Did comedian Shane Gillis play college football? A closer look at the athletic career of the stand-up funny man

Shane Gillis is many things. He is a stand-up comedian. He is a radio personality, sketch writer, and podcaster. He has built a reputation based on his knack for sharp witticism and a great ability to crack up audiences with his jokes.

A part of his personality that has remained largely unknown to many fans is that he was a football player. You read just right. He played competitive football in high school and also in college.

Shane Gillis' high school and college football career

Gillis played offensive tackle for Trinity High School in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. His football skills didn’t go unnoticed as he got scholarship offers from institutions that wanted him to join their football programs.

Initially, he enrolled at the United States Military Academy but didn’t complete his first year before quitting. His next stop was at Elon University, where he played college football. It was not for long, however. He was on the move again, and this time to West Chester University, where he eventually graduated.

After his graduation from West Chester, he moved to Spain, where he taught English. Ultimately, he found his calling in comedy ,and he started performing in 2012.

He has found success in his chosen field and overcome a number of hurdles in true athletic fashion. It would seem his years playing football rubbed off on him a good deal. The core values of teamwork, perseverance, focus and discipline that he learned while playing football have helped his comedy career.

He pointed this out in an interview with the website Bitter Empire in which he credited football with teaching him “a lot about work ethic and how to deal with adversity.” He added that the “lessons have definitely carried over into my comedy career.”

While Gillis never became a pro football player, he is leading a successful life. The time he spent playing football is not wasted. If anything, it prepared him for life in whatever field he could have chosen.

The reality is that many college football players, like Gillis, will not end up having a pro football career. But also like him, football teaches them valuable lessons applicable in all fields of life. It is left to them to take these lessons and put them to good use.