Dwayne Johnson Looks Back At Turning DownThe CFL To Follow In His Father’s Footsteps As A Pro Wrestler

Had his life gone another way, Dwayne Johnson may have been more famous for his career in the Canadian Football League than for body-slamming opponents in the WWE and his catchphrase, “Can you smell what the Rock is cooking?”

In a sneak peek at Johnson’s appearance on this weekend’s Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist for “Sunday Today”, the wrestler-turned-actor reflects on coming to a crossroads in his life.

“I felt in my gut, Willie, that I had something to offer in the world of pro wrestling,” Johnson tells Geist in a clip from the upcoming interview.

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“I had just gotten a call from my coach, at the CFL, to come back and try out for the team next season,” he continues.

“And I said, ‘I appreciate it, coach, thank you very much, but I’m gonna close this chapter of my life.’ Hung up the phone, my dad said, ‘Who was that?’ We had the biggest fight,” he adds, referencing his late father, wrestler Rocky Johnson.

Dwayne Johnson sat down with @WillieGeist to talk discuss his wrestling career and following in his father’s footsteps. pic.twitter.com/ZbhWsbvNuy

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 30, 2021

“His thought was, I love you as my son, and look around: we’re in a little apartment that I can barely pay for. I want more for you,” Johnson recalls.

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“But eventually he agreed to train me and through a lot of hard work, and a little bit of blood and a lot of sweat, the rest is history,” he explains.

The full interview will air on the Sunday, May 2, edition of “Sunday Today with Willie Geist”.