As noted, WWE has signed former NFL star Shawne Merriman to a deal. The idea is to bring him up similar to how WCW brought up Steve "Mongo" McMichael.
They're looking at training Merriman as an announcer, put him on TV while he's also training to be a wrestler, and then transition into being a wrestler when he's good enough.
There is a renewed interest within WWE when it comes to signing NFL players who are still young but their football careers are over.
Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter
It was revealed on the latest JBL & Cole Radio Show that WWE has signed former NFL star Shawne Merriman to a deal. He will be working at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, likely in some kind of training role. Merriman worked some of the WWE Network panels during WrestleMania weekend and was at the Superstars For Kidsparty.
It appears former NFL player Shawne Merriman, who has had some Twitter beef with CM Punk in the past, is training with WWE. Bill DeMott noted on Twitter that Merriman was at the WWE Performance Center training this week. Merriman posted the following on Facebook after his first day at the Performance Center:
"A hard days work 1 down 364 to go #PainWhatPain #LightsOut"
CREDIT / SOURCE - Wrestling Observer Newsletter
