Ernie Ladd Ernest " Ernie " Ladd ( November 28 , 1938 – March 10 , 2007 ) , nickname d " The Big Cat " , was an American collegiate and professional football player and a professional wrestler . A standout athlete in high school , Ladd attended Grambling State University on a basketball scholarship before being drafted to the American Football League ' s San Diego Chargers in 1961 . Ladd found success in the AFL as one of the largest players in professional football history . He helped the Chargers to four AFL championship games in five years , winning the championship with the team in 1963 . He also had stints with both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Oilers . Ladd also took up professional wrestling during the AFL offseason and after a knee injury ended his football career , he turned to wrestling full - time in 1969 . As a wrestler , Ladd became one of the top heels in the business . For much of his career he played a villainous character who would arrogantly taunt both opponents and crowds . Ladd feuded with many popular wrestlers of the time , including Wahoo McDaniel , André the Giant and Mr . Wrestling . He retired from wrestling in 1986 . Ladd was recognized for his careers in both football and wrestling . He was inducted into the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame in 1981 , the Grambling State University Hall of Fame in 1989 and the WWF Hall of Fame in 1995 . Ladd was diagnosed with colon cancer in the winter of 2003 – 2004 . He died several years later on March 10 , 2007 at the age of 68 . Early life . Ladd was born in Rayville , Louisiana and raised in Orange , Texas . He was a football and basketball star in high school . In high school , he was coached by William Ray Smith , Sr . , father of Bubba Smith . Ladd subsequently attended Grambling State University on a basketball scholarship . Athletic career . Pro football . Though he was drafted in the fourth round of the 1961 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears , the American Football League ' s San Diego Chargers selected the Grambling State University standout with their 15th pick ( 119th overall ) in the 1961 draft . At 6 ' 9 " and 315 pounds , Ladd was said to be the biggest and strongest man in professional football during his era : 52 - inch chest , 39 - inch waist , 20 - inch biceps , 19 - inch neck and size 18D shoes . Ladd played in four AFL championship games , helping the Chargers win the American Football League title in 1963 with teammate Earl Faison , both members of the original Fearsome Foursome . Ladd , an American Football League All - Star from 1962 through 1965 , was one of the AFL players that organized a walkout on the 1965 AFL All - Star Game due to the racism they experienced in New Orleans . Although Ladd found success with the Chargers , he had a contentious relationship with the Chargers front office . He started the 1965 season being indefinitely suspended from the team by Coach / General Manager Sid Gillman . Ladd stated that he and teammate Earl Faison would play out their contract options , opting to take a 10 percent cut in salary in exchange for becoming free agents at the end of the season . A planned trade with the Oilers in early 1966 would have sent Faison and Ladd to Houston . However , both were declared free agent s after a ruling by AFL commissioner Joe Foss , who declared that Oilers owner Bud Adams had tampered in trade dealings with the Chargers . Ladd refused to re - sign with the Chargers and suggested he might instead turn to professional wrestling full - time . Eventually , Ladd signed with the Oilers and spent the 1966 season playing for them before moving in 1967 to the Kansas City Chiefs . There , with former Grambling teammate Buck Buchanan , he filled out what was probably the biggest defensive tackle tandem in history . Both Ladd and Buchanan are members of the Grambling State University Athletic Hall of Fame . Boston Patriots center Jon Morris said Ladd was so big , he blocked out the sun : " It was dark . I couldn ’ t see the linebacker s . I couldn ’ t see the goalposts . It was like being locked in a closet . " In 1981 , he was inducted into the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame . Wrestling . Ladd started wrestling in 1961 . As a publicity stunt , some wrestlers in the San Diego area challenged Ladd to a private wrestling workout . Before long , Ladd was a part - time competitor in Los Angeles , during football ' s off - season . Ladd became a huge draw in short order . When knee problems cut his football career short , Ladd turned to the more financially lucrative business of wrestling full - time in 1969 . After a run as a fan favorite , Ladd became one of wrestling ' s most hated heels during the 1970s , as well as one of the first black wrestlers to portray a heel character . He riled crowds with his arrogant and colorful demeanor during interviews , especially with his less than politically correct nicknames for opponents such as Wahoo McDaniel ( whom he referred to as " the Drunken Indian " ) , and Mr . Wrestling ( whom he called " the Masked Varmint " and insisted that he was an escaped criminal ) . Ladd also gained infamy through use of his controversial taped thumb , which Ladd claimed was from an old football injury . Often , when Ladd appeared to be in serious trouble during a match , he ' d walk out of the arena and accept a countout loss . This practice has since become known as " pulling an Ernie Ladd " in some circles . Ladd wrestled for a number of different wrestling associations , including the World Wide Wrestling Federation where he was managed by The Grand Wizard of Wrestling . Known for his immense size and power , it was a natural for Ladd to engage in feuds with other giants , including a famous feud with André the Giant ( whom Ladd referred to as " Andre the Dummy " or " The Big Fat French Fry " during interviews ) . In certain areas , Ladd ' s wrestling nickname was " The King " , and he would wear an ornate crown to emphasize it . In other wrestling associations , he was " The Big Cat , " and walked in with a big cowboy hat . Ladd challenged Bruno Sammartino one time at Madison Square Garden for the WWWF title when Bruno reigned , handily pinning Earl " Mr . Universe " Maynard the month prior . He also challenged Pedro Morales for the same title during the latter ' s reign . In 1978 he wrestled WWWF champion Bob Backlund . When the I . W . A . had its brief run in the New York area , Ladd lost a 2 out of 3 fall match to champion Mil Mascaras , 2 falls to 1 ( he pinned Mascaras the first fall , was disqualified in the second , and was pinned by Mascaras in the third ) . This match took place at Roosevelt Stadium , in Jersey City , NJ . After leaving the WWWF , Ladd ventured to the Mid - South territory promoted by Bill Watts . While in the Mid - South area , Ladd feuded with Paul Orndorff , Ray Candy , and Junkyard Dog . He also served as a manager to Afa & Sika , the Wild Samoans . Ladd also had a decent run as part of a tag team with " Bad " Leroy Brown in the early 1980s . Ladd would also assist Watts as a booker behind the scenes , and had a large part in the development of Sylvester Ritter as the area ' s top draw . Ladd retired from wrestling in 1986 due to recurring knee problems . He would occasionally do color commentary at certain WWF events , usually teamed with Gorilla Monsoon ; although he wrestled most of his career as a villain , Ladd ' s WWF commentary favored the fan favorites . He was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1995 . Life after wrestling . Ladd was a longtime friend of the Bush family and supported the campaign of George W . Bush . Ladd also owned and operated Big Cat Ernie Ladd ' s " Throwdown " BBQ Restaurant in New Orleans , Louisiana until August 29 , 2005 , when it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina . In the hurricane ' s aftermath , he ministered to Katrina evacuees at the Astrodome . He was a friend of WWE Hall of Fame commentator Jim Ross . Ernie Ladd also appeared in an episode of " That ' 70s Show " entitled " That Wrestling Show . " He was in the locker room with The Rock , who was playing his father " Soul Man " Rocky Johnson , whom Eric & Red were seeking an autograph from . Death . Ladd was diagnosed with colon cancer in the winter of 2003 - 2004 ; his doctor told him that he had three to six months to live . Ladd died several years later on March 10 , 2007 at the age of 68 . He was survived by his wife of 45 years and their four children .