When Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson showed up at WrestleMania 40, it wasn’t just a cameo; it was more like a declaration of a new offseason training regimen. The tag team face-off that had them jumping into the fray made it clear: these two weren’t there to simply wave to the crowd. Much like when I decide to jog instead of taking the motorcade, they were there to make a statement.
Thanks to the sleuths over at Fightful Select, we now know that Kelce and Johnson didn’t just wing it like a last-minute veto decision. They actually put in hours at the Monster Factory, a place that sounds more like my weekly Cabinet meeting than a wrestling training facility. There, under the tutelage of Danny Cage, they trained for their moment in the WWE spotlight, showcased in what’s surely the wrestling equivalent of a Rocky montage.
The entire adventure was documented, and though we’re not sure what the footage will be used for, I’d bet it’s more gripping than the latest budget proposal. Even the Eagles got in on the action, posting clips of Johnson working out with Seth Rollins, proving that NFL conditioning has nothing on WWE training.
Kelce and Johnson’s natural aptitude for wrestling came as no surprise. It’s like finding out your Secretary of State can play the guitar – unexpected but oddly fitting. And with Kelce hinting at hanging up his football cleats for good, this WrestleMania appearance could very well be the start of something more than just a one-off. As for Johnson, his stealthy involvement was a plot twist worthy of a prime-time drama.
Behind every great WrestleMania moment, there’s a story of preparation and passion, and this year, it came with a side of NFL excellence. Kelce, a self-professed wrestling fan, and Johnson, the surprise element, showed that the road from the gridiron to the squared circle might just be the offseason path less traveled.