John Cena's Shoulder Surgery Is Major Blow to WWE Career

There comes a time in every professional athlete's career when he must step back, examine his place in the current landscape and determine whether or not he can realistically continue to push his body to the limit on a nightly basis.

After announcing on his official Twitter account he would need surgery following an injury to his shoulder, John Cena faces the harsh reality that his time as a full-time member of World Wrestling Entertainment's active roster may very well have come to an end.

The truth is few headline stars have ever worked the rigorous schedule Cena has. If he is not wrestling on Raw or SmackDown, he is touring the states or abroad for live events, meeting sick children for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and doing promotional work for WWE.

A workhorse of an entertainer whose off days can often be counted on two hands, he has single-handedly carried Vince McMahon's sports-entertainment empire on his back for over a decade.

Cena has fought through neck injuries, torn pectoral muscles and torn triceps, typically putting his own well-being on the back burner in the name of getting back to work. But as he prepares to turn 39, Cena must think about his long-term well-being and decide whether or not it is worth rushing back to the squared circle, especially since it appears as though WWE is all-in with Roman Reigns and the young star's meteoric rise to the top of the industry.

Not only has WWE seemingly found the star who will supplant Cena as the top babyface in the company, but the West Newbury, Massachusetts, native has found success beyond the split audiences, neon shirts and championship glory of the sports-entertainment business.

Like The Rock before him, Cena has found a niche in Hollywood. A star with exceptional comedic timing, he has delivered show-stealing performances in Trainwreck, Sisters and Daddy's Home. He has also been excellent, engaging and charming as a guest host on NBC's Today, a role he has filled quite frequently as of recent months. Add to that a starring role in the upcoming Fox reality show American Grit, and it all points to a budding mainstream media career for the franchise star.

A well-liked, humble and respectful star, Cena's hard work and dedication is sure to open doors for him that his name value alone has not already.

With a body that is failing him more often the longer he continues to maintain the hellish schedule he has over the last decade, though, one must wonder why he would continue to endure pain and punishment when he could easily make the transition to another form of entertainment.

Unfortunately, Cena has repeatedly stated his love for wrestling. Almost to a fault. With a budding entertainment career, he must be mindful of injuries and their effect on his work away from the sport.

A 15-time world heavyweight champion who has main evented WrestleMania on countless occasions, beaten the greatest Superstars to ever step foot inside the squared circle and been a hero to millions of young fans across the globe, Cena has nothing left to prove between the ropes. A torn rotator cuff, as reported by various news outlets such as PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson (h/t WrestlingInc.com), is the type of injury that will have long-lasting effects. It will impair the mobility in his shoulder well into the future regardless of how well he rehabilitates the injury and how hard he works to get back.

Taking that into consideration, not to mention a career of mounting injuries and opportunities presenting themselves beyond the constraints of pro wrestling, and you have an injury that has crippled Cena's sports-entertainment career as we knew it.

Will he compete again? Absolutely. Cena's drive, determination and addiction to the feedback of the live audience will not allow him to step away completely. But his days as a full-time competitor should be over. He no longer has to prove himself. He is a future Hall of Famer whose contributions are not up for debate.

No one should consider him a hypocrite if he steps away to pursue other opportunities, not after all the sacrifices he has made and the numerous times he has put his body through hell to deliver matches that silenced his critics.

With a main event run that doubled The Rock's in terms of length and a run atop the industry countless peers would love to have, Cena can rest peacefully knowing he gave McMahon and his company every bit of sweat, blood and tears he has and now has earned the right to reserve what health he has left and reap the rewards for his stardom.

Even if it comes elsewhere.

Cena's injury and his expected absence from WrestleMania 32 may cripple his wrestling career, but it will provide him the opportunity to accomplish personal goals beyond the sport. Cena will continue to entertain, continue to be an ambassador for the world of professional wrestling and continue to leave behind a legacy few will ever match.