Dwayne Johnson Nicknames Eli Manning ‘Human Carbon Monoxide’ Because He’s ’the Silent Killer’
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Dwayne Johnson, who is known to many by his WWE stage name, “the Rock,” is giving Eli Manning a nickname of his own.
Johnson, 49, appeared as a guest on Monday night’s ManningCast with Eli and his fellow former NFL player brother, Peyton Manning. In between offering commentary and watching the Rams and Cardinals face off, Peyton, 45, asked Johnson to reveal his nickname of choice for Eli, 41.
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“Dwayne, you tweeted out earlier that Eli Manning does not have a good nickname,” Peyton — who goes by the nickname “the Sheriff” — told his guest. “You said you had one for him. Please, Christmas present come early for me in 2022, let’s hear it.”
Johnson laughed and replied, “I think Christmas present come early for the world,” before revealing Eli’s new name.
“So, we have ’the Rock,’ we have ’the Sheriff,’ and now we officially have ‘HCM: Human Carbon Monoxide,’ ‘cause he’s the silent killer,” Johnson said. “You’re welcome.”
Eli thanked Johnson for his new moniker before telling the Red Notice star, “I’ve been waiting — I’m not like you and Peyton where I make up my own nickname for myself.”
“I’m not that creative,” he continued. “Peyton made up ’the Sheriff,’ you obviously made up ’the Rock’ … I couldn’t make that up for myself. I need someone to give me one. Now I have it, so thank you, Dwayne; thank you, Rock; thank you, Sheriff.”
Peyton and Eli Manning Credit: Dave Kotinsky/Getty
Ahead of Monday’s game, Johnson posted a video to Twitter promoting what he promised would be “the biggest ManningCast ever.”
“You’ve got me, ’the Rock,’ you’ve got Peyton Manning, ’the Sheriff,’ you’ve got Eli Manning, the …, " he said, before pausing and asking someone off-camera, “does he — does Eli have a nickname?”
After learning Eli did not, indeed, have a nickname, Johnson said, “We’re going to give him one tonight.”
He added, “Two Mannings, one Rock — ’the Rock’ is doing the cooking, Peyton Manning is doing the eating and Eli Manning is gonna make sure we have our fanny packs ready to go. I cannot wait. It’s gonna be a blast.”
Johnson is just one of the many celebrity guests to join Eli and Peyton on their Monday night ManningCast, where the two brothers break down Monday Night Football, analyze the game and chat with their guests.
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Eli told PEOPLE in November 2021 that he’s having “a lot of fun” working with his brother on their ESPN series.
“Every Monday I get to sit on my couch and watch football with my big brother,” the former quarterback said. “I’m taking some shots at him and having some great guests on there to analyze the game and hear their thoughts. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Eli explained that he and Peyton book their celebrity guests on their own. So far this season, they’ve welcomed Jon Stewart, Michael Strahan, Snoop Dogg and more.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Talks XFL During MNF with Eli & Peyton
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Ending out 2021, XFL co-owner Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson joined CNBC and said news was coming early in the year. He specifically mentioned new teams/cities as well broadcast partners. Clearly, this brought a lot of excitement to the fans online who had been waiting to hear something from the league.
After the league was purchased out of bankruptcy by Dany Garcia, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and RedBird Capital there wasn’t a lot of news coming out of the camp. That was until March of 2021 when it was revealed that the CFL and XFL were talking about a possible business partnership. After many months of speculation, ultimately the two decided to go their own ways for now.
This was also when the XFL officially postponed their return until 2023. Once again, news dried up and other than the few Instagram teases from Dany Garcia we didn’t hear anything until November.
But, that’s when the league really started ramping up. First we saw the first round of hires, then we learned the return timeline.
That brings us to where we are now. With Dwayne Johnson set to join the Manning brothers for Monday Night Football, and the XFL accounts sharing the announcement; many were hoping to hear some XFL news. Considering the Eli & Peyton alternative commentary takes place on ESPN 2, speculation began that maybe we’d hear news on the broadcast front.
ONE ROCK⚡️💪🏾 TWO MANNINGS 🏈💪🏼 THREE FANNY PACKS 🙋🏽♂️🙋🏻♂️🙋🏻♂️ Tune in to #MondayNightFootball with Peyton and Eli Manning. THIS MONDAY at 8:45ET💯🏈@omahaprod#TheBiggestShowYet 💥 pic.twitter.com/I8FSTfkFW8 — Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) January 16, 2022
The Rock was the second featured guest on the show, so fans didn’t have to wait long to find out. A little less than an hour after the show started, Johnson joined the Manning brothers with the Rams leading the Cardinals.
The conversation started out about his past in football. But, after the second segment, XFL fans got what they were waiting for. The Rock was asked about his part in the new XFL, and he went into detail on his passion for the game and giving more opportunities. He leaned on his experience not making it in the NFL, and wants to be able to give guys more chances to play.
Although we didn’t get any specifics, Johnson says that there’s XFL news coming in the next 2-3 weeks that you can look forward to. Seeing that this was on ESPN, it definitely gives more credence to the rumor that they will serve as a broadcast partner for the XFL in 2023.
You can watch the full clip of The Rock with Eli & Peyton below:
Did you tune in to watch Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson join Eli & Peyton during Monday Night Football? Did you expect more XFL news? Let us know down in the comments below or join the conversation on Discord.
Dwayne Johnson on Training for ‘Black Adam’
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Dwayne Johnson is preparing to enter, or rather stampede, the DC Universe this summer in his role as Black Adam. Given his massive presence both onscreen and in the world in general, it seems bizarre that it’l be his first proper turn in a comic book movie. According to the actor, he’s been patiently waiting in the wings for this role. Now he’s ready to turn the genre inside out.
“The training we did for this movie was the most arduous I’ve ever done in my life,” says Johnson, whose goal was to surpass the physiques drawn by illustrators and do right by fans of the lesser-known character. “I promise you this: The hierarchy of power in the DC universe is about to change.”
In order to get the most out of his training sessions amidst an insane schedule, Johnson teamed up with trainer Dave Rienzi to expand their already comprehensive program. Fueled by his personal energy drink ZOA, the workouts were the most punishing of his career. ZOA Energy is the fastest-growing energy drink brand in the country; today, it announced two new flavor additions to its growing portfolio of healthy beverages: White Peach and Tropical Punch.
Men’s Journal spoke with the larger-than-life personality about his morning routine, lessons learned in the gym, and why audiences should prepare to be shocked by Black Adam.
Men’s Journal: When did the physical preparation for Black Adam begin and what goals did you set?
Dwayne Johnson: I started training for Black Adam when I came out of the womb. I believe I was born to play this character. But in all honesty, this project has been with me for 10 ten years now. The process began when we started to stand the material up and really developed it into what it is present day. Once the start date was agreed on by our Seven Bucks production company, the rest of my team, Warner Bros. Studio, and DC Comics, I started to build an exhaustive training program with my trainer Dave Rienzi. I wanted to come into this in the best shape of my career.
How was this training experience unique from what you’ve done in the past?
I’ve been one lucky son of a bitch over the years to prepare for some really big competitions and games. That really started with my college football career at the University of Miami. We were national champions and had the pleasure of competing for the national title on two other occasions. From there it only got more intense, especially when I began my professional wrestling career. Getting the greenlight for Black Adam was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to raise the bar yet again.
Doing that work with Dave, we wanted to bring a whole new philosophy and methodology to the way I push myself in the gym. There’s a lot of fine tuning that goes on in our training together. Even if we’re not together, I’m constantly sending him photos so he knows exactly where we are when it comes to results. If needed, we’ll make adjustments in the moment. He doesn’t only care about the aesthetic, but also about my energy levels and how I’m feeling.
How will Black Adam differ from what we’ve seen before with comic book projects?
Superheroes live by a code of ethics and a line of integrity. But with Black Adam, depending on how you look at him, he has the ability to be a hero, an antihero, and a villain. One of the things that drew me to Black Adam is his origin. He started out enslaved. Any time you have a character, or any human being, who has wrongfully been held down by others, it means so much more when they begin to rise up. Black Adam rises with a big fucking chip on his shoulder—and an edge. In the traditional DC Universe, as we all know, if you do something wrong Superman and Batman are gonna try and bring you to justice. If you do something wrong to Black Adam, you’re going to die. It’s that simple. I believe this character is going to bring a unique edge to the superhero genre. We’re gonna be turning preconceived notions on their ear.
Lots of people look up to these superheroes. Who was someone who you’ve found motivation and inspiration from?
I grew up going to the gym with my dad. When I was five years old, he’d let me watch him work out. When I was 12, I picked up my first weight. After that he’d take me on the wrestling mats and just beat the shit out of me. Back then, when I was going to the gym with my old man, I was around some of the biggest and baddest guys in the world. That includes my dad, Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, Tony Atlas, The Road Warriors. These dudes would come into the gym and turn that motherfucker out. They didn’t care who was around, or what was going on around them. Their focus was so intense. So training and training hard is in my blood. It’s in my DNA.
From the outside looking in, it seems like you have limitless energy.
I appreciate that, but I can assure you I definitely don’t. I do have a lot of energy, and I do my best to allocate it as best I can. I believe that time is our greatest asset and resource—and I’ve learned over the years to use my time as wisely as I can, as well as my output of energy. I have to make sure that what I’m doing is going to be worth it in the end and will help maintain my focus. It’s all about balance. I know people hear that word all the time, but it’s really true. You need to find the balance in your life. Everything requires energy. Our work, personal life, personal growth, relationships, education, mindfulness, mental wellness, mental health, physical fitness, and everything else. It can be draining, but I’m also trying to save a little bit for another gear that other people don’t have. That sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth gear. I always have that next gear waiting when it’s needed.
Putting out that much energy requires the right fuel. How often are you eating and what’s your dietary strategy?
I eat somewhere between six and seven meals a day, and I try my best to make them as balanced as possible with proteins, carbohydrates, good fats—and the occasional sugar at the right times of the day. Dependent on my schedule—and my short- and long-term goals for the week, month, and year—it can be challenging. If I’m shooting a big film, on top of commitments to my family, there’s a lot of dietary monitoring happening. We work very closely with the chefs in our ecosystem, as well as our holistic practitioners who work with us on supplementation and vitamins. Over the years, we’ve fine-tuned our processes and our team. Everything is very clean throughout the week. And when I say we, I mean myself and my strength and conditioning coach Dave Rienzi.
How do “cheat meals” play into your plan?
I understand my cheat days have become quite legendary. Those meals are reserved only for Sunday. I very much enjoy them—and enjoy getting to have that kind of fun with my food.
Can you give us a little insight into your morning routine?
I try to get up before the sun rises. I get fully dressed right off the bat, and that means shoes too. I go downstairs. I’ll open whatever flavor of ZOA I feel like having that morning and pour it over ice. I’ll open the computer and do a little bit of work that requires my immediate attention, then I hit my cardio on an empty stomach—which has been keeping my metabolism nice and tight. That’s how it all starts. If I told you everything I do before noon on any given day, I’d take up the whole magazine.
Any personal training advice for the rest of us?
When you go into the gym to train, you need to train for yourself only. Don’t train for anyone else. Don’t train to impress anyone. Don’t throw a lot of weight on the bar. Don’t let ego come into the equation. Train for yourself. It’s you versus you in there. I’ve never given a fuck about who’s around me in the gym. That’s always served me well. Be focused and get after it.
Do you have any favorite modes of recovery after a tough workout?
I can tell you that my favorite recovery tools are good lovin’ and tequila—preferably my own Teremana.
What are the biggest adversities you’ve had to overcome with training and mental wellness?
I’m still overcoming mental adversity to be honest. That never ends. I’ve sustained a number of injuries over the years that have been difficult to overcome, but I’m lucky that I’ve never been injured in the gym. I was brought up to train hard and train smart. But that didn’t protect me when I was out on the field competing or in the wrestling ring. I’ve had five knee surgeries, a torn Achilles. I had to be sewn back together. The top of my quad was torn from my pelvis. I had a whole bunch of shit happen. The other major adversity has just been fatigue, which can get us all. I know it gets me, and sometimes the last thing you want to do is go to the gym. But when you’re able to push yourself and you fight past that fatigue—that’s when you can find greatness.
You’ve had a long history with Microsoft and the Xbox. Do you have any plans to bring video game characters to the big screen?
I’ve always been a big Madden fan. I can’t tell you which game in particular we’re doing, but there will be an announcement this year. We’re going to bring one of the biggest, most badass games to the screen—one that I’ve played for years. I’m really excited to bring it to fans around the world. Of course we’re going to do right by our gamer friends—but really we’re just going to make a great movie.
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Dwayne Johnson discusses Miami football on Manning Cast
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During the NFL Wildcard Playoff game between the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams on Monday night on the ESPN Manning Cast former Hurricanes defensive lineman and current entertainment superstar Dwayne Johnson discussed his time on the Miami football team from 1991 through 1994.
Johnson was signed by the Miami football program out of Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Miami signed Johnson after he played only two years of high school football. Johnson is from a famous wrestling family. Johnson’s father and maternal grandfather are in the Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Johnson came to Miami with the goal of becoming the only freshman who would play. Miami shared the 1991 National Championship with Washington with Johnson as a freshman. Johnson played behind legendary Miami defensive linemen like Rusty Medearis and Kevin Patrick as a freshman.
Johnson would joke with hosts and Pro Football legends Eli and Peyton Manning the only thing keeping him from reaching his goal of playing in the NFL were injuries and the birth of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp. Johnson was at one time ahead of Sapp on the Miami depth chart.
“The time I spent at the University of Miami and the lessons I learned down there were tremendous and I’ll take them with me forever.”@TheRock joined the ManningCast last night and you know they had to open up with some 🙌 talk. 🎥: @espn pic.twitter.com/oXd29DTY6o — Canes Football (@CanesFootball) January 18, 2022
“I was a decent player down there at the U and I played with some amazing players who went on to be some of the greatest college football players of all time. Went on to become the best in the NFL, legends, in Canton (Pro Football Hall of Fame). The time I spend down there at the University of Miami we were obsessed. We were brash, we were cocky we crazy, but we were winning. The lessons I learned down there were tremendous and I took with me forever…When I down to the University of Miami I was ready to rock and roll. I was ready to move the crowd. I was going to be the only freshman to play. That’s how much I was balling. I had a lot of raw talent. I had only played two years of organized football before that in the great state of Pennsylvania, the football-rich state of Pennsylvania. When I went down there I had some great upper body violence. The NFL…that was my dream. The reason why I didn’t make it to the NFL there were two reasons. Number one I had some injuries throughout my career I had to deal with and the other reason was Warren Sapp was born.”
Johnson has always represented the University of Miami and the importance the U had in his development. Following his football career and attempted tryout in the Canadian Football League, Johnson followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father and became a professional wrestler.
That was where his personae The Rock was born. The Rock is what made Johnson an international superstar. Johnson eventually got to live his dream playing a former NFL player on the HBO Show Ballers from 2015-2019. The TV show Young Rock examines three parts of Johnson’s life including his time on the Miami football team.
Anytime Johnson gets in front of the cameras with a chance to discuss the positive experience he had playing on the Miami football team helps the Hurricanes. Johnson has always had positive comments about the Miami football program. The Hurricanes get free publicity when Johnson is interviewed about playing for Miami.
SociaLight: The Rock Tells a Great Story About Playing With Ray Lewis
The Miami Hurricanes have some pretty incredible alumni, perhaps none more famous than Ravens Hall of Famer Ray Lewis and actor and former professional wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
The Rock joined the “Manning Cast” Wild-Card weekend to chop it up with the brothers and swap stories. Peyton and Eli had many an encounter with Lewis in the league, which Peyton said is eerily reminiscent of the Rock’s wrestling moves.
The Rock chimed in with a Lewis memory of his own. “Ray Lewis is my boy,” he said before sharing how the true freshman earned a starting job.