During an interview on the red carpet at the Golden Globes, Miami football alum Dwayne Johnson discussed the Hurricanes playing in the National Championship Game on January 19. Johnson was appearing at the Golden Globes as he was nominated for best actor in The Smashing Machine.
Johnson was nominated for playing Mixed Martial Artist Mark Kerr as he transitioned from an NCAA Wrestling Champion at Syracuse to his MMA career primarily between 1997 and 2000. The story is similar to Johnson's path as a football player at Miami to a World Wrestling Entertainment star.
Johnson played in 39 games with 77 tackles and 4.25 sacks per ESPN. After his Miami playing career ended, Johnson tried out for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League and was moved from defensive tackle to linebacker, placed on the practice squad and was cut months into the 1995 season.
Johnson comes from a wrestling family. Johnson's father, Rocky, was a Wrestling star in the 1970s and '80s, while his Samoan grandfather, Peter Maivia, wrestled in the 1960s. Johnson's daughter Simone, known as Ava Raine, is now wrestling in WWE.
Even on the red carpet, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE U for @TheRock 🙌 #GoCanes pic.twitter.com/Zuohk5l2mA
— Miami Hurricanes (@MiamiHurricanes) January 12, 2026
"C'mon, we're going...Back again. I played for the U. We had a great team back then. Ray Lewis, Warren Sapp, I played for three National Championships. We won one, we lost two. Can't wait for them. So proud of them...so proud of Mario Cristobal, the work he's doing. That was my teammate when we were back there. We won National Championships together...I can't wait to watch my boys. "Dwayne Johnson
Johnson played for Miami from 1991 through 1994. Miami won the 1991 National Championship when Johnson was a freshman. The Hurricanes lost to Alabama in the 1993 Sugar Bowl with a National Championship at stake and to Nebraska in the 1995 Orange Bowl with the winner earning a title.
It has been well documented that Johnson was passed on the Miami depth chart at DT by Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp during his career with the Hurricanes. Johnson mentioned Sapp, linebacker Ray Lewis and current Miami head coach Mario Cristobal as his former teammates with the Hurricanes.
Cristobal played with Miami from 1989 through 1992, winning National Championships in 1989 and 1991. Miami has steadily improved under Cristobal with this year being a break through as the Hurricanes earned their first College Football Playoff berth. Miami has advanced to the National Title game with three CFP wins.