It would be an understatement to say that WWE and the NFL are different organisations. Aside from the obvious fact that the results of one are predetermined while the other is legitimate, there are plenty of other differences to pick out between the two.
WWE is full of big personalities. In fact, having a big personality and talking trash is basically half of what superstars are required to do. In the NFL, while some guys like Rob Gronkowski and Marshawn Lynch are as entertaining off the field as they are on it, the league, in general, has stifled the personalities of their players. They hand out penalties, fines; you name it. The NFL doesn’t want you to have too much fun.
Despite this, there are still ways to compare WWE superstars to NFL players. Be it by talent, demeanour, accomplishments, fan reaction, or even the small amount of personality we’re able to see, there are definitely some NFL equivalents to your favourite WWE superstars. Here are some of the best comparisons one can make between WWE and the NFL.
#1 Mojo Rawley – Rob Gronkowski
Well, duh. Mojo Rawley and Rob Gronkowski are apparently best friends, and it’s easy to see why. They both have an infectious amount of energy and seem to be the life of the party wherever they are. Whether it’s on a football field or in a WWE ring, these two ensure there is never a dull moment if they’re around.
Mojo is a ball of energy every time he steps, or sprints, through the curtain and onto the ramp. And the energy doesn’t stop until the match is over. He keeps on going until he has nothing left, which is exactly what Gronk does. Gronkowski puts full effort into every snap, and with his trademark spike, he’s clearly full of life just like his buddy Mojo is.
They’re also both physical beasts. Gronk measures in at 6’6”, 265 pounds. Mojo is 6’3”, 296 pounds. So they’re both big boys that have a football background, and in Gronk’s case, a lucrative football career.
As of now, the only thing different between these two is their level of success. Gronkowski has two super bowl rings and is arguably the best tight end to ever play the game. Mojo? Well, at least he has the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal victory to hang his hat on. Hey, he’s getting there.
#2 John Cena – Tom Brady
To those Patriots haters out there, don’t worry. This is the last time a New Englander will show up in this article, but this comparison was too perfect to pass up.
Mojo Rawley and Rob Gronkowski have a stark contrast in terms of success, as we mentioned previously. That’s not the case for this comparison. John Cena and Tom Brady are arguably the most successful athletes in the history of their respective sports.
Cena is tied with Ric Flair for the most championships of anyone in the history of the business with 16 world titles. Brady is in the same boat as a 5-time Super Bowl champion, one of only two people to win that many Super Bowls as a player.
They're also similar because fans of the sport either love them or hate them. Cena has evoked such mixed reactions that he has become the most polarising figure in WWE history. Brady’s reactions are more regional; basically, if you’re a football fan outside of the northeast, you probably hate him. But he still has such a large New England following, and Pats fans tend to travel pretty well to away games, so it’s fair to say he garners mixed reactions.
And perhaps most importantly, regardless of how you feel about either of them, everyone respects both Cena and Brady. They’ve both done a lot for their sports and have achieved so much that it’s hard to deny their greatness.
#3 AJ Styles – Le’Veon Bell
Coming up with a comparison for AJ Styles was no easy task. Styles is versatile and smooth at everything he does, so he's really a shining example of what a WWE superstar should strive to be. So although Styles is in a league of his own, Le’Veon Bell is a pretty solid comparison.
Let’s start with the versatility. Obviously, everyone is better at some things than they are at others. Styles is a better heel than he is a face, he’s a better technical wrestler than a ground-and-pounder, and he’s better at beating up John Cena than he is at beating up James Ellsworth (he’s still only 1-3 against the Big Hog). But in general, he’s an incredibly versatile superstar who can do everything pretty well.
And Bell is extremely versatile in his own right. He’s great at running between the tackles or to the outside, he’s a good run blocker, and he’s probably the best receiving back in the NFL.
Plus, like Styles, everything he does is very smooth and calculated. Bell is known for his trademark hesitation behind his offensive line. Styles is similar in that he is very smart in the ring and takes only the opportunities given to him. Rarely do you see either guy overcommit to the point where it comes back to bite them.
#4 Zack Ryder – Eli Manning
This one may seem obscure, but Zack Ryder and Eli Manning have more in common that you might think.
The overarching theme between these two men is that they are both underdogs. Ryder has never been thought of as a top tier talent even though a fair amount of fans would like to see him at that level.
And Manning, although he was a highly touted player coming out of college and has found success in the NFL, has largely been an underdog due to other quarterbacks outshining him. This includes Tom Brady in particular, who was the biggest factor shaping Manning's underdog status.
Manning has two crowning achievements, both of which are Super Bowl wins over the Patriots, one of which ended New England's bid for a perfect season. Ryder is similar in that he also has two crowning achievements: his United States and Intercontinental Championship victories.
Aside from these achievements, neither man has accomplished much of note in their sports. But one could argue that despite this, they both have plenty to hang their hat on and can retire happily somewhere down the line.
#5 The Miz – Cam Newton
Is this mainly about the wardrobe? Yes. Yes, it is.
Ever since The Miz’s gimmick became more Hollywood-centric, he has sported that strange dress/hoodie/vest combo. And honestly, it has added to how unlikable he is. It just makes it seem like he thinks he’s so much better than everyone else, wearing this fancy piece of high fashion or whatever it may be.
Cam Newton also dresses in a pretty unique way for his postgame press conferences. He’s been spotted in all types of hats (often with a feather in it), scarves, and glasses. His goal is clearly to stand out, and he’s certainly doing that.
But while I said this is mainly about the wardrobe, there are other similarities at work here too. Both have ascended to the top of their games at one point. Miz was WWE Champion for a time, and Newton is a BCS National Champion and Heisman Trophy winner.
Both are still trying to get back to their former glory. Miz has yet to be world champion since then, and Newton is working toward that first Super Bowl. We’ll have to wait and see who gets to the top of the mountain first.
Also read: 10 WWE Superstars and their NBA equivalents
#6 Braun Strowman – Dontari Poe
These are two very, very large men. Large to the point that if you see either one running toward you, you’d be smart to run in the opposite direction as fast as possible. Either that or lie down, play dead and hope he goes away.
Strowman is listed at 6’8”, 385 lbs. Poe is listed at 6’3”, 346 lbs. This makes them some of the biggest athletes in their respective sports. It also makes them absolutely terrifying to compete against.
When Strowman gets some momentum and is running toward his opponent, he looks like a runaway train. And although Poe isn’t known for running down QBs (just 1.5 sacks in 2016), he’s still a force up the middle and is a solid run-stopper.
But size isn’t the only thing that puts these men in the same category. Just like AJ Styles and Le’Veon Bell, these two are amazingly versatile, especially given their size.
We’ve seen Strowman perform kip-ups, drop kicks, and all sorts of things that near 400-pounders shouldn’t be able to do. Poe, meanwhile, doesn’t stay on just one side of the ball. He’s been used as a running back on the goal line, and he even threw a touchdown last year, giving us one of the most memorable moments of the season.
#7 Charlotte – Dak Prescott
Freak athlete doesn’t even begin to describe these two people.
Charlotte may be the most gifted athlete ever to grace the women's division, while Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys is basically everything you want in a quarterback. But the biggest similarity between these two? Their incredible immediate impact.
Charlotte came up from NXT along with Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks, and she wasted no time changing the women’s division. She won the Diva’s Championship just two months after debuting and has been on top of her game ever since. She even displaced the former face of the women’s division, Nikki Bella, to do so.
Prescott followed a similar path. He displaced the former face of the Cowboys, Tony Romo, after playing so well that Dallas couldn’t reasonably bench him despite Romo returning to full health. Prescott went on to have arguably the best rookie season by a QB in NFL history.
These two came onto the scene in a big way. It’s just a matter of time until we find out if their performances are sustainable.
#8 Brock Lesnar – Marshawn Lynch
In honour of Beast Mode’s return to the NFL, he’s made our list as the best possible comparison to the Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar.
Aside from their Beast-based nicknames, these two operate in a very similar fashion. First of all, they both run straight through whoever they come across. If you watch any Seahawks (soon to be Raiders) game, you’ll see that Marshawn Lynch prefers to ignore anyone who is trying to stop him.
Lesnar does the same. Get in his way, and you’re sure to be eating a few dozen German suplexes in no time at all.
They’ve also both adopted a no-nonsense way of going about things. They both do most of their talking during the match/game, and won’t typically be found saying more than a handful of words outside of that setting.
Lynch has his trademark phrase “I’m just here, so I won’t get fined” speech, while the only words of note Lesnar has spoken in the past year have been to Heath Slater when he said, “I don’t give a s**t about your kids.”
They’re men of few words, but they get results. Lesnar is the current Universal champion, while Lynch is a surefire future Hall-of-Famer with a Super Bowl ring on top of it. Can’t argue with what works.
#9 Finn Balor – Andrew Luck
Finn Balor’s call-up to the main roster felt long overdue. But when he did finally make his way to Raw, it was evident he was pegged as the new face of WWE. He went undefeated in his first month, and it culminated with him becoming the first ever Universal champion.
Then he got hurt and had to relinquish the title. And although he still has a bright future, it’s tough to ignore all the injuries he’s sustained lately. At the end of his NXT run, he hurt his ankle. Then he tore his shoulder labrum against Seth Rollins. Then he got concussed by Jinder Mahal.
Andrew Luck has suffered a similar fate. His destiny was always to be the heir to Peyton Manning’s throne on the Indianapolis Colts. And although he can still reach that level, injuries have prevented him from becoming the top-tier QB he has the potential to be.
Unlike Balor, Luck hasn’t missed a tonne of time with his injuries. However, playing through them has been just as bad. He hasn’t performed anywhere close to where people believe he can, and that is mostly being blamed on nagging head and shoulder injuries.
But let’s get away from the negatives. Both Balor and Luck are also extremely nice guys both in and out of their profession. Balor is great with fans and plays with Legos in his spare time. Meanwhile, Luck has been known to complement linemen after a big hit and also runs a book club.
These two have very bright futures and are great guys. We just have to hope they have better fortune in the coming years.
#10 Dean Ambrose – Frank Gore
Dean Ambrose and Frank Gore are comparable for one big reason. They both grind harder than anyone else, and they never take days off.
Despite being a strictly between-the-tackles running back and taking tonnes of punishment throughout his entire career, Frank Gore has not missed a game in the last six seasons, logging 250+ carries in each. That is some incredible durability for someone who is now 33 years old.
Dean Ambrose is the same type of person. After putting his body through hell for years in CZW, Ambrose has not been wrestling as reckless of a style in WWE. But that doesn’t mean things have been smooth sailing for him. In reality, he has worked one of the toughest schedules of anyone in WWE.
Ambrose has been known as WWE’s ironman, particularly during his time as WWE champion. He has never been injured, and he even worked two WWE live events in two different cities on the same night in 2016. He may not be their flashiest performer, but he’s definitely reliable.
And that reliability is what makes him so similar to Gore. Gore isn’t going to be juking anyone out of their shoes anytime soon, but he’s a near lock for 1,000 yards and 5+ touchdowns every year. That’s the kind of production that any team would be happy to have.
Simply put, Dean Ambrose and Frank Gore get the job done. It may not be flashy, and it may take a toll on their bodies, but they get their jobs done the best way they can. And they never miss a day doing it.
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