Drozdov, or ‘Droz’ as he was known to his fans, became a notable figure in wrestling after signing with WWE and making his debut in 1998.

Dorz was left paralyzed during a SmackDown TV taping in October 1999 after sustaining a serious neck injury after D-Lo Brown attempted to execute a running power bomb and accidentally landed on his neck.

Darren Drozdov, an NFL player turned wrestler has died at the age of 54

Drozdov, or ‘Droz’ as he was known to his fans, signed with WWE and made his debut in 1997

Dorz was left paralyzed after an in-ring accident during a SmackDown TV taping in 1999

Drozdov was rushed to hospital and underwent surgery but, despite regaining feeling in his upper body, he never regained control of his lower body and was left in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

He said he never blamed Brown for the incident, telling Jim Ross in 2014: ‘I have no hard feelings toward D’Lo because s**t happens and everyone who gets involved in athletics, including WWE, knows the risks that exist. It was an accident.’

He was briefly part of the new Legion of Doom in 1998 as a potential permanent replacement for Road Warrior Hawk, who was dealing with personal issues, but he ultimately returned to working as a singles star for a while and eventually paired up with Matt Bloom, who also wrestled as Albert, A-Train and Tensai.

He earned his second ring name, ‘Puke,’ from his appearance in the ‘Beyond The Mat’ scene, which showed him throwing up on command in Vince McMahon’s office.

His family’s statement added: ‘We lived this journey with him over the past 24 years. We were always there through the good times and the bad, and provided him with our unconditional love.

‘We would like to extend our deepest appreciation to everyone. All of his fans, teammates, colleagues, and friends for all the love and support he received over the years. You all gave him meaning, purpose and something to live for. He loved each and every one of you and cherished the conversations, notes and letters he received. His faith in humanity never faltered, so know that for all the love you’ve shown him, he loved you back.

‘We also would also like to thank WWE for treating him like family, and for all of their love, support and stepping up to make sure that Darren always had the proper care and treatment needed to live in his condition over the past 24 years.’

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has led tributes to him on social media, saying: ‘Man I’m so sorry to hear one of our ring brothers has passed away.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and WWE led tributes to him on social media

Before becoming a force in the ring with WWE, Drozdov spent three seasons in the NFL

He signed with the Denver Broncos before stints with the Eagles and New York Jets

‘Darren Drozdov aka Droz. We wrestled on a lot of cards together. Such an awesome dude. Great personality and great wrestling talent. We always talked about football and fishing. Sending love, strength, mana and light to his family. RIP brother.’

The WWE also released a statement honoring its former star, tweeting: ‘WWE is saddened to learn that Darren Drozdov passed away on Friday, June 30, at age 54. WWE extends its condolences to Darren Drozdov’s family, friends and fans.’

Mikey Whipwreck posted: ‘Sad to hear about Darren Drozdov’s passing. We mostly lost touch after he left ECW but we had a lot of laughs and good times. Rest in Peace Darren.’

Before becoming an imposing force in the ring with WWE, Drozdov spent three seasons in the NFL.

The New Jersey native played as a defensive tackle at the University of Maryland before signing with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent.

He appeared in six games during the 1993 season before spending stints on the rosters of the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets.