Jim Wilson ( wrestler ) James Milligan Wilson ( June 12 , 1942 – February 2 , 2009 ) was a professional American football offensive lineman and a professional wrestler who is most noted for his attempts at starting a labor union for wrestlers . He is the co - author of a book called " CHOKEHOLD : Pro Wrestling ' s Real Mayhem Outside the Ring " which exposed certain unfair labor practices by various promoters , most of them National Wrestling Alliance members , but also including Vince McMahon and his World Wrestling Entertainment . Football . He had been a good athlete from his early years , overcoming a spinal curvature problem and was offered a football scholarship to the University of Georgia . Although recruited from high school as a fullback , because of his size he played both ways as an offensive and defensive lineman and was named All - American for his contributions as an offensive tackle during his time there ; he was coach Vince Dooley ' s first All - America n . Coach Dooley would comment at Wilson ' s funeral service that had he known of his accomplishments as a high school fullback , he would have handed Wilson the ball as well . In 1964 he was drafted by the then - Boston Patriots of the American Football League and the San Francisco 49ers of the established National Football League ; he signed with the 49ers . He was also voted into the 1965 All Rookie team . Wilson played in San Francisco for two seasons and then , at his request , was dealt to the Atlanta Falcons , who were just starting up . It was during his time with the Falcons that he was approached by Georgia wrestler and promoter Ray Gunkel to wrestle during the football off - season . He agreed to do so , as most NFL contracts at that time did not pay during the off season . The Falcons did not approve of his off - season wrestling , and as a result , he was traded to the then - Los Angeles Rams for whom he played for three seasons , before injuries ended his NFL career in 1971 . In 2001 , he was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame . Four years later , he was also inducted into the UGA Circle of Honor . Professional wrestling career . Jim Wilson was considered to be one of the most promising up and coming wrestlers of his era . His career hit a roadblock when he allegedly turned down sexual advances from NWA promoter Jim Barnett . Wilson had claimed that after that incident , he was blackballed from the sport and that Barnett had coerced other promoters not to book him . Wilson attempted to reform professional wrestling and start up a union for professional wrestlers . He wrote the book " CHOKEHOLD : Pro Wrestling ' s Real Mayhem Outside the Ring " , which was released in 2003 in which he claimed he had been blackballed from the sport . Wilson brought forward an antitrust case against the National Wrestling Alliance in 1980 . In 1984 he also appeared on " 20 / 20 " , speaking out against the wrestling industry . In addition , in 2007 , he attempted to convince the United States Congress to hold hearings on the wrestling industry . Personal life . Wilson was born to a fairly distinguished family living just outside of Pittsburgh . His father had been a decorated veteran of World War II and his mother ' s side traced its lineage back to the " Mayflower " . Wilson died in Atlanta on February 2 , 2009 after a battle with cancer . He was 67 .