen, and managed to win the WCW United States Championship.
8 William Afflis
William Fritz Afflis spent four seasons in the National Football League, playing each and every game. He played with the Green Bay Packers and his position was lineman.
Later, he dedicated himself to being a professional wrestler and obtained various titles. He won the American Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship a couple of times, five times the American Wrestling Association World Tag Team Championship, and also won the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. He did it under the name"Dick the Bruiser."
7 Leon White
His football career was very promising. He was a player with almost incalculable potential, in fact, he reached a top-level in NFL. However, his career ended prematurely due to injuries. It was then when he decided to use his 400 pounds in wrestling.
“Big Van Vader,” despite being quite friendly, destroyed several rivals within the ring, as he won three World Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Titles. This is a clear example of that famous saying that when one door is closed, two more open.
6 Verne Gagne
This was one of the defenders who best did his job while playing with the Green Bay Packers. However, he ultimately decided that he preferred to be a wrestler. Gagne left a mark on history as he founded the AWA.
He won the AWA World Heavyweight Championship 10 times and World Tag Team Championship eight times between AWA and NWA (where he teamed up with other former football players, Bronko Nagurski and Leo Nomellini). He had a small success in football but in wrestling, he became a legend.
5 Edward McDaniel
Edward McDaniel went through teams like New York Jets, Houston Oilers (now known as the Tennessee Titans), Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers (LA Chargers), and Miami Dolphins. His main position was linebacker and he was characterized by providing the strongest tackles in the league.
Wahoo (as he was nicknamed) McDaniel was arrested for fighting with two police officers and it seems that the fights were passionate about him because he later became a professional wrestler. He managed to win the National Wrestling Alliance Heavyweight Title five times.
4 Ernie Ladd
Ernie Ladd was one of the best defensive tackles of his time. He demonstrated his extraordinary abilities in his passages by the San Diego Chargers, Houston Oilers and Kansas City Chiefs. He was a fantastic player that many wanted to be his teammate.
His huge height and weight took him to the ring, and at that time it was not common to see an African American in a show of such caliber. At the end of his career, he had a WWA World Heavyweight title in his possession and a place in the WWE Hall of Fame.
3 Bronko Nagurski
This guy was really successful, played in the NFL with the Chicago Bears, won three championships, and was selected four times to be part of the All-Pro team. At the same time, he served as a wrestler and won the NWA Heavyweight Championship.
He was one of the best players at his position (fullback) on the field. In fact, some consider that his performances were unique and unmatched, and he was also a truly fearsome fighter in the ring.
2 Bill Goldberg
World Heavyweight Champion of both WWE and WCW and owner of an incredible and unforgettable streak of 173 consecutive wins, Goldberg was a monster in the ring, but before that, he was also successful in football.
As a professional football player, he used to be a defensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams, the Sacramento Surge and Sacramento Gold Miners, the latter two of the CFL. He had great talent but most think he never got the most out of its advantages.
1 Leo Nomellini
During the middle of the last century, Leo Nomellini played for the San Francisco 49ers and was selected 10 times to be part of the Pro Bowl. His defensive talent was always decisive, so much so that he earned a place in the football Hall of Fame.
In his spare time, “The Lyon” wanted to get money, so he joined the fantastic world of wrestling, where he was crowned tag team champion four times. What this Italian-American accomplished in his sports career was fabulous.