WWE star Roman Reigns has been at the top of the professional wrestling industry for the last decade, but prior to joining the promotion in 2010, Reigns (real name Joe Anoai) dedicated much of his life to football. Reigns attended Georgia Tech from 2003 until 2006 and became an integral player on the school's football team. However, he wasn't the only big name on the squad. Future Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson (AKA Megatron) played for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at the same time.
While Johnson played wide receiver, Anoa'i was on the other side of the ball as a defensive tackle. Both men started on the team from 2004 through the 2006 season and garnered acclaim for their work on the field.
Megatron, who was nicknamed after the Transformers villain due to his towering size, became ACC Rookie of the Year in 2004 and won the Fred Biletnikoff Award two years later, recognizing him as college football's best receiver. Johnson and Anoa'i would be named first-team All-ACC, placing them among the best players at their position in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Both players also served as team captains for the Yellow Jackets in 2006.
During the first two years with Johnson and Anoa'i on the roster, the team had mixed success, failing to make much of an impact on the college football landscape. However, in part due to dominant performances by Johnson and Anoa'i, the team won its conference in 2006. Sadly, they went on to lose in the Gator Bowl that year to the West Virginia Mountaineers, with both Anoa'i and Johnson then entering themselves into the NFL draft.
From there, Anoa'i's professional football career didn't go as planned. He received his Leukemia diagnosis after his initial NFL physical, and though he underwent successful treatment, he was released by both the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars before the 2007 season began. Anoa'i played one season for the Canadian Football League before making his fateful career change.
Meanwhile, Johnson was chosen by the Detroit Lions as the second overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft. Though the team would have little success during Johnson's nine seasons as an active player, the wide receiver had a storied career and currently holds the record for receiving yards in a single season at 1,964.He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
After retiring from the NFL in 2016, Johnson decided on his own change in careers, becoming the owner of a marijuana dispensary and publicly advocating for the substance's acceptance. Since 2008, Johnson has also operated his own non-profit organization called the Calvin Johnson Jr. Foundation, with a goal of serving and educating young people experiencing difficult life circumstances.
As for Reigns, though his football career didn't work out, he has since cemented his legacy as one of the most impactful performers in the history of WWE. A six-time world champion and future Hall of Famer, Reigns has now performed in the main event of WWE WrestleMania 10 times (including both nights in 2024), more than any other wrestler.
