For Duquesne football player Roman Macek, he figured it was worth a try. What’s the worst that could happen? They laugh him out of Texas?

He’d only be gone for a few days. His coaches and teammates were behind him. The flight would land early enough Saturday that he could get back in time for the team’s spring game.

And what’s the best that could happen?

He could land a contract with the WWE to pursue his dream of being a professional wrestler.

“Words can’t describe it,” Macek said. “When this opportunity arose, I would’ve been remiss if I didn’t take it. I would’ve been thinking, in time, talking with my kids, ‘I wish I did this.’ No. Now I can tell them I did try out.”

He can also tell them that the WWE offered him a three-year deal to join their performance training center in Orlando, Fla. It was news that Macek learned Tuesday night.

It’s an opportunity he’s strongly weighing against continuing his football career and his pursuit of a law degree.

“I’ve been a fan since I was a little kid. … I’ve always had a passion for the WWE,” Macek said. “I grew up watching John Cena, Randy Orton, Edge, Shawn Michaels, Triple H.”

A Montour football and wrestling product, Macek accepted an invitation with 51 other prospects for a WWE recruitment tryout last week at the Dallas Cowboys facility in Frisco, Texas.

On Tuesday, Macek said he received a phone call from a WWE executive that the pro wrestling platform wanted to bring him on board as part of their development camp.

“Immediately, I started tearing up,” Macek said. “I threw my hands in the air. I said thank you probably 400 times in the span of 10 seconds. Accepted it immediately. It was an unbelievable feeling. It felt so surreal. …This is something I wanted my entire life.”

Macek said he was discovered by recruiters as much as he found them. The 6-foot-2, 280-pound guard said he followed the Instagram page for the WWE’s recruitment division and “liked” a few posts. That’s when the organization reached out to him.

“I was talking to some of the other talent that was down there, and they all had similar stories,” Macek said. “They received a direct message from the WWE recruitment page, and it just went from there. We all had phone calls from scouting talent identification. It was the most humbling, best experience down there.”

Roman Macek Roman Macek (right) takes a moment to pose with Evidence NJoku while the two were taking part in a three-day WWE tryout in Texas.  

Macek said the three-day tryout was an intensive mix of in-ring drills and agility tests. Plus, there were numerous persona development exercises where Macek and his peers worked on their on-camera presence and delivery to the camera.

“Executives that worked on the promo side, writers of the WWE, (we) were taught how to cut a promo and how to use your words to tell a story,” Macek said. “We also had some performance testing. We were throwing medicine balls above our heads. Verticals. Broad jumps. Little drills to gauge athletic ability. … Learning how to take bumps, and how to fall correctly. I’m an offensive lineman. I never want to hit the ground. But now I’m learning how to hit the ground properly without being hurt. Then hitting the ropes.”

Macek said the camp largely consisted of current and former college athletes, including former Pitt football player Keldrick Wilson and Robert Morris volleyball player Emily Devlin.

According to Macek’s head coach, Jerry Schmitt, the only requirement he asked of Macek was to come back healthy and not expose himself to injury risk this close to the season. Schmitt said Macek gave him the news of the offer Tuesday. He said whatever the WWE is looking for, he understands why the organization’s recruiters gravitated to the former WPIAL standout.

“He’s a crazy-hard worker in the weight room. So he is very strong. He was a very good wrestler in high school. He has those skills where he can move on his feet, stay on his feet. … He’s a very good athlete. I’ve even, at times, thought about using him as a fullback or H-back.” Schmitt said. “He likes attention. Likes to talk. He is highly intelligent, in law school. All those things combined make him a good candidate.”

Macek, whose long-term plan is to be a sports agent, said that his family, coaches and teammates have been supportive of him every step of this process and haven’t stood in the way of him pursuing this goal. Even if that means pulling out of law school — for now — and walking away from football.

“They could not have been more supportive. They want me to chase my dreams. And that means the world to me,” Macek said.

After hearing from Macek about the offer, we reached out to the WWE for comment but have not yet received a response. Macek said the contract is supposed to reach him later this week and he will have to make a decision quickly. The WWE would require him to relocate to Florida within 60 days. But it’s clear the second-team All-NEC lineman is leaning toward pro wrestling.

Macek said he’ll make an announcement soon on social media, and maybe we’ll see how far those promo skills have come.

Listen: Tim Benz talks with Roman Macek on Tuesday’s ‘Breakfast With Benz’ podcast

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