Most WWE wrestlers had other careers before joining Vince McMahon’s playground. Many of the most famous wrestlers played NFL. Names like Titus O’Neil, Mojo Rawley, Brock Lesnar, Goldberg, and now the most famous Roman Reigns. But what did the Tribal Chief learn from his time in NFL?

Thanks to his massive stature, Reigns earned a stint in NFL before signing on to the WWE. However did he bring something from his NFL career that made him improve his massive heel run in the WWE?

Roman Reigns brought over the NFL trash talk to WWE.

Similar to Lesnar, Reigns signed on for the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars for the NFL. During his three years at Pensacola Catholic High School, followed by Escambia High School, Reigns was focused on his football career. He got awarded the Defensive Player of the Year during his senior year at Pensacola. Reigns later became a member of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets team.

During an interview with ESPN’s First Take, Reigns touched upon his career in NFL and how it shaped his WWE Tribal Chief persona. “Like I’m chirping at the Offensive line,” Reigns said when talking about trash-talking. Trash-talking is something Reigns learned during his time as an NFL player. He said he would do it from the bench to the other team’s defensive players between matches.

One of Reigns’ most considerable improvements in the WWE is his mic skills. The WWE universe and critics have praised his skills on the mic since he turned heel. Now, during matches, the Tribal Chief trash-talks his opponents. This adds to his heel persona and makes him stand out. 

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With the mentorship of Paul Heyman, considered one of the best on the mic, Reigns has mastered the art of trash-talking. He can effortlessly get under the skin of the opponents. It has been a significant improvement since his babyface days. Reigns has reigned supreme as the Tribal Chief, but how did the persona come to life?

The Tribal Chief concept was based on Apocalypse Now

Now that we know how Reigns used his NFL career to improve his Tribal Chief persona, where did it stem from? In an interview with AP News, Heyman revealed that the idea for the Tribal Chief was based on Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Colonel Walter E. Kurtz in Apocalypse Now.

According to Heyman, it was the story of a soldier who took over a community and became the leader. Similarly, after splitting the SHIELD, Reigns took up the Samona family bloodline and became the Head of the Table. 

The Tribal Chief persona and The Bloodline have become a massive hit in the WWE. Both fans and critics love the storytelling element of family and loyalty. The stable has gotten over with fans who love the heel Tribal Chief. The pop when Jey finally betrayed Reigns and sided with his brother Jimmy was deafening. The end of the storyline may be coming near, with fans eagerly awaiting who will dethrone Reigns. 

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