Former WWE Famous person Kurt Angle Explains How He Nearly Signed With Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a colourful forged of movie star followers. None could also be harder than Pittsburgh native Kurt Angle, a former newbie {and professional} wrestler. Angle is likely to be finest recognized for his time with the WWE, however he additionally received an Olympic gold medal in 1996 whereas competing with a damaged neck. It’s a shocking accomplishment that’s the spotlight of Angle’s illustrious profession. Nevertheless, as he just lately revealed, Angle might have taken a distinct path by changing into a Steeler.

“That they had me check out,” Angle mentioned Tuesday on Chris Van Vliet’s YouTube channel. “I had an actual good tryout. They needed me to go to NFL Europe for a 12 months or so, and I didn’t need to do this. Don’t neglect the explanation why I attempted out for the Steelers is as a result of I wasn’t making the world staff or the Olympic staff in wrestling.

“In 1993 and 1994, I used to be shedding. I ended up third in ’93 and second in ’94. I stored shedding to those two wrestlers constantly. So, after the 1994 season, I made a decision to give up. I figured, ‘What’s the use? I’m not going to beat these guys.’ That’s when the Steelers approached me, and I attempted out for them.”

What a distinct life Angle would possibly’ve lived had he caught along with his choice to give up and truly gone to NFL Europe. Angle was a dominant school wrestler at Clarion College in Pennsylvania, which is just some hours away from Pittsburgh. Nevertheless, he had no school soccer expertise.

It’s often unlikely for an individual to make the NFL with none background in school soccer, but it surely’s not extraordinary. Former San Diego Chargers tight finish Antonio Gates is likely to be essentially the most well-known instance. He performed basketball in school and went on to have a stellar profession.

Maybe Angle might have additionally made that transition. We see at the moment simply how vital a wrestling background will be for gamers, particularly offensive linemen. Middle Zach Frazier had a unbelievable rookie season for the Steelers, and he was an unbelievable highschool wrestler. Angle didn’t lack athleticism or toughness.

Angle wouldn’t have been the primary school wrestler the Steelers changed into a soccer participant both. As he explains, the Steelers had simply labored that magic with a profitable participant earlier than they gave him a tryout.

“A wrestler, three-time nationwide champion, Division 1, NCAA championships, his title was Carlton Haselrig,” Angle mentioned. “When he graduated school, he didn’t play soccer, by no means performed soccer a day in his life. The Steelers known as him and mentioned, ‘Hey, you need to come check out?’

“Not solely that, however he didn’t even check out. What they did as a substitute is that they drafted him within the eighth spherical, after which they introduced him on the staff, and he did extremely effectively. He was like a seven-time All-Professional. They usually noticed me, I used to be the following one arising by way of the ranks for NCAA wrestling.”

Haselrig was a stable participant, however Angle’s feedback are a bit inflated. Haselrig performed guard for the Steelers from 1990-93, making one Professional Bowl. Additionally, he was drafted within the twelfth spherical, not the eighth. Nevertheless, that’s nonetheless an unreal accomplishment for somebody with such little soccer expertise.

The Steelers tried to recreate Haselrig’s success with Angle, but it surely looks like it wasn’t imply to be. A part of that’s most likely resulting from their completely different builds. Each had been among the finest wrestlers ever, however Angle wasn’t fairly as large as Haselrig. That wrestling background is useful for offensive linemen, however as Angle explains, the Steelers needed him to play operating again.

“For me, being at a talent place, it’s a must to have school expertise,” he mentioned. “They need me to be a operating again. Going from wrestling to professional soccer, it’s a tough transition.”

Image the world the place Angle is the operating again for Invoice Cowher’s Steelers. It would’ve been essentially the most Pittsburgh staff in NFL historical past. Sadly, it wasn’t to be, however either side ended up higher off anyway. Angle even obtained to indicate off his Pittsburgh roots in a industrial from earlier this 12 months.

Angle determined to return to wrestling, which was the precise choice in hindsight. He would overcome these challenges that had been plaguing him, successful an Olympic gold medal. Even after that, he was top-of-the-line skilled wrestlers in historical past, changing into an entertaining determine with WWE and TNA.

In the meantime, the Steelers solved their operating again downside by buying and selling for Jerome Bettis. Whereas it took till the top of Bettis’ profession for the Steelers to win a Tremendous Bowl, he was the center and soul of that staff for years. With out him, it’s powerful to say if they’d’ve received the franchise’s fifth Tremendous Bowl.

Angle becoming a member of his hometown staff would’ve been a pleasant story, however Bettis isn’t a comfort prize. Who is aware of if Angle would’ve panned out even with extra expertise too. It’s a enjoyable what-if state of affairs, although. It’s powerful to say what would’ve been higher for Angle to win: an Olympic gold medal or a Tremendous Bowl ring along with his favourite staff? Simply having that choice reveals what a fantastic athlete Angle was.