Shawne Merriman was one of the top linebackers in the NFL during his prime, making the Pro Bowl three times and winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2005.
After his playing career was over in 2013, Merriman became a media personality, and nearly joined WWE.
Merriman was part of the WrestleMania XXX pre-show and he was "welcomed to the family," but the partnership never got off the ground.
“I was all in, I was all in. I think, two things why I think that it didn’t really…I came in, I hosted WrestleMania that was in New Orleans, and the next day, I came to work, which was one of the best experiences of my life ever, and I’m talking about football included. Being there, and I was up there with Booker T, Shawn Michaels, and then Mick Foley. I’m sitting up there, and it’s kind of a surreal moment for me because I’m still a fan. I got my earpieces in, and they brought out Hulk Hogan first, and I’m peeking back because the fan is still there, and I still want to watch. Then I heard the broken glass, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin came out. So now I’m peeking. I’m live on TV, and I’m peeking my ass off. Finally, ‘If you smell,’ they brought The Rock out. I said, ‘Okay, fuck this.’ I’m watching. That was it. That was my call right there. I don’t give a shit what they say to me at this point because I’m watching, I’m not missing this. I got the best seat in the house, I can see everything. So it was great, it was one of the best times I had. I talked to Stephanie McMahon, talked to Paul [Triple H] after. I spent some time with Vince [McMahon] around that same period of time. It was gonna go through and everything. Got down to the point where it was like, ‘Okay, what about this whole ‘Lights Out’ thing?’" Merriman recalled while speaking to The Undertaker on Six Feet Under.
Undertaker asked if WWE wanted the rights to his nickname "Lights Out."
"Yeah. I’ve been called ‘Lights Out’ since I was 6 years old. When I got my first paycheck by the Chargers in the NFL, I bought the name and rights to ‘Lights Out’ because I wanted to own it, so I had it. I was probably more closer to the people on the business side, the licensing side, and everything else even more than I was the talent because I knew where the money was. The licensing, the stores, the buyers, everything. That was a big part. I know the power of WWE globally. So I was all in. So I think it was that, and then too, the WWE Network didn’t do so well when it first launched. It took a while before it got off, so I think they ended up letting go like nine or ten percent of staff, and it was just a mess. So we just never picked up. But it was always a real good relationship with them, even still now. I’ll see Paul and I’ll see some of the guys on that side. I walk up to them and I give them a big hug, and we’ll talk every time we see each other, so we got a really good relationship," he said.
Merriman made an appearance at TNA Rebellion, turning on Joe Hendry.
Fans can find Merriman's comments on his TNA appearance by clicking here.
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