At 58 years old, he’s older than his coach, but he’s lining up on the defensive line instead. While most men his age would be setting up for their retirement in a few years time, Tom Cillo, first-year nose tackle at Division III Lycoming College, is chasing his dream. Cillo has been making headlines so far this year as the oldest player in all of NCAA football, despite having no experience playing organized football prior to this year. For the past three decades, Cillo has worked in the Williamsport Recreation Department, however, he left his job in order to quell his regret for not attending college to jumpstart his football career.
While Cillo is nearly 40 years older than the rest of his teammates, physically, he can keep up with them at an impressive rate. Outside of his old job at the Recreation Department, Cillo powerlifts in his free time. Last year, he broke the International Powerlifting Association World Record in the deadlift for the 55-59 age group when he lifted 580 pounds. At 227 pounds, Cillo is a bit undersized for the typical defensive lineman, but hopes that his power and football IQ will make up for it.
After making his junior varsity debut on Sept. 28, he told the AP, “It doesn’t compare to the birth of your children. But I’m telling you, from a competitor’s standpoint and a guy that’s loved to compete at different things over the years, I think this goes to the top of the chart. This was awesome.”
Though Cillo has yet to make his debut for the varsity team, when he does so he will become the oldest player to play in an official NCAA game since 2009, when Tom Tompson appeared as a kicker for Austin College at 61. However, given the vast contrast in the physical demands between defensive tackle and placekicker, it is practically impossible to compare Cillo’s feat to any prior examples of middle-aged men playing college football. Cillo may still be waiting to make his would-be record-breaking appearance, but he already has one accomplishment under his belt: he is the oldest player in college football to receive a Name, Image, and Likeness deal, which he signed with Aspercreme, an over-the-counter pain relief drug.
Off the field, Cillo has been attending classes just like any other student athlete at Lycoming College, a liberal arts school with around 1,200 undergraduates. He intends to major in criminal justice, and despite the age discrepancy, he faces the same challenges as the rest of the student athlete community in terms of finding a balance between sports, academics and extracurriculars. As he starts his football journey, Cillo is not focused on the outcome, but rather his every-day routine.
“I may not see much playing time to be quite honest, but I’m just happy to be a part of this— happy to be part of a team setting,” he said in an interview with NorthcentralPA.com. “There are so many talented people out there that maybe somebody else’s voice was just a little bit louder, or it could have been their own self-doubt. I just want to encourage people: if it falls within the framework of your talents or your desire, and you feel like you could pull it off — go for it. Don’t hold yourself back.”
As the season progresses, college football fans will be sure to follow along on social media for updates on Cillo’s first appearance. Lycoming has high hopes for this upcoming season in terms of on-field success, but regardless of the win-loss record at the end of the year, it is safe to say that they now have one of the most unique and perseverant players in all of college football.
