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From NFL to GHS
Dillard's
professional career leads to Greenville
December 7, 2007
By Katie
Wilkinson
Lion Ledger Staff
Most high school
players dream of college scholarships or going
professional, but the odds of anyone becoming a pro player
are quite low. One of Greenville High School's
newest teachers did achieve that dream. Mr. Ivory
Dillard played in the NFL for the New York Giants,
Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Jacksonville Jaguars as an
offensive tackle.
Throughout his
high school playing days, Dillard really wanted to become
a professional baseball player but soon realized he had
more talent in football as a defensive tackle than a
baseball player. Dillard was part of a state
championship high school team which became the subject of
the best selling book, theatrical movie and television
program, Friday Night Lights.
Dillard said, "I
thought it was going to be great, but I believed they
portrayed our team and coaches as thugs. That's not
who we were."
While playing at
Florida A&M College, Dillard's coach believed that no NFL
scouts were interested in him, but to his surprise there
were in fact six different scouts.
"I only wanted
to play pro ball because there were those who did not
believe I could, " said Dillard.
Once he decided
to go professional, he went into the draft as a free
agent, which meant he could pick which team he would like
to be on and signed with the New York Giants. Later
that season he got traded to Pittsburgh where he finished
out the season. After Pittsburgh traded him to
Jacksonville they also drafted another offensive lineman
that played his same position.
"I knew my time
was limited," said Dillard so he decided to leave his
career in the NFL and choose a life of coaching and
teaching, which has lead him to Greenville High School.
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