Bill Goldberg

William Scott Goldberg (born December 27, 1966), often known mononymously as Goldberg, is an American retired professional wrestler and football player. As a wrestler, he is best known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

One of the most popular figures of the professional wrestling boom during the late 1990s and early 2000s, Goldberg rose to fame in WCW with a lengthy undefeated streak in singles competition from 1997 to 1998, became the highest paid WCW wrestler, and led the company as its franchise player and public face until it was sold to WWE in 2001. During his time with WCW, he became a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, a two-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, and a one-time WCW World Tag Team Champion (with Bret Hart). Along with Hart, he is the fifth WCW Triple Crown winner.

Following WCW's closure in 2001, Goldberg wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling between 2002 and 2003 and for WWE between 2003 and 2004, becoming a one-time World Heavyweight Champion (2002–2013 version) in the latter. After 12 years away from wrestling, he returned to WWE in 2016, winning the WWE Universal Championship for the first time in 2017 and a second time in 2020. He has headlined multiple WCW and WWE pay-per-view events, including WCW's premier annual event Starrcade (in 1998 and 1999). He headlined the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018, and is recognized as a four-time world champion in his career between WWE and WCW. He is also the only wrestler to have won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, the 2002–2013 version of WWE's World Heavyweight Championship, and the WWE Universal Championship, as well as the only wrestler to win a world championship after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, which happened with his second Universal Championship win. He had his retirement match at Saturday Night's Main Event XL on July 12, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia, a losing effort against Gunther for WWE's newer World Heavyweight Championship (introduced in 2023).

Before he became a professional wrestler, Goldberg was a professional American football player. Following his first retirement from wrestling in 2004, he began working as a commentator for the mixed martial arts promotion Elite Xtreme Combat before it closed down. He hosted 26 episodes of Garage Mahal on the DIY Network from 2009 to 2011 and has acted in various films and television shows, including Universal Soldier: The Return and NCIS: Los Angeles.

William Scott Goldberg was born into a Reform Jewish family in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on December 27, 1966, the son of classical violinist Ethel and OB-GYN Jed Goldberg. He is of Russian-Jewish and Romanian-Jewish descent, with his Romanian-born great-grandfather having relocated to the U.S. from Bucharest through Ellis Island. His father was a graduate of both Harvard and Johns Hopkins University. His parents later divorced, and his father died in late 2006. His mother breeds flowers and created an award-winning hybrid orchid in 2000, which she named after Goldberg. He has two brothers. Goldberg had his Bar Mitzvah at a Reform synagogue, Temple Israel, in his hometown. He attended Tulsa Edison High School. He acquired a love for football early in his life and, due to his large stature, began working as a nightclub bouncer at the age of 16.

Goldberg earned a scholarship to attend the University of Georgia and play college football for the Georgia Bulldogs as a defensive tackle. He was a four-year letterman for the Bulldogs from 1986 to 1989, and earned Associated Press first-team All-SEC honors in 1989. He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 11th round, with the 301st overall pick, of the 1990 NFL draft. He signed with the Rams on July 11, 1990, but was later released on August 29, 1990, before the start of the regular season. After being a free agent for the entire 1990 regular season, Goldberg signed with the Rams again on March 18, 1991. However, he was released again on August 19, 1991. He was then signed to the practice roster of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League on September 11, 1991. On October 19, 1991, he was released by the Lions.

On February 4, 1992, Goldberg was selected by the Sacramento Surge of the World League of American Football (WLAF) in the seventh round, with the 68th overall pick, of the 1992 WLAF draft. He played in all ten games for the Surge during the 1992 WLAF season and recorded three sacks. The Surge finished the season with an 8–2 record and advanced to World Bowl '92, where they defeated the Orlando Thunder by a score of 21–17. Goldberg became a free agent after the 1992 WLAF season and signed with the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL. He was released on August 25, 1992, and signed to the Falcons' practice squad on September 1. He was promoted to the active roster on December 1 and made his NFL debut on December 3, 1992, wearing jersey number #71. Overall, Goldberg played in four games, starting one, for the Falcons during the 1992 season and posted two tackles. He became close with Deion Sanders during this time. The next year, Goldberg was released on September 6, 1993, but signed to the practice squad the next day. He was promoted to the active roster again on November 10, 1993, and appeared in five games for the Falcons during the 1993 season, totaling eight tackles. Goldberg played in five games again in 1994 and made one solo tackle. In 1995, he was selected by the new expansion team the Carolina Panthers in the 1995 NFL expansion draft. On April 20, 1995, he was cut by the Panthers; becoming the first player ever released by the team. Goldberg's NFL career ended when he "tore his lower abdomen off his pelvis". He explained that he hoped to return to the league after rehabilitation but was not considered a major asset due to his lack of success. The NFL was "a mixed emotional experience" for him because he did not attain the level of success on the field that he desired, despite reaching the goal of simply playing in the league.

Following the end of his professional football career, Goldberg began training in powerlifting and mixed martial arts as part of his rehabilitation. During this period, he was approached by WCW performers Lex Luger and Sting, who encouraged him to consider a transition into professional wrestling. Although initially unfamiliar with the industry, Goldberg viewed it as a viable career path and began training at WCW's Power Plant, the company's official developmental facility.