Shawne Merriman Explains Obstacle That Kept Him From Going All In With WWE

Many athletes have crossed over from other sports to make appearances in WWE. Some come for a one-time show, while others get drawn into the ring for good. For some, that single night is enough to make an impression that lasts. Former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman, who has also called out Batista for a legit fight, knows that feeling all too well.

During his NFL career, Shawne Merriman was one of the top defensive players, making three Pro Bowls and earning the title of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2005. After retiring from football in 2013, he found new paths for his career in the public eye, and his journey almost led him to WWE.

Shawne Merriman got a taste of WWE when he joined the WrestleMania XXX pre-show. He was even “welcomed to the family,” but plans for a long-term role never materialized, for a very good reason.

While speaking on the Six Feet Under podcast, Shawne Merriman shared a memorable story about his experience and a conversation with The Undertaker.

“I was all in, I was all in. I think, two things why I think that it didn’t really…I came in, I hosted WrestleMania that was in New Orleans, and the next day, I came to work, which was one of the best experiences of my life ever, and I’m talking about football included. Being there, and I was up there with Booker T, Shawn Michaels, and then Mick Foley. I’m sitting up there, and it’s kind of a surreal moment for me because I’m still a fan. I got my earpieces in, and they brought out Hulk Hogan first, and I’m peeking back because the fan is still there, and I still want to watch.”

“Then I heard the broken glass, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin came out. So now I’m peeking. I’m live on TV, and I’m peeking my ass off. Finally, ‘If you smell,’ they brought The Rock out. I said, ‘Okay, f*ck this.’ I’m watching. That was it. That was my call right there. I don’t give a sh*t what they say to me at this point because I’m watching, I’m not missing this. I got the best seat in the house, I can see everything. So it was great, it was one of the best times I had. I talked to Stephanie McMahon, talked to Paul [Triple H] after. I spent some time with Vince [McMahon] around that same period of time. It was gonna go through and everything. Got down to the point where it was like, ‘Okay, what about this whole ‘Lights Out’ thing?’”

“Yeah. I’ve been called ‘Lights Out’ since I was 6 years old. When I got my first paycheck by the Chargers in the NFL, I bought the name and rights to ‘Lights Out’ because I wanted to own it, so I had it. I was probably more closer to the people on the business side, the licensing side, and everything else even more than I was the talent because I knew where the money was. The licensing, the stores, the buyers, everything. That was a big part.”

“I know the power of WWE globally. So I was all in. So I think it was that, and then too, the WWE Network didn’t do so well when it first launched. It took a while before it got off, so I think they ended up letting go like nine or ten percent of staff, and it was just a mess. So we just never picked up. But it was always a real good relationship with them, even still now. I’ll see Paul and I’ll see some of the guys on that side. I walk up to them and I give them a big hug, and we’ll talk every time we see each other, so we got a really good relationship.”

Shawne Merriman’s experience that day was unforgettable, blending his fandom with his professional curiosity. Then he had to face the brutal reality that pro wrestling is still a business, and he didn’t want to let go of the “Lights Out” slogan that has been such a big part of who he was.

Although his WWE journey never fully took off, Shawne Merriman’s memories of WrestleMania XXX show the power of pro wrestling. It almost got him to go aboard with WWE’s plan, but there was an obvious hesitation, one that kept him from inking that deal and going all in.

We will have to see if Shawne Merriman ever steps in the ring for a legit battle. If anything, he certainly made a memory with The Undertaker, which is a rare feat to begin with.