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How an NFL ‘diva’ player helped Dusty Rhodes create MVP character

Posted: Oct 10th 2025 By: Jake Skudder

Conrad Thompson of AdFreeShows.com recently spoke to former WWE creative team member Andrew Goldstein for The Insiders podcast. As part of the discussion, Goldstein revealed how a former NFL star ‘helped’ Dusty Rhodes to come up with the MVP gimmick, bringing together the full body suit and sports-styled presentation of the former US Champion and current AEW star.
How Dusty Rhodes came up with the MVP gimmick

“You could just see the wheel spinning, I mean, the best example of that is MVP” Goldstein would reveal, discussing how Rhodes would come up with gimmicks and characters for stars in developmental at the time.

“MVP was in developmental. He was doing some version of what he became, but it was very rudimentary. I’m a big Eagles fan and it was the time when the Eagles had Terrell Owens. There was the whole thing where Terrell Owens was like wearing neck to ankle Under Armor body suits and doing sit ups and pushups in his driveway while the Philadelphia media was trying to get a soundbite from him” Goldstein added.

“And he [Owens] was just like at the height of his diva powers” Goldstein would note. “We just put our heads together and we’re just like, ‘we got to make this guy Terrell Owens.’ And that’s where the bodysuit gear came from.”
Who is Terrell Owens?

In case you aren’t aware, Terrell Owens, often referred to as “T.O.,” is a former NFL wide receiver and one of the most polarizing stars in American football history. Known for his incredible athleticism and equally unforgettable antics on and off the gridiron, Owens played 15 seasons in the league for teams including the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys.