Hulk Hogan Admitted to Using Steroids After Lying About It For Years

Joining the list of other recent celebrity deaths, wrestler Hulk Hogan passed away on Thursday, July 24. Still, as his fans remember his decades as a fixture in the wrestling world, his legacy is definitely tainted.

Aside from the multiple recordings of him using the N-word 10 years ago that virtually ended his career and his extreme MAGA support, there were also constant rumblings about his steroid usage, which he admitted to in the mid-1990s.

Hulk Hogan began his professional wrestling career back in 1977, but it wasn’t until 1983, after signing with the World Wrestling Federation, that he became a mainstream success as one of the biggest and most recognizable names in the wrestling industry.

In July 1994, during former WWF head Vince McMahon’s trial for illegally providing steroids to the wrestlers and performers of the organization, Hulk Hogan (real name Terry Bollea) testified regarding his usage of steroids during his first 14 years with the WWF, according to the New York Times.

His testimony came at a time when he was no longer affiliated with the brand and was instead wrestling for Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling.

Hulk, whose testimony was under immunity from prosecution, stated during questioning that steroid usage "was fairly common" among WWF wrestlers in the 1980s, per the outlet.

He explained that while touring with the WWF he would call Emily Feinberg, who acted as Vince’s executive secretary at the time, "and ask her to place an order for me with Dr. Zahorian."

That doctor was also previously convicted of illegally distributing steroids and was named as a co-conspirator in Vince's case. "I believed it was legal because I had a prescription for it," Hulk told prosecutors.

The Hall-of-Famer continued, recalling that after requesting them, the steroids would arrive at Titan Sports headquarters in Stamford, Conn., and he would "pick them up along with my paycheck, fan mail or whatever."

Hulk added that in addition to taking the drugs for body enhancement, he also used them "to heal injuries, to keep on going."

The day of his death, paramedics were called to his Clearwater, Fla., home due to a “serious medical issue,” per the Clearwater Police Department, and in the 911 call placed at 10 a.m. local time, it was said that Hulk was suffering from cardiac arrest, according to the New York Post.

He was then transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:17 a.m., per the outlet. As of now, no official cause of death has been announced, and authorities have confirmed that no foul play is suspected.

According to the New York Post, before his death, rumors were spreading regarding his health, with claims saying that he was on his deathbed or paralyzed in a coma, after a former friend spoke about his health status last month on the radio.

Throughout his life, Hulk underwent 25 surgeries and suffered from a myriad of health issues due to his prolonged steroid use and four decades of wrestling.