Known for his larger-than-life personality in the wrestling ring and a star on the big screen, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has had his hands in many things throughout his professional life, even trying his hand at football. Let’s take a look back at Johnson’s football career and see if The Rock ever made it to the NFL.
Where Did Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Play Football?
Johnson’s life as a kid has been well-documented to this point. The Rock is from Hawaii, where had no issue getting into scraps and was tested by his family and peers often due to his lineage.
When your father and grandfather are wrestlers, others are quick to test your skills. Because of the genes in his family, this also meant Johnson inherited the size most didn’t at that time. Johnson did not play football until he got to high school when he would attend Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Penn.
He credits his desire to play due to a bathroom run-in with teacher/coach Jody Cwik. Johnson was an imposing figure, and it was easy to tell football would be a good idea for him. By the time he was a junior in high school, The Rock stood at 6’4″ and 230 pounds. Realizing it could be his way to higher education, Johnson took his opportunity seriously and attacked it with the same ferocity he has become known for in all his other endeavors.
Johnson received many scholarship offers including from Penn State, UCLA, Clemson, Florida State, and dozens of other top programs. Eventually, he decided on the University of Miami and accepted a full-ride scholarship to play at “The U.”
An Injury to Johnson’s Shoulder Changed His Future
If you know your college football history, you know how incredible the 1991 Miami Hurricanes team was. They are widely considered the greatest college team of all time. Despite being surrounded by blue-chip prospects who would go on to have great NFL careers, Johnson was the only true freshman on the team.
Former LSU head coach Ed Orgeron, who coached the defensive line at Miami from 1988-1992, said that he felt Johnson “had a chance to be an All-American” during his time in Miami.
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Unfortunately, those dreams were sadly cut short. During the final round of two-a-days, Johnson tore his shoulder. The Miami coaching staff decided to convert a relatively larger but nimble tight end into a defensive end. His name? Warren Sapp. And as they like to say, the rest is history.
It was truly just bad timing for Johnson that he went to the same school as one of the greatest defensive linemen of all time. From that point on, Johnson was a substitute-level player for the Hurricanes moving forward and would never garner the same opportunity again during his time there.
Johnson played for Miami all four years (1991-1995), appearing in 39 games with one start. He recorded 77 tackles and 4.25 sacks.
Did Johnson Get Drafted in the NFL?
Any dreams or aspirations toward an NFL future for The Rock were dashed due to the presence of Sapp. Unable to see any considerable playing time, Johnson was left without a real chance to shine, and as a result, he went undrafted.
After graduating with a bachelor of general studies in criminology and physiology in 1995, he signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a linebacker.
Johnson was assigned to the practice roster but was cut two months into the season as he struggled with injuries once again. That was the closest Johnson ever got to playing in the NFL.
Shortly after that, Johnson realized he needed to make a change. And well, The Rock was born. It looks like he may have made the right decision after all.
Johnson and Spring Football
Johnson has invested in spring football in recent years.
In Aug. 2020, Johnson, along with longtime business partner and ex-wife Dany Garcia, led a consortium to purchase the XFL for $15 million. The league returned to play on Feb. 18, 2023, positioned as a minor league.
The XFL operated in the winter and early spring months after the end of the NFL season and before the start of the USFL season.
😤🎙️ @TheRock gets things started for us in Arlington pic.twitter.com/bs4y1hyEuN
— United Football League (@TheUFL) March 30, 2024
On Sept. 28, 2023, the XFL announced its intention to merge with the USFL. On Nov. 30, 2023, the leagues issued a statement that they “completed the antitrust review process in connection with the proposed merger of the XFL and USFL and intend to play a combined season.”
On Dec. 31, the name of the combined league was confirmed as the United Football League, with each component league surviving as a conference within the UFL.
The UFL kicked off on Saturday, March 30. The inaugural UFL season is now in full swing, and Johnson believes this league has a “real shot” at bringing football to spring permanently.
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