Colorado Buffaloes Linebacker Dramatic Fight With WWE Hall of Fame Dad, Bill Goldberg

For Colorado football fans, it was a surreal crossover moment.

One of the most iconic figures in professional wrestling was stepping into the ring for the final time, and right there with him was his son, Gage Goldberg, a rising linebacker under Colorado coach Deion Sanders.

Colorado fans who also grew up watching professional wrestling have likely noticed the elder Goldberg around Folsom Field. The former WWE world champion is a familiar figure on the Buffaloes’ sidelines, thanks in large part to his decades-long friendship with "Coach Prime."

The two first crossed paths in the early 1990s while teammates on the Atlanta Falcons. It was Sanders who, according to Goldberg himself, encouraged the former defensive tackle to give wrestling a try once his NFL career ended.

"We had wrestling matches every Friday in the middle of the locker room," Coach Prime laughingly recalled during a video posted by Well Off Media on YouTube last year. "I used to always say, 'Who wants Goldberg?!' And everybody put their head down. Nobody wanted him."

That playful locker room rivalry would spark a genuine friendship and mutual respect that has stood the test of time.

"I guess I have to give him 100% credit for me being a professional wrestler because I never would've done it," Goldberg responded.

Though slightly tongue-in-cheek, their time in Atlanta together set the foundation for a friendship that would come full circle decades later when Goldberg's son Gage would join "Coach Prime" and the Buffaloes.

But over the weekend, it was Gage who found himself in the middle of the action.

At WWE Saturday Night's Main Event, Goldberg stepped into the ring one last time in a highly anticipated title match against the reigning WWE World Champion, Gunther. Taking place in Goldberg’s home state of Georgia, the match had all the trappings of a classic sendoff.

What followed, however, was a brief but unforgettable moment that no one saw coming.

As Goldberg lay recovering mid-match, Gunther stepped out of the ring and began taunting Gage at ringside. After a few heated words, the World Champion shoved the younger Goldberg, prompting Gage to leap the barrier and square up in defense of his father.

WWE officials quickly stepped in to defuse the confrontation, but the distraction gave Goldberg just enough time to recover and deliver a punishing spear to the World Champion, drawing a thunderous response from the crowd.

Although the match ended with Goldberg falling short against Gunther, the scene inside the State Farm Arena was less about winning and losing and more about legacy.

For Goldberg, it was a fitting farewell in his home state in front of friends and family.

For Gage, it was a symbolic passing of the torch moment and a chance to share the spotlight with the man who inspired his grit and toughness on the field.

After the event, WWE legend and Chief Content Officer Triple H commented on Gage’s future, saying, “He probably won’t be the last Goldberg in the business. I can see this sparkle in Gage’s eyes, and he’s been very clear about it – if the NFL doesn’t work out, here he comes.”

For now, Gage Goldberg is still focused on proving himself on the gridiron.

Now more than ever, Buffaloes fans will be watching closely to see how Gage continues to develop under "Coach Prime" and linebackers coach Andre Hart this season.

While Gage saw limited game action in 2024, he is known for his physicality and toughness in practice, traits that clearly run in the family.