Pro wrestling icon is latest Eagles fan

Rhodes himself was never a football player, but his legendary father, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, played for West Texas State and once tried out for the AFL’s Boston Patriots. He even played professionally for the Hartford Charter Oaks in the Continental Football League.

The current WWE superstar couldn’t have picked a better time to be a fan. With an 8-1 record, the Eagles are the best team in football according to ESPN’s latest power rankings. More importantly, WWE’s signature event is coming to Philadelphia this year.

Wrestlemania 40 will be held at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field from April 6-7. The city last hosted the event in 1999. After years away from the company, Rhodes made a triumphant return to WWE by beating Seth “Freakin” Rollins at Wrestlemania 38.

He wasn’t so lucky against Roman Reigns last year. Rhodes fell short of beating WWE’s Universal Champion at Wrestlemania 39 in a match that’s still fresh in his mind, telling Joey G. of wrestlingheadlines.com:

“I’m being honest in a sense that, I don’t know how to feel about WrestleMania 39 until I get to where I’d like to get. It’s a long road to get back. It’s a long road. You can catch me under my breath when I’m in the ring on Raw or at SummerSlam, I’ve been saying, ‘We’re on our way, we’re on our way.”

So that’s it. Rhodes’ affinity for Philadelphia is less about its current rankings and more about what lies ahead, namely a second chance to win it all. The Eagles can get a small measure of revenge when they face the Chiefs this week on "Monday Night Football." Rhodes will have to wait a little longer for his next title shot.