Inside WWE star Roman Reigns' Georgia Tech football career - ESPN

ON SEPT. 3, 2005, quarterback Brandon Cox was making his first start for the Auburn Tigers, who were coming off an undefeated season in which they finished No. 2 in the AP poll.

«It's still a game I have nightmares about,» he said.

With running back Kenny Irons out, Auburn was short-handed in the ground game, meaning Cox would take on a greater role. And the Tigers' opponent that day, Georgia Tech, had a defense built to make an inexperienced quarterback's life difficult.

It was led by senior defensive tackle Joe Anoa'i, who would go on to have a first-team All-ACC season for the Yellow Jackets.

«We wound up throwing the ball a lot more than we planned to,» Cox said. «And I was hit a lot, most of the time by Joe.»

One play in particular summed up Cox's misery. Midway through the fourth quarter, Anoa'i beat Auburn center Joe Cope with a spin move and hit Cox's elbow as he threw. The pass was intercepted, and as Cox turned to run toward the defender, Anoa'i was standing right there and flattened him.

«I didn't know what hit me,» Cox said.

Today, Cox has two young sons. While they have become big Auburn fans and know their dad once was the Tigers' quarterback, he hasn't shown them the hit that Anoa'i delivered, but said he expects to one day.

«I'll be like, 'Yeah, your dad was about beheaded by Roman Reigns back in 2005.'»

JOE ANOA'I HAS found new ways to inflict punishment on his opponents, such as the Superman punch and his signature spear. Under the name Roman Reigns, he is the WWE Universal champion and will headline the main event at WrestleMania 40 this weekend.

The roots of Reigns' success as a professional wrestler were apparent to those who coached and played with and against him at Georgia Tech, Cox in particular.