According to multiple reports, it had been confirmed that former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman will be joining the WWE. Ring announcers John Bradshaw Layfield and Michael Cole mentioned it on their podcast.
Fans became aware that Merriman may be joining the company when current WWE superstar Rey Mysterio put a picture on Instagram of him:
"Kicking it with Merriman last night backstage before HOF" referring to WWE's hall of fame induction ceremony. Mysterio also said "#FutureWWESuperstar!" in the caption of the photo. That was posted before anything was official, but now it is official.
This could likely bring more fans to the WWE. Football fans will want to see how "Lights Out" performs in the WWE. Merriman will more than likely be liked by the WWE fans. Currently, he is training in Florida, but let's take a moment to look into the future. When he is ready, look for Merriman to partner with Mysterio. First, both are associated with San Diego (Mysterio is from San Diego, Merriman played for the Chargers). That could potentially be a theme of their tag team. Second, Merriman may not be a great in-ring worker at first, so Mysterio would help take some of the load off of Merriman's shoulders when it comes to actually wrestling. Lastly, both are liked by fans, so it would make sense to put them together, especially with the tag team needing some help. This combination would make perfect sense. WWE made the right move in signing Merriman.