Long before he shattered The Undertaker’s iconic WrestleMania streak, or became the UFC heavyweight champion, Brock Lesnar had dreams of making it in the NFL.
Growing up on his parents’ dairy farm in South Dakota, a young Lesnar showed serious sporting prowess, and played high school football alongside his budding wrestling career.
When Brock Lesnar played for the Vikings
He placed third in the state as a heavyweight wrestler during his senior year, and put his football plans on hold to continue his exploits on the mat.
After two years at Bismarck State College, Lesnar transferred to the University of Minnesota on a wrestling scholarship, and went on to win the national championship in the heavyweight division as a senior in 2000.
Soon after, WWE came calling, and within two years of signing a contract with Ohio Valley Wrestling (WWE’s developmental territory), he made his main roster debut.
Lesnar smashed through the roster upon his arrival, and was instantly positioned as a dominant force under the guidance of advocate Paul Heyman.
He won the King of the Ring tournament in June 2002 and earned a shot at the WWE Undisputed Championship.
At SummerSlam that year, Lesnar defeated The Rock to become the youngest champion in the promotion’s history, aged 25.
Lesnar beat The Undertaker during his initial title reign, before dropping the belt to the Big Show at Survivor Series in what was his first televised pinfall loss.
He wasn’t without gold for long, though, and had two more runs with the WWE Championship across 2003 and 2004, before an infamous match at WrestleMania XX against Goldberg.
Despite Stone Cold Steve Austin serving as special guest referee, the bout was met with a hostile crowd response, as both wrestlers were widely reported to be leaving the company.
It was Goldberg who won that day, and but both he and Lesnar were given Stone Cold Stunners afterward, in what would indeed prove to be the latter’s last match in WWE for eight years.
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Lesnar dominated in WWE before departing in 2004 to try the NFLCredit: WWE
Lesnar officially departed after WrestleMania, citing burnout, injuries and creative dissatisfaction.
Instead of joining a rival promotion, or continuing professional wrestling at all, the imposing athlete decided to pursue a career in football instead.
WWE publicly acknowledged his decision, stating that Lesnar had decided to pause his career to tryout for the NFL, and wished him success.
Emphasizing his competitive drive, the South Dakota native stated that his decision was not a publicity stunt, but a serious personal goal, and participated in the 2004 combine.
He posted some pretty absurd stats for someone of his size and stature, too.
A 283lb Lesnar clocked a 4.7-second 40-yard dash, a 35-inch vertical jump and 30 reps on a 225lbs bench press.
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Lesnar impressed during the NFL combine before linking up with the VikingsCredit: Getty
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He featured in preseason for the Vikings, before being releasedCredit: Getty
His efforts caught the eye, with several NFL teams expressing an interest in him, and Lesnar went on to work out for the Minnesota Vikings in June.
He signed with the team in late July, and appeared in a number of preseason games as a defensive tackle.
“This is no load of bull; it’s no WWE stunt. I am dead serious about this,” Lesnar said at the time.
“I ain’t afraid of anything, and I ain’t afraid of anybody. I’ve been an underdog in athletics since I was five.
Brock Lesnar’s MMA debut ended in bizarre fashion in 69 seconds before joining UFC
“I got zero college offers for wrestling. Now people say I can’t play football, that it’s a joke. I say I can.”
Footage of Lesnar playing with the Vikings in pre-season has long been floating around online, but his NFL career was short-lived.
He was invited by Minnesota to represent the team in NFL Europa, and ultimately decided against the move, opting to stay in the United States with his family.
Lesnar was released by the Vikings in August — but not before he caused a ‘Royal Rumble’ on the practice field.
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Lesnar caused a ‘Royal Rumble’ on the practice field by suplexing a Chiefs rivalCredit: Getty
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He was offered a role with NFL Europa, but turned it downCredit: Getty
Former Minnesota wideout Nate Burleson revealed years later that Lesnar once sparked a training camp fight with the Kansas City Chiefs by suplexing one of their players.
“He came out, and somebody cheap-shotted (quarterback) Daunte Culpepper late, and Brock was like ‘who did it?'” Burleson recalled.
“The next play he went and suplexed the guy.
“Different type of nasty, but he picked up a grown man after the play, it was a Royal Rumble, Minnesota versus Kansas City in Mankato during training camp.
BROCK LESNAR CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
While Brock Lesnar never made it in the NFL, he boasts impressive accomplishments in MMA and WWE
Seven-time WWE Champion
Three-time WWE Universal Champion
2002 King of the Ring winner
2019 Men’s Money in the Bank winner
2003 and 2022 Royal Rumble
Five-time WrestleMania main eventer
One-time UFC heavyweight Champion
UFC 116 Submission of the Night
“That was a nasty suplex on the football field.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Lesnar went on to pursue a career in MMA, and hit dizzying heights soon after his debut in UFC, capturing the heavyweight championship with a TKO victory over Randy Couture.
He boasts a 5-3-0 (1 NC) record during two different runs with UFC, but it was his return to WWE in 2012 that really put Lesnar back in the spotlight.
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Lesnar returned to WWE after his spells in UFC and NFLCredit: AFP
At WrestleMania XXX, 10 years after he initially departed, ‘The Beast’ snapped The Undertaker’s legendary streak, before winning the World Heavyweight Championship later in 2014.
In the decade since, Lesnar has gone on to be a 10-time world champion in WWE, who has headlined five different WrestleMania events in between his runs with UFC.
While the NFL might have been his big dream at one point, there’s little doubt that turning down an invite to NFL Europa two decades ago was the right call.