Tag: sports entertainment

Report: Former NFL defensive tackle signs with WWE

A.J. Francis is going to using his physicality in the wrestling ring after time on the NFL gridiron.

A.J. Francis, a defensive tackle who spent time with three NFL teams, signed a three-year contract to join WWE on Tuesday, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

Francis was an undrafted defensive tackle from the University of Maryland who was on and off a number of practice squads. He a played a total of 193 snaps in nine NFL games, six with Washington, two with Seattle and one with Miami. Overall, Francis played/practiced with the Dolphins, Patriots, Seahawks, Buccaneers, Giants and Redskins.

“My parents had video of me cutting promos against Hulk Hogan since I was 18 months old. I’ve watched wrestling for nearly 30 years,” Francis, who turns 30 in May, told the paper. “The reason I moved to Orlando when I was in the NFL is because I knew when my career ended this is what I wanted to do.”

Francis also drove an Uber for extra income and entertainment during his tenure with the Dolphins.

A former Dolphins teammate, Brent Grimes, said Francis always had a greater passion for the ring than the gridiron.

“He loved wrestling more than he loved football. He’s big and athletic for his size, but most importantly he has the personality for it. Wrestlers are actors. They have big personalities, and that’s A.J.”