From the top of the WWE to the top of Hollywood, John Cena traveled, but may he have stopped in the NFL along the way? Cena really played center for Springfield College during his collegiate football career before going on to become one of the most successful wrestlers in the WWE and a Hollywood celebrity.
After beginning his football career in college, the WWE superstar led the Pride as tri-captain. Cena didn’t think about playing football professionally after graduation, despite winning several awards while competing in the NCAA.
John Cena discusses his Football experience
On the Up&Adams podcast three months ago, Cena discussed his college football experience and the reasons he didn’t pursue the sport professionally. Regarding his choice to forego the draft, he stated:
“And I was very humble. I’m six feet I was 250 pounds. I knew that would be it and hopefully, I would be grateful to have a decent stay in college. And I knew my last game was the end of that chapter. So I think maybe that set me up for being okay with when the chapter ends and you know, still look forward to the life you got in front of you.”
Did @JohnCena ever consider a career in the NFL???
Cena was a former D-III All-American Center @SpfldCollege 💪@heykayadams pic.twitter.com/Bu5JfgsimO
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) January 26, 2024
Cena came to the realistic conclusion that college would be his last stop, and he even learned a valuable lesson from the experience.
He received a lot of recognition even though his football dreams were restricted to the collegiate ranks. In addition to leading the team to a 9-2 season, he was selected as a Division III first-team All-American and helped the Pride advance to their first-ever NCAA Division III Tournament participation.
Along with being awarded an ECAC New England/Northeast Division III All-Star, he was also chosen a Hewlett-Packard Division III First-Team All-American. Cena is not alone, though, as there are several well-known wrestlers who played football before entering the ring.
