10 Wrestlers Who Played Professional Sports

Leon White, better known to wrestling fans as Big Van Vader, was one of the most intimidating forces in the history of wrestling. Weighing well over 400 lbs. and standing nearly 6'5, Vader struck fear into the hearts of both wrestlers and fans all around the world. He was an agile big man who could move like a man half his size and was as powerful as anyone in wrestling history.

So, it should come as no surprise that Vader was also a professional football player in his younger days. White was a big-time football prospect out of California, having grown up in the South Central section of Los Angeles. He was nationally ranked offensive lineman out of high school and was recruited heavily by all of the major programs in the country. He finally settled in at the University of Colorado, becoming an All-American and being selected with the 80th overall pick in the 1978 NFL draft. by the Los Angeles Rams

Unfortunately, White's pro career was not as successful as his collegiate one. He played on the Rams team for two seasons, playing in Super Bowl XIV in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, before a knee injury cut his career short.

While White's football career wasn't as long and successful as he would have wanted it, the lifelong athlete found a home in professional wrestling and is now a true legend.