Wrestling icon John Cena stepped out of the ring for the final time during Saturday Night’s Main Event at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, on Saturday night.
Cena has officially retired from the sport that he has spent the last two decades in, and while it ended in a loss to WWE star Gunther, it was still an incredible farewell for a legend who helped shape wrestling into what it is today.
Naturally, the whole sports world celebrated Cena’s legendary career, with many congratulating him for what he has accomplished and several others reflecting on his legacy.
The NFL itself joined in the celebration of Cena, sharing a post on Instagram to show him that his impact and influence extend outside the ring.
“End of an era…SALUTE,” the NFL wrote, while tagging Cena. The post also showed several photos of the 48-year-old throughout his iconic career.
NFL Legends Honor John Cena
For what it’s worth, NFL legends Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and his brother Eli Manning also paid tribute to John Cena before his retirement match.
“I’ve got to warn you when you enter the grocery store or step into your garage, there’s no entrance music at all in retirement, unless you play it yourself on your AirPods. So that’s a free tip from me to you. Congrats again, pal,” Peyton joked, per US Magazine.
“You inspired so many people. You won a ton of championships, almost impressive enough for me to forget the fact that you’re a die-hard Patriots fan. But hey, I guess no one’s perfect, including the ’07 Patriots,” Eli added.
Brady, for his part, said in a video: “Congratulations on an incredible career. You’ve impacted the lives of so many people inside the ring and outside the ring. Good luck in your last match. I hope you fare better in yours than I did in mine.”
Cena, who made his WWE debut in 2002, certainly deserves all the praise he’s getting. After all, his career accomplishments speak for themselves.
Cena is a Grand Slam champion and a 17-time WWE world champion, which is the most wins of all time. He’s also a five-time United States champion, four-time WWE tag team champion and 10-time Slammy Award winner.
