I was listening to Jon Marks and Sean Brace on The Fanatic on Friday afternoon. They were talking about Chip Kelly and Sam Bradford and Nick Foles – and then the conversation turned to wrestling.

I send tweets to on-air hosts all the time – tidbits of information that I hold to be true.

The name of Andre the Giant came up and my mind recalled something I’d heard forty years ago. So my fingers reflexed a tweet to the Jon and Sean Show.

Jon Marks gave me a shout-out on the air a few minutes later about Andre getting a tryout with the Redskins – and I thank him for that – but I detected a snicker. I couldn’t recognize who was tittering over the air – but it sounded like Brace.

In any case, it made me skeptical enough to verify my assertion. I expect everything I transmit to be right on the money. In the case of Andre the Giant and his tryout with the Redskins, I accepted that tidbit as fact for the last 40 years.

Let me repeat that – for the last 40 years I’ve believed that Andre the Giant once tried out as a defensive tackle for the Washington Redskins. That’s how long ago I first heard the tale.

I jumped online and had no trouble finding plentiful sources to deny or confirm.

My research took me back to a news conference on July 8, 1975.

The news conference convened at Duke Zeibert’s restaurant in Washington D.C. In case you’re unfamiliar with Duke Zeibert’s place, it was a meeting ground for Capitol Hill celebrities from all walks of life – especially those of the Jewish persuasion. For instance, it was Larry King’s hangout.

I wrote about Duke Zeibert’s about a month ago – on February 19^th of this year – in my piece for BlameMyFather entitled “Jerry Wolman Buys Eagles.”

It was at Duke Zeibert’s that D.C. contractor Jerry Wolman got an insider tip from his pal – Washington Daily News sports columnist Mo Sigel – during the fall of 1963.

“Have I got news for you,” Mo Siegel whispered in Wolman’s ear. “This is strictly confidential, but my sources tell me it’s true blue. The Eagles are for sale.”

Jerry Wolman drove straight to Philadelphia that night and started cultivating the connections that eventually led to his buying the Eagles for $5,505,000 in December of that year.

Anyway, Duke Zeibert’s was that kind of meeting ground.

Now, getting back to Duke Zeibert’s on July 8, 1975.

The Washington Redskins were holding a news conference. At which time it was announced that head coach George Allen was interested in acquiring one André René Roussimoff – better known as Andre the Giant – to play defensive tackle.

One of the specialties planned for Andre was to line up behind the line of scrimmage on extra points and field goals and try to extend his 7-4 frame to block the kicks.

But as I just now learned, in reality, this was a publicity stunt choreographed by the Redskins in concert with the Vince McMahons – junior and senior – to drum up interest in both the ‘Skins and the blossoming Capitol Wrestling Corporation. Capitol Wrestling would eventually evolve into the WWWF . . . the WWF . . . and today’s WWE.

But truth be known – even at 7-4 and somewhere between 380 and 520 pounds – Andre was too frail to withstand the punishment dished out within the NFL trenches. That one-piece wrestling suit he wore was specially designed to conceal a well-needed back brace.

Andre hoisted Joe Theismann at the press conference

George “The Animal Steele” reflects on the sham. He said he used to ride from city to city with the McMahons and the subject of Andre the Giant trying out for the Redskins was common conversation.

So Jon and Sean, guys, there’s the truth. Andre the Giant’s tryout with the Washington Redskins lives on only as an urban legend. Sorry if I misled you.

As it says in my bio: Barry Bowe stands for Truth, Justice, and the American Way.

Barry Bowe is the author of Born to Be Wild, 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant, and 12 Best Eagles QBs.