John Cena makes career revelation live on Kay Adams show and concedes college football was his limit

LIFE could have been so much different for WWE icon John Cena.

The wrestling and Hollywood star, 46, opened up on his collegiate career as a football player during a recent appearance on Kay Adams' show, Up And Adams.

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After graduating high school, the Massachusetts native went on to enroll at Springfield College.

Here, Cena joined the Pride's football team, eventually being named an NCAA Division III All-American center.

Recollecting his time at Springfield College, Cena told Adams, "I really found a home in the offensive line.

"And football is such a fast game, and a game of skill-fluency, it's not like if you can play one position you can play them all."

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But despite Cena's collegiate success, he seemingly never considered attempting a career in the NFL.

He explained that he "was very humble," hinting that he may not have had the size necessary for that next level, noting that he was 6-foot 250 pounds at the time.

"I knew that that was the...I would play in college and that would be it.

"And hopefully, I would be grateful to have a decent stay in college and I knew the last game was the end of that chapter.

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"So I think maybe that set me up for being okay when that chapter ends and still look forward to the life you've got in front of you."

Cena graduated in 1999 with a degree in exercise physiology, before moving to California with just $500 to his name, as per ESPN.

After working for a company moving fitness equipment, he took on a job at a store near the famous Gold's Gym, earning just $6 an hour.

"In the beginning, I was living out of the back of my Lincoln Continental," he said.

"I was struggling, but I wasn't ever sad. I was in the place where fitness had become famous, and I actually loved what I did."

A chance encounter at Gold's Gym led him to give wrestling a try at a flea market, opening the door to what would become a legendary career.

Cena joined the WWE in 2002, going on to become a thirteen-time Champion, while also winning numerous other prestigious titles.

He has also since entered Hollywood, starring in movies such as The Suicide Squad, the Fast and Furious franchise, and Barbie among other credits.

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