Ex-NFL DL A.J. Francis prepared for professional wrestling title shot Friday evening: ‘In TNA, I am a quarterback’ Dec 12, 2024

There’s little likelihood A.J. Francis will ever ship a heartfelt thanks notice to Dave Gettleman.

Maybe he ought to.

It was in the summertime of 2018 when Francis was launched by the New York Giants. Not lengthy after, he made the swap from the gridiron to the squared circle and has by no means appeared again.

As soon as an NFL defensive lineman who by his admission was on the roster bubble autumn after autumn, Francis now finds himself within the largest professional wrestling match of his burgeoning profession, difficult Nic Nemeth for the Whole Nonstop Motion (TNA) Wrestling world championship on Friday evening.

“Friday’s actually the most important second of my profession,” Francis instructed NFL.com forward of his matchup on the Middle Stage Theater in Atlanta and streaming on TNA+. “It is my first world title match. Some folks wrestle for 20-30 years and by no means get a world title match on the caliber of TNA. So far as world titles in wrestling, there’s not many as outstanding, as historic, as necessary because the TNA world title. So, to be given the chance to even be in a match for it, is an honor and a privilege.”

A product of Gonzaga Excessive College (the identical alma mater as Caleb Williams) who was an undrafted free agent out of Maryland, Francis was a defensive lineman whose NFL profession ranged from 2013 to 2018 with time spent within the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington and Giants organizations.

When Friday evening rolls round, Francis will not be the one former NFL participant on the TNA card.

Quinn Ojinnaka, higher identified now as “Moose,” was an offensive lineman from 2006 by 2016 for the Atlanta Falcons, Patriots, Rams and Indianapolis Colts. “Moose” is two-time former TNA world champion, however that is Francis’ evening upcoming, his title adorning the marquee.

“I’ve solely been wrestling for six years,” Francis, 34, stated, “and this previous 12 months’s been by far the very best of my profession, and I feel I’ve earned this chance, so I am actually excited to show why I belong on this world title image.”

It has been an extended street and a brief journey all the identical for Francis, whose profession has stunningly grown and prospered since he was launched by WWE, simply essentially the most well-known skilled wrestling model to the informal fan and common public.

Francis’ professional wrestling genesis got here in some ways due to what he believes myriad Huge Blue rooters can relate to: a foul choice by Gettleman.

“I positively performed nicely sufficient to make the staff, however, you recognize, Gettleman determined to not preserve me,” Francis stated. “And, in the event you ask any New York Giants fan, that is not the one mistake he is ever made.”

Francis was formally launched by the Giants on Sept. 1, 2018.

As destiny would have it, the final NFL sport he would find yourself taking part in had come 9 months prior on New 12 months’s Eve 2017 and it was in opposition to the Giants, as Francis was then taking part in for Washington. It was possible his finest profession exhibiting, having logged a career-high 44 snaps for Washington and posted a career-best six tackles in an 18-10 loss to New York.

Following his New York launch, Francis rapidly discovered his true calling.

With minimal expertise after participating in a wrestling battle royal at his pal’s celebration of all issues, Francis enrolled at Workforce 3D Academy, a wrestling faculty helmed by WWE Corridor of Famers Bubba Ryan and D-Von Dudley. He’d had his first wrestling match in late October of 2018, however by January of the next 12 months his agent got here calling. Francis says he had provides from the Cleveland Browns and Raiders for futures contracts. He’d come to a realization, although, on the autumns behind him and what might lie forward.

“I used to be the utility man that had to have the ability to do all the things,” Francis stated of his NFL days. “I used to be at all times the bubble roster man, fringe man, apply squad, referred to as up, play in a pair video games, return down. That was my entire profession. That is the profession of so many undrafted free brokers.”

Francis set his sights ahead on wrestling, however stays grateful for each alternative offered him by his previous soccer exploits.

“The NFL opened so many doorways for me in wrestling,” Francis stated. “Even earlier than I received to WWE, I used to be getting booked on the indies like three, 4 months into wrestling coaching as a result of they have been reserving me as, I used to be getting booked in D.C. as a former Commanders gamers. I used to be getting booked in South Florida as a former Dolphins participant. Simply the NFL helped me a lot in my wrestling profession, in addition to clearly my media profession.”

It was his NFL pedigree that additionally helped him to get a tryout with the WWE.

Ultimately that became a contract, the place he was as soon as extra a part of a staff: Hit Row. Together with Francis’ “High Dolla,” Isaiah “Swerve” Scott (now “Swerve” Strickland in Tony Khan’s AEW), Ashante “Thee” Adonis and B-Fab comprised the Hit Row faction. It turned a sizzling act on NXT — WWE’s developmental model.

When Hit Row received to the primary roster, although, it wasn’t pushed because it was on NXT.

Initially launched in November of 2021, Francis and Co. rejoined the group in August of 2022 (sans “Swerve”). Nonetheless, Francis and his squad by no means reclaimed the excitement they’d in NXT. Maybe essentially the most notable low was a Francis botch when he tried a entrance dive excessive rope. Botches occur a lot on this planet of professional wrestling, although this one was exasperated by the commentary staff surprisingly making mild of it time after time, shining a light-weight on his mishap.

As soon as once more in September — this time in 2023 — Francis was launched.

“A 12 months in the past, I used to be a laughingstock in wrestling,” Francis stated. “A 12 months in the past, I used to be a joke, a punchline. And now, I am the very best heel within the enterprise. And all it took was a chance.”

Undeterred, Francis’ NFL expertise — the ups and downs of getting worn so many jerseys — proved pivotal.

He appeared again on the time when Pete Carroll and the Seahawks despatched him packing within the spring of 2016 for instance of gas his hearth.

“I did not actually have an issue with [my Seahawks release], however I knew proper then and there, I used to be like, ‘Oh you assume you do not want me, you do not assume I am ok to remain round, OK nicely I’ll present you that I’m,’” Francis stated. “I ended up taking part in three extra years.”

Since becoming a member of TNA in January of this 12 months below his actual title, Francis has grow to be certainly one of wrestling’s finest unhealthy guys.

His present of gab and hustle to get his title — and TNA’s — recognition have labored to aplomb. His method was a lot the identical with the WWE, however considered a lot in another way.

“WWE would not want anyone. WWE is a model title,” Francis says. “However due to that, they will choose and select who they need to be their guys and women. They usually’ve executed an excellent job of that through the years. However they’ve additionally missed on some folks, like for instance, Cody Rhodes.”

Rhodes, whose late father Dusty was one of many trade’s largest stars within the Seventies and 80s, was within the WWE ranks for years, however hardly ever superior previous the mid-card. Upon his launch, Cody Rhodes trotted the globe, together with stops with TNA and finally serving to to launch Khan’s AEW. He then returned to WWE and is at present certainly one of its headliners.

That is the street Francis is endeavoring to journey: changing into a brighter star than he was whereas with the most important professional wrestling league on this planet.

He is made appearances on The Pat McAfee Present, had appearances with ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, been on Tremendous Bowl media row and landed a gig with the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

“I by no means wanted the machine,” Francis stated of the WWE. “I’m a machine.”

Now, Francis has arrived at Closing Decision. He is headlining in opposition to Nemeth, one other legit athlete — having been a standout wrestler at Kent State — and former WWE expertise performing below his actual title.

Simply as Francis’ launch by the Giants led him to wrestling, his launch by the WWE has led him down one other path that he could not be happier to journey.

“In WWE, I felt like I used to be like a backup O-lineman,” Francis stated. “They’d use me once they wanted me, however they did not actually have a necessity for me. In TNA, I am a quarterback. A Professional Bowl quarterback. A Tremendous Bowl-contending quarterback.”

Francis’ Tremendous Bowl kicks off Friday evening, and he is constructive anybody who will get a ticket can be entertained to the best degree.

“It is gonna be a loopy surroundings,” he stated. “And it is gonna be, I am calling it now, I feel the very best match of my profession and I am very a lot trying ahead to proving to everybody who a 12 months in the past thought I used to be an afterthought, that I am the primary thought that it’s best to have each time.”