Jaida Parker Teases Main Roster Call-Up, Tate Wilder Details NFL-To-WWE Switch

During a recent interview with “ALLCITY Wrestling,” Tate Wilder revealed how a sudden phone call from WWE changed his entire career path.

After his NFL run with the Jets ended due to injuries, Wilder was unsure about wrestling at first. However, one training session convinced him instantly, leading him to drop football completely and fully commit to WWE.

You can check out some highlights from the interview below:

On when his focus shifted from football to something else: “When my career came to an end with the Jets, we were in communication with a bunch of other teams, keeping that dream alive. At a certain point, it kind of became like — it’s not that I fell out of love with the sport of football, but it was more of it wasn’t the same as it was when I was growing up. I kind of felt like a shift in my mindset of like, something’s changing.”

On turning his attention to wrestling: “Yeah no, it is a completely different game at that level. It was kind of crazy how it all happened. We get released by the Jets and I’m still dealing with some physical stuff. My medical record got flagged by the NFL through some past injuries in college. We’re dealing with trying to pass the physical and open up the windows for other opportunities to go train with teams. In this whole confusing time in my life is when the WWE called. It was crazy because in college I was like, ‘Yeah, you know, WWE is cool but that’s not my direction. My direction is completely football and that’s it.’ Whoever was representing the NIL class at the time was like, ‘Hey dude, we will be in contact with you in the future.’ I’m like, ‘Alright, cool.’

“We get done with the Jets and then like two days later, I get a phone call from a random Orlando number. I’m like, ‘Alright, whatever, I’ll answer it.’ I answer this phone call and it is the WWE. They’re like, ‘Hey dude, it’s Wednesday. We’re doing a NIL deal Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, can we fly you out tomorrow morning?’ I’m like, ‘You know what, screw it, let’s go.’ I tell my agent like, ‘Hey, push pause on all these teams right now, I’m gonna go check this WWE thing out and see what’s going on.’ As soon as they gave me an opportunity to get in the ring and roll around and feel the ropes and take a bump and express myself with the extreme side, it was kind of like, game over. I told my agent, I said, ‘This is my direction and I do not want to go anywhere else. Here it is, let’s go.’

Jaida Parker expressed great pride in her former NXT allies OTM (now known as 946) after their WWE main roster call-up.

During a recent appearance on “Busted Open After Dark,” Parker discussed how the group supported her early on and that their hard work finally paid off.

Parker also teased that her own main roster call-up could be coming soon.

You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:

On OTM debuting on the main roster: “Hell yeah, I am so proud of them. I am so proud of those boys. They took me in, to be honest with you. They took Jaida Parker in from the get-go. So, just seeing them evolve and then when I saw them on TV, I was like, ‘Hell yeah! They deserve that.’ Even though they didn’t get that many opportunities down here, it’s okay. It is okay. They busted their a**es day in and day out, and them the type of boys, you’re not gonna take anything from them, because they came from nothing. They have nothing to lose. So I’m excited for them.”

On if the debut is motivating for her: “1,000%. 1,000%, because I feel as if I’m in the ring with you — me and Lola (Vice) have had banger matches, and I know if I can go toe to toe with you, it’s only a matter of time before I get the call. I just put it in God’s hands. It’s okay. All I can do is get better and it’s okay to clap for your friends and clap for your peers, even if they get something that you want. So I always have to do that. I’m like, it’s cool. It is cool because my time is coming, because I’m undeniable.”