Kevin Reilly
Episode 293
9 SEP 2024
He was drafted by the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and went on to play for both the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots after having played college football at Villanova University on a full athletic scholarship. He is a member of three halls of fame, went on to become a radio announcer for the Philadelphia Eagles, and has even run five half-marathons. Also an inspirational speaker, he has an amazing story of being a cancer survivor and amputee. He is currently writing a book about his Catholic journey, which follows a book he previously wrote, called, “Tackling Life: How Faith, Family, Friends, and Fortitude Kept an NFL Linebacker in the Game.”
Notable guest quotes:
“I went to Catholic preschool. I went to Catholic kindergarten at St. Anthony’s. And then I did 16 years of Catholic education starting in first grade.”
“I went to an all-boys high school… which was really instrumental in me finding a deeper faith. And then on to Villanova University where I played football for four years, which was also Catholic. So, I got to see the oblates of St. Francis de Sales in action, and I got to see the Augustinians up at Villanova in action; two different clerical organizations, but very, very good people and very, very deeply religious in God.”
“I guess the mojo and the energy that both basketball and football played, because it was so fast, really built a camaraderie that I think is only next to being in civil service or being in the Army or Navy or Air Force.”
“I don’t know who played third string, second string, but as long as they were playing on my football team, they were my brother.”
“So, you think about things and what God has in plan for you. I did a lot of praying and a lot of my prayers were answered. That’s all I can tell you.”
“I came back to the team that I was thinking about, in my dreams, of possibly playing for… the first game I played, I remember checking my jersey to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. There I was Kevin Reilly, number 52, in an Eagles uniform. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
“He said, ‘You have a very dangerous life-threatening tumor in your shoulder, and I can already see that it’s going to be a problem getting (it) out and you’ll be lucky if I can save your arm, but I’m going to try’.”
“He said, ‘I’m going to have to do a four-quarter amputation if I’m going to save your life. I’m going to have to take your arm, your shoulder and at least four or five ribs’.”
“Every time I played against the Steelers, or he played against the Eagles, we would visit each other in a locker room, and you know, we just shared our Catholic faith.”
“He said to me… ‘I’m going to pray for you and I’m going to have other guys pray for you and you’re going to get through this’.”
“I can’t say that a day goes by that I don’t pray. I’m a lector, I do daily Mass twice a week, sometimes three times a week. And I’m big into the Eucharist. I believe that when I get the Eucharist, I have a better day.”
“After ten years of roaming around and wondering if I actually should make a chance of maybe getting into the priesthood, I met somebody that was really, really terrific, and we’ve been married for 13 years now.”
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