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Brock Lesnar has been a brilliant athlete throughout his sporting career. He is an ambitious performer who believes in bringing out his best every time. Lesnar's highly competitive attitude is one of the key factors behind his enormous success in pro wrestling and the MMA world. Combat sports, however, weren't the only things that intrigued the Beast Incarnate.
Brock Lesnar had always dreamt of playing football at the highest level. In 1995, Lesnar used to play the sport as a High School senior. After he graduated from the University of Minnesota, Brock got a try-out offer from a former NFL coach.
He turned down the offer, however, to sign a lucrative deal with the WWE instead. It proved to be a wise decision, as The Beast established himself as a household name in pro wrestling. It brought him both money and fame.
But despite going over to WWE, Lesnar never forgot about his dream football career. He still wanted to prove himself as a successful football player. Hence, he left WWE in 2004 to pursue a career in the National Football League.
But did he find success in his dream sport? Which NFL Team did he play for? In this article, let's find the answers to all these questions by revisiting Brock Lesnar's football career.
Brock Lesnar's WWE departure and performance at NFL Combine
As mentioned before, Brock Lesnar left WWE in 2004 after a three-year-long run. His last WWE match came against Goldberg at WrestleMania 20. In an interview with a Minnesota-based radio show, Lesnar talked about his desire to have a successful NFL career. He wanted to become one of the greatest football players of all time.
WWE also released a statement on their official website regarding Lesnar's exit from the company. They showed support towards their former employee's decision and wished him the best for his future. Here's the statement:
Brock Lesnar has made a personal decision to put his WWE career on hold to prepare to tryout for the National Football League this season. Brock has wrestled his entire professional career in the WWE and we are proud of his accomplishments and wish him the best in his new endeavor.
Brock Lesnar soon took part in the NFL Combine, a renowned talent scouting event. The three-time Universal Champion performed extremely well at the event and posted some impressive numbers.
Brock's statistics at the NFL Combine:
- 40-yard dash: 4.7 seconds
- Vertical jump: 35 inches
- Broad jump: 10 feet
- 225lb bench press: 30 reps
Brock Lesnar's 2004 injury had a negative impact on his NFL career
Brock Lesnar was getting closer to his dream with every passing day. But an unfortunate incident hindered his chances of competing in the NFL. In April 2004, Lesnar was involved in a horrific accident when a minivan collided with his motorbike.
As a result, The Beast suffered a broken jaw, a fractured left hand, a bruised pelvis, and a pulled groin. Despite his injuries, Brock attended an NFL training camp for eight weeks. These injuries proved to be really unfortunate for Brock Lesnar's football career, as he could no longer perform on the field to his full potential.
It took him nearly three months to recover. However, he was still not fully healed, and the injuries negatively impacted his performances on the field.
Many franchises had been keeping an eye on Brock's progress and wanted to bring him into the fold. Ultimately, the Minnesota Vikings signed the Beast Incarnate in July 2004.
Brock played there as a defensive tackle and took part in several preseason games. Unfortunately, the Vikings released the multi-time WWE Champion on August 30, 2004.
Although Brock had a well-built physique, he could not develop the high-level skills required at a big stage like the NFL. Lesnar's injury-riddled body also played a major role in his omission from the final 53-man roster.
The Vikings later offered Lesnar a chance to be their representative in NFL Europa. Brock declined the offer, as he wanted to stay in the United States with his family.
Brock Lesnar's NFL release proved to be a blessing in disguise.
Brock Lesnar did not let his failures stop him from achieving big things. In 2005, he joined NJPW and became the IWGP Heavyweight Champion on his debut. After an eventful run, The Beast left the company in 2007.
Later, he joined the UFC and became one of the greatest fighters in the promotion's history. After making a name for himself worldwide, The Beast Incarnate returned to WWE in 2012 for another dominant run.
