CARDS: Pro Set 1991 World League Insert, Ultimate WL 1992
ACQUIRED: In Person, 2023

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

• Defensive tackle Bill Goldberg played college football at Georgia from 1987-89.
• An 11th round draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams in the 1990 Draft.
• He made the franchise and was with the team through the offseason of 1991.
• Bill signed with the Sacramento Surge of the World League in 1992.
• He helped anchor down an impressive defense notching 3 sacks on the season, as the team won World Bowl II.
• After the World League collapsed, Bill signed with the Sacramento Goldminers of the CFL that year.
• This led him to the Atlanta Falcons during that same year in 1992.
• Bill played with the Falcons through 1994.
• In a preseason game against the Eagles, Bill tore his abductor muscle from his pelvis.
• This caused him incredible pain while he searched for a proper diagnosis.
• Ultimately he’d be cut by the Falcons, and then later picked up by the new expansion franchise, the Carolina Panthers.
• And… he’d be the first player cut by the Panthers.
• In the meantime, during his rehab, he’d met many wrestlers and was eventually convinced to try his hand at the sport.
• He quickly ascended the ranks of WCW and made his debut as ‘Goldberg’ in 1997.
• Won 173 straight wrestling matches.
• When WCW was bought out by the WWE, Goldberg wrestled in Japan for two years before returning stateside to the WWE.
• Took a break from wrestling, returning to the sport in 2015 during Legends of Wrestling.
• Officially returned to WWE in 2016, retiring from the sport unofficially in 2022.
• Rumors continue to swirl about his return to the sport.
• Has appeared and been in numerous movies and TV shows.

ACCOLADES:

• WWE Hall of Fame
• WWE Championship
• WWE Universal Championship x2
• WCW World Heavyweight Champion x2
• WCW World Tag Team Champion
• WcW United States World Heavyweight Champion x2

NOTES:

Bill is passionate about his charitable causes, notably Purple Heart services for wounded veterans. He also is Jewish- And while he’s extremely respectful of his religious upbringing, it’s something that’s just not talked about a lot.

So a few months ago when the XFL Brahmas opened up shop, some of my friends were invited to a special gathering for the team at the stadium. There they met many of the players and there was a special appearance by Bill Goldberg! (I had not realized he was still so passionate about the sport of Spring Football.)

When this event popped up in Boerne, I got that feeling that, maybe Bill would show up. Y’know a gut feeling. I told my friend who was going with me (Jeff) to not be surprised and to plan as if he might be attending. When we got to this really good taco joint, everything just seemed to line up. Jeff noted the autograph on the wall from Goldberg. Then I texted my friend Brandon, and he said, “Oh yeah, Goldberg will be there.” Just as we were about to step out, the man himself walked in.

Jeff nudged me and we played it cool. When we did speak to Goldberg, I talked to him about the World League and told him about how I probably walked by him at that last game when he was with the Surge, and they beat the Riders in the ‘Do or Die’ game. And while we lost, I left satisfied that next year might be the Riders’ year… <insert audible trail off>

He gave a chuckle and told me that it was a great time. That back then he was pretty close to the stadium since he was living in San Marcos… but that it was from SO LONG AGO. He then took this awesome photo with me.

Later right before he left I approached him one more time and thanked him for his time in the World League. And I’ll say this to any World League player I run into or get the autograph of: It meant so much to me that you guys were chasing your dreams. My father was not the greatest father, but he tried, and the way he got started was by taking me to those World League games. It really helped us bond. And I am forever grateful for every player who played in that league.

He told me that it meant to him more than I’d know- and that honestly meant to me, so, so much.

NFL

TAC	SAC	FUM	INT	YDS	AVG	TD	LG
11	0.0	0	0	0	-.-	0	-.-

WL

TAC	SAC	FUM	INT	YDS	AVG	TD	LG
N/a	3.0	0	0	0	-.-	0	-.-