Before Mario Cristobal was the head coach of the Miami Hurricanes, he was once a player for the program, serving as an offensive tackle from 1989 to 1992.
During that time, he was teammates with now-Hollywood A-lister Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who was a defensive lineman for the Hurricanes. The Miami head coach recently shed some insight into their relationship and what Johnson was like as a teammate.
What Did Mario Cristobal Reveal About His Playing Days With Dwayne Johnson?
Cristobal was at Miami during the program’s glory days. The Hurricanes won a unanimous national championship in 1989 and were named AP national champions again in 1991. He played alongside plenty of elite teammates, but none more famous than Dwayne Johnson.
Johnson suited up for Miami from 1990 to 1993, overlapping with Cristobal for three seasons. On the “Pat McAfee Show,” Cristobal reflected on what The Rock was like as both a player and a teammate.
“@TheRock was my teammate here at Miami..
He was a monster and a great player”@coach_cristobal #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/fOmT8r2lig
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 3, 2025
“He’s a guy that like walked in doing 315 for 20 on the bench press,” Cristobal said. “Just kind of a walking bicep. A monster physique. But really quiet, really reserved, and a great player, a great, great player. We were loaded man, even back then great players had to wait their turn and whatnot, but he was always a great teammate and a great player.”
Johnson wasn’t a star for the Hurricanes, but he was a reliable rotational player on the defensive line, appearing in 39 games and making one start at defensive tackle. He wrapped up his Miami career with 77 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
Even though he wasn’t a standout on the field, Johnson clearly made an impact on the program in other ways. Most importantly, he left a lasting impression as a teammate, something Cristobal still remembers all these years later.
As he’s risen to stardom as an actor, The Rock has continued to give back to the Miami football program. In 2007, he donated $1 million to the Hurricanes, and in recognition, the program named its locker room after him.
His energy drink company, ZOA, has also signed NIL deals with Hurricanes players in the past. Given how highly Cristobal speaks about him, it wouldn’t be surprising if the program and The Rock team up for something else in the near future.
Johnson’s alma mater and Cristobal got off to a hot start in 2025, taking down the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in their season opener. Notre Dame came in ranked No. 6 in the preseason AP poll. After the victory, the Hurricanes jumped to No. 5 in the AP rankings and are on track to be one of the best, if not the best, teams in the ACC this season.
The Rock will be cheering on his former teammate as Cristobal continues to lead the Hurricanes this season. Miami’s next game is Saturday, September 6, against Bethune-Cookman.
