Every now and then, we get a player so good that being good at their sport becomes too easy for them. First, we saw it with Michael Jordan when he tried to become a baseball player, and then there was this time when Usain Bolt tried to fulfill his boyhood dream of being a soccer player. Even the Golden Gabe, Gable Steveson, tried his luck with the NFL. And now there’s another NCAA wrestler who wants to push his mat greatness to the gridiron as he embarks on his NFL dreams. But while many weren’t happy with this decision, he also got a lot of fan support behind him. But who is he?

Well, it’s none other than Mason Paris. Specializing in the 125 kg free and folk style category, Paris has a lot of accolades to show off. With gold medals in the 2019 U20 World Championships and the 2023 Pan-American Games, he is a force to be reckoned with. But it seems the dreams of Olympic glory have taken a backseat for the mat technician as he took part in the Wolverines’ pro day back in April.

But Paris’s decision to get into the NFL as an undrafted agent has rubbed the wrestling world the wrong way. One user even made their disdain clear by writing, “annoying and very disappointing.” But while the mat faithful were questioning Mason Paris for his intent, podcaster and wrestling pundit Justin Basch was quick to support Paris. He wrote on X, “He’s only allowed to pursue greatness in wrestling? He can’t try anything else while he’s in the peak of his athleticism?” 

He also hinted at how the NFL is a more lucrative avenue when it comes to financial perks.  “Not to mention, he can go and win 4 straight World & Olympic Golds through 2028 and he’d earn less than half ($400k) of what the NFL rookie salary is in 2025 ($840k),” said Basch. Surely, the payment disparity has been talked about a lot by the athletes.

Concluding his statement, Basch pointed out that if anybody did not feel like wrestling at some point in their career, it was completely fine. Thankfully, not only Basch but also a lot of other fans too shared a similar sentiment. 

Fans team up to shower support for Mason Paris

While there was a lot of disdain among the wrestling fans, many flocked to show their support for him. Many even lauded him with praise for his physical sustainability. As one fan put it, “He’s built perfectly for the NFL. Best of luck to him!” This thought reflected how Paris’s elite size and athleticism, honed through years in wrestling, align well with the demands of professional football.

Supporters see this move not as a distraction but as a smart pivot that leverages his strengths. The skepticism surrounding Paris’ NFL ambition was also contrasted with past cases, with one fan bluntly stating, “Mason is a legit football player, unlike that fraud from Minny.” This not only backs Paris’ credibility, given his successful football background in high school, but also underscores that, unlike others, he has a solid foundation in the sport, making his NFL interest a natural progression.

The criticism Paris received for shifting focus sparked a strong defense from fans questioning rigid athletic expectations. As one supporter asked, “He’s only allowed to pursue greatness in wrestling? He can’t try anything else while he’s at the peak of his athleticism?” Such a sentiment directly defended his right to explore his full athletic potential without being boxed into one discipline.

A thoughtful reaction from another X user pointed to Paris’ well-rounded athletic history: “The guy was a stud in high school at both football and wrestling. He doesn’t want to wrestle. Not sure why it’s an issue…should we force Gable to wrestle through the Olympics? Because he’d be the guy if we did…silly.” This wrestling enthusiast underscored the absurdity of forcing athletes into paths they no longer desire and thus validated Paris’s decision to pursue his NFL dream.

Highlighting the emotional and personal dimension of Paris’ choice, another fan remarked, “He’s been dreaming of a career in the NFL his whole life. He was an incredible high school football player.” This perspective paints his move not as opportunistic but as a pursuit of a lifelong goal, reinforcing the idea that his ambition deserves support, not criticism. Thus, with the situation going in favor of Mason Paris, it remains to be seen how things pan out in the future.