"I am convinced that wrestling as a sport is extremely beneficial to football and believe that high school coaches would benefit greatly by allowing their players to wrestle and by recruiting wrestlers. Wrestling helps develop discipline to stay in one's stance. Wrestlers also generally have good balance, understand leverage and know how to use their hands. This benefits them in blocking, defending blocks and tackling. Perhaps the greatest benefit of wrestling is developing both mental toughness and physical toughness"....

Bob Stoops ~ Head Football Coach ~ University of Oklahoma

National Champions: 2000, 1985, 1975, 1956, 1955, 1950

 

"I have never seen a good wrestler turn out to be a bad football palyer"....

Kirk Ferentz ~ Head Football Coach ~ University of Iowa

National Coach of the Year ~ 2x Big Ten Coach of the Year

 

"I would have all of my offensive lineman wrestle if I could"....

John Madden ~ NFL Hall of Fame Coach

 

Below is a "Who's Who" List of the NFL Football Players that excelled at wrestling:

Stephen Neal - New England Patriots OL, 2x NCAA National Champion Heavyweight

Kelly Gregg - Baltimore Ravens DL, 3x Oklahoma 5A State Champion Heavyweight

Ray Lewis - Baltimore Ravens MLB, 2x Florida HS High School State Champion

Tony Siragusa - Baltimore Ravens DL, New Jersey State Champion Heavyweight

Warren Sapp - Tampa Bay Buccaneers DL, Florida High School State Champion

Jeff Bostic - Washington Redskins OL, South Carolina HS State Champion Heavyweight

Trevor Laws - Philadelphia Eagles DL, Minnesota High School State Champion Heavyweight

Roddy White talks about the benefits of wrestling for football players....

 

Other Notable NFL players that credit wrestling to their mental toughness include:

Roger Craig, Ronnie Lott, Bo Jackson, Tiki & Rhonde Barber, Tedy Bruschi, Mike & Bob Golic, Kyle Turley, Dan Dierdorf, Larry Czonka, Willie Roaf, Leroi Glover, Bruce Smith, Eric Rhett, Jim Plunkett & Danny White

 

A list of Rougher Football Players/Wrestlers:

Seth Littrell - Oklahoma Sooners FB National Championship Team, 2x State Champ

Mike Butler - Oklahoma State Cowboys OL, State Runner-Up Heavyweight

Stacy McGee - Oklahoma Sooners D1 Scholarship, IceFighter State Champ Heavyweight

Dan Jefferson - Missouri Southern LB, Icefighter State Runner-Up 215