Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock is known for his time with the WWE before he became the Hollywood Megastar that he is today. His love for pro wrestling stems from his family background, as he was a third-generation pro wrestler. But only a few people know that he tried his hands at the NFL before moving on to his plan B, i.e. wrestling.
Just like Dwayne Johnson, his ex-boss Vince McMahon is also a fan of the NFL. Back in 2018, McMahon tried his hands at the NFL in his way by starting XFL and DJ has been a part of it as well.
The Rock is excited about the 54th pick in the NFL
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The Rock is not just one of the owners of the league but is also the face of the league. He was ecstatic to declare a new signing with the NFL and took to Twitter to share this news and his happiness with the world.
On 15th August he tweeted,
“Love to see it 👏🏾👏🏾
Special signing as @Lontaetrefive is the #54th #XFL player to sign with an @NFL team since May.
Many of you know the significance of what the number 54 means to me.
Proud to help create the #LeagueOfOpportunity
Ball out, D- go get that DUB big fella.
~ dj
#54”
Love to see it 👏🏾👏🏾
Special signing as @Lontaetrefive is the #54th #XFL player to sign with an @NFL team since May.
Many of you know the significance of what the number 54 means to me.
Proud to help create the #LeagueOfOpportunity
Ball out, D- go get that DUB big fella.
~ dj… https://t.co/PQj0GAskDt— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) August 16, 2023
Johnson was congratulating Delontae Scott who was a member of the SMU Mustangs during his college days. Scott has been a part of the Green Bay Packers, Steelers, and Panthers since 2020, but has not made it past the practice squad.
He joined the XFL and played for San Antonio Brahmas after being picked in the fourth round of the 2023 XFL Supplemental Draft in January this year.
The People’s Champ also referred to Scott being the 54th pick from XFL into the NFL since May. The number 54 has a special value for The Rock who once aspired to be a football player.
The Rock’s journey from NFL to XFL
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Being a part of the NFL was Johnson’s first dream. While speaking to Forbes, he said “Football was my dream. The NFL was my thing. I was going to buy my parents their first house.” But after a decent run in the college football circuit, he could not make it to the big league in 1995. “Football didn’t end on my terms, I wish I’d had the XFL when I was coming out,” Johnson said. Since then, he refers to himself as the 54th player (as there are 53 players on the roster), one who missed out on the NFL.
Hence, Johnson did not hesitate to invest a chunk of his $800 million wealth in the league which he refers to as the League of Opportunity.
The Rock, along with his fellow investors, Garcia, Disney, and RedBird Capital partners, took over the bankrupt League from Alpha Acquico. Now, with Johnson as the promoter of the League, it has a strong chance of competing against rival league USFL.
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What do you make of Johnson’s new social media post in connection with the XFL? Let us know in the comments section below.
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