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Ty Ezell ... and the WWE?

Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Gotta say this was one of those things that just make you do a double take when you hear about it.

Since I was away last week I never got around to this, but ICYMI, Ty Ezell is already lining up backup jobs if the NFL doesn't work out for him. No, Ezell isn't planning to parlay his Administration of Justice major into a job in law enforcement - rather he's looking at a career in pro wrestling.

No, really.

Ezell, you may remember, gave us the photo op in the picture in this article. After the Panthers' bowl win, Ezell went all Randy Orton on us and busted out a WWE championship belt. For his part, Ezell admits he's a fan of wrestling and seems interested in making a run at it:

“I am really thinking about getting into it,” Ezell said.

...

“It is a possibility,” Ezell said. “I was thinking about getting into that if it doesn't work out. That was my first love and still is my first love, to be honest with you.”

l'm not going to sit here and convince you why pro wrestling is great. If you're among those that think it's ridiculous, you're likely turned off by the fact that its matches are predetermined. It's cool - just know there's more to it than that.

On Ezell, the NFL is likely a long shot in my opinion. Last year I constantly pointed out that the remainder of Pitt's defensive line really didn't do all that much despite Aaron Donald being double and at times, triple-teamed. Ezell was one of those that had a decent, but really lackluster season when you consider that all of the attention paid to Donald should have, in theory, opened things up more for his linemates. Ezell could get his shot, but I just don't see the NFL in his future.

On the wrestling thing, it's one of those things that is harder than it looks. Not any muscle-head can get into the highest stage of pro wrestling, let alone be good at it. There are loads of independent companies out there with uber talented guys that will never even get a sniff at the WWE despite paying their dues for years and years.

It's also far more than a physical thing, too. To eat up a WWE roster spot (or even one on TNA, a competing secondary faction), you've mostly got to have a blend of charisma, skill, and even some luck. Then there's the lifestyle. What most non-fans tend to realize is that pro wrestling is a day in day out job. In between the two main weekly televised shows, there are the non-televised house shows where wrestlers put forth equally demanding efforts. It's just not an easy life.

None of that is to sell him short, obviously. All I'm saying is that if Ezell doesn't get into the NFL, I wouldn't look for him on a WWE or TNA roster anytime soon.

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