"I was kicking a*s": Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson reveals what derailed his football career after ranking behind Cowboys legend Russell Maryland

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson revealed on Monday that a shoulder injury in his freshman year at the University of Miami cut short his football career.

“I came in as a freshman in 1990 and I was kicking a**, man," Johnson said (16:20), via the "New Heights" podcast. "I was balling. I was number two as a true freshman, behind Russell Maryland."

Johnson got hurt during a regular football drill. It was a shoulder injury so serious that doctors had to rebuild the whole joint.

He started the season strong, but the injury stopped everything. Johnson couldn’t play and lost his spot to Warren Sapp, who became a Pro Football Hall of Famer. Johnson’s football career never took off, and he did not make it to the NFL.

Before the injury, he was doing well at Miami, playing with stars like Russell Maryland, who became the No. 1 pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1991. Johnson was part of the Hurricanes' 1991 championship team, mostly as a backup.

Maryland enjoyed a decorated NFL career. He won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys, earned a Pro Bowl nod in 1993 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson admits he could've had NFL career like Kelce brothers

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson shared that he has long admired the NFL accomplishments of former Eagles center Jason Kelce and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

“I played up there in Canada for a little while, and that became very defining for me," Johnson said on Monday (28:10), via the "New Heights" podcast. "The thing I wanted most in my life. I wanted your life. I wanted to be in the NFL. That was my goal, and it wound up being the best thing that actually never happened for me.”

Johnson tried playing in Canada with the Calgary Stampeders in 1995. However, he was cut by the team within two months.

After Calgary let him go, Johnson started his pro wrestling career in 1996.