The Architect. The Visionary. The Kingslayer.
No matter the moniker, at the end of the day, you know him by his name.
Seth “Freakin” Rollins.
Rollins, who is a WWE Grand Slam Champion (World title, Intercontinental, United States, Tag Team, NXT), can typically be seen Monday nights on the USA Network as part of WWE’s flagship show, Monday Night Raw.
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And for the better part of the past two years, Rollins wasn’t The Architect. He wasn’t The Visionary. He wasn’t The Kingslayer. Hell, he wasn’t even officially Seth “Freakin” Rollins.
He was The Monday Night Messiah.
The Monday Night Messiah is looking to share his Sunday Night Prophecy with a special one-on-one with The Athletic as he picks his favorite Super Bowl predictions and props.
But before we get to his picks, let’s learn about Rollins, the football fan.
Rollins HATES football (but sometimes loves it)
Rollins, who made his rounds during the annual Radio Row media availability, is a diehard Chicago Bears fan.
While he can play a bad guy on TV, you have to feel for him there.
“It’s a family thing,” Rollins said. “My grandpa used to sit in his chair and curse the Bears every Sunday afternoon. I figured I needed to carry on the tradition.”
And Rollins has carried that tradition on in a meaningful way.
When the Bears win, Rollins expresses his love for the game on Twitter.
I love football.
— Seth Rollins (@WWERollins) October 3, 2021
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I love football!!!! Gravy time!! #DaBears
— Seth Rollins (@WWERollins) November 25, 2021
But when they lose, well …
I. Hate. Football. So. Much. Every. Week.
— Seth Rollins (@WWERollins) October 31, 2021
I hate football.
— Seth Rollins (@WWERollins) October 17, 2021
“Oh, it’s just so fun to have something to invest in and be a part of with a group of people,” Rollins explained. “The tweets have taken on a life of their own.”
Rollins, whose real name is Colby Lopez, grew up in Davenport, Iowa, which is 172 miles outside of Chicago.
He said while he always loved football, he really got into it in his early 20s.
By that time, Rollins, 35, was working the independent scene, most notably in Ring of Honor, where he wrestled under the name of Tyler Black.
It was in 2010 when he signed with the WWE under the developmental system Florida Championship Wrestling, which would later become the critically-acclaimed NXT — where Rollins became the inaugural champion.
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Fast-forward more than a decade later, Rollins has won every title in the company, has had his WrestleMania moments, and has even met his wife — and mother of his child — WWE superstar, Becky Lynch.
“I got to take my wife to her first Bears’ game!” Rollins said about his most memorable experience as a Bears’ fan. “We lost. Shocker.”
Shocker, indeed.
But Rollins is hopeful for the 2022 season. He kind of has to be as a Bears’ fan.
His expectations are high as a performer in the squared circle, but for Year 2 of the Justin Fields’ era in Chicago, his expectations may even be higher.
“Super Bowl or bust!” said Rollins.
If that happens, Chicago just might follow Rollins’ motto and Burn it Down.
Seth Rollins’ Super Bowl Props and Predictions
Michael Waterloo: Coin toss: Heads or tails?
Seth Rollins: Tails never fails.
MW: Which halftime artist will we see first on the stage?
- 2 or more simultaneously (+175)
- Snoop Dogg (+275)
- Dr. Dre (+325)
- Eminem (+375)
- Mary J. Blige (+500)
- Kendrick Lamar (+500)
SR: Eminem.
MW: What will be more — Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker Total Rounds (+180), Super Bowl Total Touchdowns (-145), or a tie? (+150)
SR: Super Bowl TDs.
MW: The first missed field goal will be: Wide left (+130), Wide right (+130), Short (+500), Hits left upright (+750), Hits right upright (+750), or hits crossbar (+1400)
SR: Is there an option for no misses? (Note: Seth believes in kickers, Jake Ciely. Why can’t you?)
MW: Someone hands you $20 and says place a bet on 5.5 receptions for Odell Beckham Jr. during the Super Bowl, are you taking the OVER or UNDER?
SR: Under.
MW: Which will be higher: Daytona 500 avg. speed in MPH (-125) or Matthew Stafford’s total first-half passing yards (-105)
SR: Stafford’s yards.
MW: Who will score the first TD of the game? (reminder, if you pick a QB it means he has to run it in, not pass for it)
SR: Cooper Kupp!
MW: Who is going to win, and what will the score be?
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SR: Rams over the Bengals, 31-28.
MW: Will a QB pass for more than 300 yards (Lines are O/U 273.5 for Burrow and 279.5 for Stafford?
SR: Burrow, and he is going to throw for more yards than Stafford.
MW: Who will be Super Bowl MVP?
SR: Aaron Donald
MW: Outcome of the first drive (offensive TD +330, FG attempt +440, Punt -130, Anything else +550)
SR: Punt. Always.
MW: Which running back finishes with the higher total rushing yards — Joe Mixon (-110) or Cam Akers (-110)
SR: Cam Akers.
MW: Total number of NFL/NBA/MLB players who appear in commercials throughout the night: O/U 7.5?
SR: Over
BONUS QUESTION!
MW: What is on the Seth Rollins’ preferred Super Bowl watch-party menu?
SR: Chicken wings, and chips and guacamole. Maybe some kind of fried cheese snack.
Rollins and the rest of the WWE Superstars will be in Dallas for WrestleMania 38, a two-night event April 2-3 at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium and streaming on Peaco*ck.
(Photo: Etsuo Hara / Getty Images)
Michael Waterloo is an award-winning fantasy baseball writer with published works at FantasyPros and the Associated Press, among other publications. Prior to launching his fantasy career in 2011, he covered the Pittsburgh Pirates as a traveling beat writer for two years at Pittsburgh Sporting News. He finished as the 17th most accurate fantasy baseball analyst in 2020, his fourth straight year rising in the rankings. Michael loves baseball analysis, analytics, his dogs and, of course, all things Anna Kendrick. Follow Michael on Twitter @MichaelWaterloo
