Raider Nation Origin Stories: Meet Tom Cillo, the 58-year-old ‘freshman’ Division III football player and lifelong Raiders fan

With the desire of going back to school to get his college degree, his lifelong dream of being a college athlete was still in his mind. It helped that Cillo had been powerlifting for years.

However, this idea of going back to school and playing football at 58 years old still seemed like, well, a pipe dream.

“There’s obviously a physical risk at my age,” he said. “There’s an academic risk at my age. It’s been over 41 years since I’ve been in a classroom. And there’s a huge financial risk. I’m just not sure.”

His physical trainer, who worked with Cillo in the weight room as he was trying to make a decision, had some words of advice that put everything into perspective.

“He said, ‘Look, you can get hurt in the shower, you can get hurt on a set of steps. If you really want to do this, just do it. Go play.’ He said, ‘The only thing that has value in this life is time, and how are you going to use it?’ After that phone call I’m like, ‘OK, full steam ahead. I’m going for this.'”

Cillo enrolled at Lycoming College, a Division III program in Williamsport to finally bring his dream to reality.

And it’s not coincidental he’s playing on the defensive line – like his favorite Raider of all time.

“He influenced my style, but at this point I’m not capable of pulling it off,” Cillo laughed. “I freakin‘ love Howie. I loved his game. He was so quick and he could turn speed to power and he was just so violent. He was the ultimate football player for me.”

“I’m telling you though, it’s tough in the trenches. I’ve joked that I’m the world’s most overaged and undersized nose tackle the game of football as ever seen.”