Shane Conlan

Bio

Penn State linebacker, Shane Conlan wrapped up his career by winning one of college football’s most-remembered games. The 1987 Fiesta Bowl was a national championship contest between second-ranked Penn State and top-ranked Miami. The Hurricanes came into the contest averaging 38 points per game but were held to just ten points as the Nittany Lions won the national title. That senior year, Conlan was a consensus All-America selection. Conlan was lightly recruited out of high school and nearly pursued a career in baseball. He became a starter as a freshman and by the time he was a junior had become a first-team All-America. That year PSU went 11-1 and lost a national title clash with Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. He finished his career ranked second on the Lions’ career tackles list with 274, and his 183 solo tackles still rank third in school history. Selected eighth overall by the Buffalo Bills in the 1987 NFL Draft, Conlan played six seasons with the Bills and three for the Rams before retiring after the 1995 season. Conlan was the 1987 Rookie of the Year, as well as a three-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection. He played in three straight Super Bowls with the Bills, and he was named to their 50th Anniversary team.

Career Highlights

• 1986 Consensus All-America
• 1985 First-team All-America