Athletes who left College Football for Military Service?

Hey everyone, I've heard of quite a few individuals who have left college football to join the military. Does anyone have some specific examples? Looking for some reassurance that it's a choice that works out for some folk.

Absolutely, there have been numerous examples throughout history of college athletes, including football players, pausing their athletic pursuits to serve their country in the military.

One notable example is Roger Staubach, who is often held up as the gold standard when talking about athletes and military service. Staubach won the Heisman Trophy while playing quarterback at the U.S. Naval Academy. After graduating, he served in Vietnam before going on to have a Hall of Fame career with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL.

Another example is Alejandro Villanueva who attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he played multiple positions on the football team. After graduation, he served three tours in Afghanistan, earning a Bronze Star for valor. After his military service, he went on to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles and ultimately with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he was a star offensive lineman.

Pat Tillman is perhaps one of the most prominent examples. He was a safety for the Arizona State University Sun Devils before playing in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals. After the 9/11 attacks, he notably left his professional football career to enlist in the U.S. Army and served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

These three individuals are prime examples of athletes who managed to excellently balance their collegiate football careers with military service, going on to have prosperous lives and careers post-military. While these paths may seem uncommon, they speak to the dual accomplishment of success in sports and duty to country. Of course, everyone's journey and experience will be different, but it's clear that this path can and does work for some.