Jordan Burroughs faced a pivotal moment in his wrestling career after a bitter defeat at the U.S. Olympic wrestling trials this past April at Penn State. Booed by the crowd and his loss in the 74 kg division, the 36-year-old Olympic gold medalist was left questioning his future in the sport. The 2024 US Olympic trials were supposed to be Burroughs’ shot at securing a spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, he soon found himself at a crossroads in recent times.

Burroughs’ take on asking Starocci’s opponents to target Starocci’s injured leg and his verbal tussle with Bo Nickal resulted in him getting disapproved by Penn State fans. Not only fans but also Penn State coaches and wrestlers were vocal in their disapproval of Burroughs. And this made the champion wrestler feel like he was being discarded from a sport he had given so much to. This setback led Burroughs to seriously question whether he should continue his journey in the realm of wrestling.

Jordan Burroughs opens up about losing his love for wrestling and fighting back to silence critics

But, now that his name is reflected in the qualified list for the 10th World Championships, it’s clear that despite all the setbacks and struggles, Burroughs did not walk away. He pushed himself to stay in shape and return to the mat. By securing the win, Burroughs believes to have silenced critics, especially those from Penn State, who he believes tried to undermine his legacy. “They thought that they killed me. They couldn’t. I’m too resilient,” he said, reflecting on his comeback.

However, there came a time in his life when Burroughs remained uncertain about his future in wrestling. After the controversial setback, Jordan Burroughs faced a quieter and more personal battle within, going way beyond all the accolades and world titles. Winning the 2024 World Team Trials, Burroughs was caught in a candid conversation. While conversing, the athlete reflected on the aftermath of his historic achievements in 2022. 

Burroughs shared how he found himself grappling with a crisis of motivation. “I lost my love for wrestling, um, for a while, you know, after 2022 achieving a career-long goal of being the winningest American ever… coming back in 2023, I didn’t really compete at all,” admitted the New Jersey-born wrestler. Going down memory lane, Jordan revealed how the grind of maintaining his legendary status had taken a toll on him. 

Burroughs overcomes doubts and struggles to reclaim his wrestling greatness

After reaching his career-long goal of becoming the most decorated U.S. wrestler, Burroughs struggled to rekindle the fire that had fueled his success for years. In 2023, his competitive schedule shrank significantly, with only a handful of appearances on the mat, which included the Pan American Championships. This left him questioning whether he could continue competing.

Another major factor that added to the strenuous phase was the physical and mental strain of cutting down to 74 kg. The weight cut had become “extremely difficult,” as Burroughs’ body, now at 36 years old, wasn’t responding as it once had. He stated, “My body really couldn’t hold up, couldn’t compete the way.” Burroughs further confessed that “it’s hard it’s hard being in this role,” especially because he has been seen as an ambassador of the sport.

As he prepares for another shot at the World Championships, with training partner Joey McKenna by his side, he’s determined to reclaim the joy that once made wrestling his life’s passion. By emerging victorious in the 79 kg division at the World Team Trials and securing a spot in October’s World Championships in Albania, Jordan Burroughs has proved his worth again as an indomitable figure in the ground of wrestling, irrespective of all controversies and setbacks.