Roman Reigns' NFL Dream Ended Even Before Taking Off, Wrestler Reveals Heartbreaking Reason

Leati Joseph Anoaʻi, who later took up the name Roman Reigns in the WWE Company, started off his career as a football player.

Reigns was a struggling American football player who wanted to make it to the National Football League (NFL) but his dream ended even before taking off during his college days. He played for three years at Pensacola Catholic High School and one year at Escambia High School. During his stint at Georgia Institute of Technology, he was a member of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team along with Calvin Johnson, who later became a wide receiver in the NFL.

The current WWE champion played as a defensive tackle, similar to his cousin Dwayne Johnson. By 2006, Reigns boasted a record of 40 tackles, two recovered fumbles, and 4.5 sacks, which earned him All-ACC first-team honors. After going undrafted in the 2007 NFL draft, the Minnesota Vikings signed him as a free agent in May 2007.

According to the 37-year-old WWE star, his medical condition played a big role in the Vikings' drafting process, as he did not pass their physical examination.

"I was right there. I was as close as you can imagine. It just slipped through the fingers. It wasn't meant to be. I signed, [and] went to rookie camp. But I didn't pass my physical. I had some medical things going on. I'm convinced I could have made the team," Reigns said in an interview.

After being released by the Minnesota Vikings, Reigns was signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars but was let go within a week. The Florida-born footballer played a full season with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League before announcing his retirement in 2008.

Reigns hails from the legendary Anoa'i wrestling family, which includes Rikishi, The Rock, and the Wild Samoans. His family, combined with his experience in sports, were bonuses when it came to his wrestling career. The then-World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) immediately offered Reigns a contract in 2010.

Meanwhile, in another interview, Reigns admitted that his plan B after a failed football career was always going to be professional wrestling.

"I always had that in the back of my mind and fully in my heart that I knew if football didn't work out, wrestling would be something that I know I could enjoy. It's something I could thrive in and become that star and be a difference maker in this world," Reigns said.

Reigns currently holds the record for being the longest-reigning Universal Champion. The Head of the Table holds both the Universal and WWE Championship and is expected to defend his titles at the upcoming Elimination Chamber event against Sami Zayn.