Before rising to prominence in the WWE, Roman Reigns, who is regarded as one of the sport’s biggest stars, nearly chose to play American football instead.

Reigns demonstrated his athleticism as a defensive tackle at Georgia Tech, where he was recognized as an All-ACC player in 2006, before going on to become the fourth-longest reigning WWE champion. Despite his achievements in college, he was disappointed not to be selected in the 2007 NFL draft.

After signing a contract with the Minnesota Vikings, Reigns’ football aspirations were cut short when he was diagnosed with leukemia and released. Reigns ultimately decided to retire from football after battling leukemia and making an effort at a comeback with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Reigns discusses his football career in an insightful ESPN feature written by Harry Lyles Jr. He states that he might not have pursued wrestling if football had gone differently. He went into the wrestling arena because he wanted to motivate young athletes.

Looking ahead, Reigns will battle Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40 Night 1 alongside The Rock. After that, on Night 2, he will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Rhodes, subject to conditions determined by the conclusion of the match on Night 1.