Shane Conlan

Shane Conlan

No. 58, 56
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1964-03-04)March 4, 1964 Frewsburg, New York,U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school:	Frewsburg (Frewsburg, New York)
College:	Penn State
NFL draft:	1987/ Round: 1 / Pick: 8
Career history
As a player:
Buffalo Bills(1987–1992) Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams(1993–1995)
As an administrator:
Pittsburgh Power(2013–2014) Vice president of corporate partnerships
Career highlights and awards
AP NFL Defensive Rookie of The Year(1987) 3× Second-teamAll-Pro(1987,1988,1990) 3×Pro Bowl(1988–1990) PFWA All-Rookie Team(1987) Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team 2×National champion(1982,1986) Unanimous All-American(1986) First-teamAll-American(1985) 2× First-team All-East(1985,1986) Fiesta BowlDefensive MVP (1987)
Career NFL statistics
Tackles: 783 Sacks: 7.0 Forcedfumbles: 6 Fumble recoveries: 5 Interceptions: 5
Player stats atPFR
College Football Hall of Fame

Shane Patrick Conlan(born March 4, 1964) is an American former professionalfootballplayer who was alinebackerin theNational Football League(NFL). He playedcollege footballfor thePenn State Nittany Lions,winning two national championships in1982and1986,although he was red-shirted prior to the start of the 1982 season and did not play that season. In 1981, prior to his Penn State career and after his senior season atFrewsburg High Schoolin which he played under head coach Thomas Sharp, Conlan was voted Western New York high school Player of the Year. During his career at Penn State, Conlan had 274 tackles, including a school-record 186 solos. He finished his football career as a three-timeall-prowith theNFL'sBuffalo Billsand theLos Angeles/St. Louis Rams.

Early life

Conlan was born and raised inFrewsburg, New York.

College career

Conlan capped his junior season at Penn State in the 1985 national championship game in theOrange Bowlagainst theUniversity of Oklahoma.The finale to his senior year was in the 1986 national championship game versus theUniversity of Miamiin the1987 Fiesta Bowl,Conlan had eight tackles, two interceptions. Most memorably, he returned the second of his two interceptions 38 yards to the Miami 5-yard line to set upD.J. Dozier's game-winning touchdown. With Penn State's 14–10 victory, Conlan's squad completed an undefeated season, securing the 1986 national championship.

As captain, Conlan led the 1986 squad in tackles with 79, including a team-high 63 solo stops. During his final two collegiate seasons (1985 & 1986), he was named anAll-Americanatoutside linebacker,making him the sixth two-time All-American at Penn State. He received this honor from NEA in 1985 and fromWalter Camp,The Football News,Football Writers, Football Coaches,Associated Press,United Press International,andCollege and Pro Football Newsweeklyin 1986. In addition, Conlan was a 1986 finalist for the prestigiousButkus Awardas the nation's top linebacker. He was elected to theCollege Football Hall of Famein 2014.

On December 11, 2014 theBig Ten Networkincluded Conlan on "The Mount Rushmore ofPenn State Football",as chosen by online fan voting. Conlan was joined in the honor byJohn Cappelletti,Jack HamandLaVar Arrington.

Professional career

Conlan was selected in the first round with the eighth overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in the1987 NFL draft.After his rookie season, he was awarded the 1987NFL Defensive Rookie of the Yearby theAssociated Press.From 1988 to 1990, Conlan enjoyed three straight trips to thePro Bowl.Conlan played with the Bills (1987–92), where he played in the first 3 of the BillsSuper Bowlteams and theLos Angeles/St. Louis Rams(1993–95) before retiring from theNFLin 1995.

After football

Since Conlan's retirement from the NFL, he has worked for Esmark Inc. as the company's Vice President of Commercial Real Estate. In 2013, he was named thePittsburgh Power's Vice President of Corporate Partnerships.

Conlan has four children, including Patrick (b.1992), a former NCAA division III college quarterback (Hobart University), son Chris (b. 1997), an NCAA division I Wide Receiver (William & Mary), and son Dan (b. 2000), an NCAA division I basketball player (Penn State).