Kevin Reilly: "I Have Taken Hold and I Won't Let Go!"

Once Kevin Reilly takes hold of something, he will never let go. And he needed every bit of that tenacity and determination to overcome the incredible challenges he faced in his life.

Kevin Reilly grew up in a large household outside Wilmington, DE with four sisters, one brother and two supportive parents. Ever since he could remember, he loved the game of football. When it came to playing the game, nobody had more passion. And when it came to rooting, no team could hold a candle to his beloved Philadelphia Eagles.

“When I was 12 years old, I went to the Eagles training camp and got Sonny Jurgensen’s autograph. He was my hero. It just didn’t get any better!”

Kevin dreamed of playing for his “hometown” team. It was the typical dream of an athletic 12 year-old boy.  But it was only a dream.

He worked hard and blossomed into a standout football and basketball player in his youth.  And when he matriculated to Salesianum School, an all-boys high school steeped in athletic tradition, he blossomed into a man.

“There were only 1,100 kids at Salesianum. It was impossible to hide. If you were misbehaving or faking it, you would be called out. You had to be you.”

That suited Kevin’s character. Authentic. Genuine.  But Salesianum’s motto suited him even more: Tenui Nec Dimittam, which, translated from Latin, literally means:

“I have taken hold and I won’t let go”.

Kevin lived that motto, on the athletic fields and in life.  And that competitiveness and sheer will would serve him for his entire life.

A Rising Star

Kevin was a great football player at Salesianum School. But he certainly wasn’t the only star.

“My senior year, we had 11 guys that would go on to earn a football scholarship at the next level. At one point, our entire offense considered going to play for the same college!”  

The team rolled through the season without a loss. In their final game, Salesianum would go on to beat previously unbeaten Middleton High School and earn an undefeated season of their own.  Many of his teammates received offers to prestigious schools around the country. His good friend, Mike Webb, earned a full scholarship to Notre Dame. Kevin dreamed of playing in South Bend alongside him. But they only offered him a half-scholarship.

“I couldn’t justify the expense. With other schools offering more money, I had to look elsewhere.”

It came down to the University of Kentucky, the University of Maryland, and nearby Villanova University. Kevin visited Villanova and was blown away by the vibe on campus.

“I fell in love with the place. Not just the football program. There were just cool people everywhere.”

But it was the football program that would propel Kevin to glory. By his junior year, he had earned a starting position as a linebacker and garnered the respect of his teammates. While he was a rising star, he still did not think his dream of playing in the NFL would become a reality. But one game changed all that.

John Babinecz, who would go on to be taken in the second round of the NFL draft, was a standout senior middle linebacker and nose guard for Villanova. The week before their huge rivalry game against Temple, John broke his hand. The NFL scouts still showed up in packs, expecting John to play. But minutes before kickoff, his cast was declared “illegal” and Babinecz was ruled out. Kevin Reilly stepped up to take his spot. He seized the moment.

Reilly had the game of his life. He wreaked havoc in the backfield. He covered sideline to sideline en route to recording 18 tackles. The NFL scouts could not not believe their eyes.

“My stock went through the roof that day. It was God’s will.” 

Kevin Reilly had taken hold. And he would not let go until he achieved his dream.  

By his senior year at Villanova, Kevin caught the attention of several more NFL scouts. But nothing was guaranteed. He was asked to play in the prestigious East-West Shrine All-Star game in Miami at the end of the season. A good performance there would put him one step closer to his dream.

Playing with future NFL stars Gary Danielson and Chuck Foreman, Kevin once again rose to the occasion. He played most of the game and turned in an outstanding performance against elite competition. He had put himself in the best possible position to succeed. Now it was up to fate.

And fate, at this point in his life, was kind to Kevin. In the 7th Round of the 1973 NFL Draft (160th overall pick), the defending Super Bowl Champion Miami Dolphins selected Kevin Reilly.  Tenui Nec Dimittam!

Flirting With the Dream

Kevin reported to the Miami Dolphins training camp in the best shape of his life. He was joining a team that had not just won a Super Bowl, but finished the previous season as the only undefeated team in NFL history.

Head Coach Don Shula led the men into battle. Hall of Famer Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick defined the running attack. And Defensive Coordinator Bill Arnsparger’s complex but effective “53" Defense stifled the opponents.

“I was intimidated beyond belief. I was no longer the best at my position. These guys were good!”

On top of that, they had 2 and a half hour practices twice a day in the searing heat and humidity of South Florida. It was the most punishment he had endured in his entire career.

“Three days into camp, I called my dad and told him I wanted to quit. I was at the end of my rope.” 

Kevin could always count on his dad for sage words of wisdom in times like these.

“If you quit, what will you tell your guys at Salesianum?”

That snapped Kevin back to reality. It was time to take hold and never let go.

Kevin wouldn’t be intimidated anymore. The next day he took matters into his own hands.

“Csonka had been pushing people around all camp. Before the whistle. After the whistle. Not any more!”

In the first drill after the call with his dad, Cszonka pushed Kevin after a hard tackle. Kevin grabbed him by the facemask and took a swing. The two brawled for a couple minutes before a few irate coaches finally separated them. Kevin had stood his ground. And, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Coach Arnsparger trying to stifle a grin.

Quitting was not an option!

After that, Kevin Reilly was on fire. He brimmed with confidence, moved up the depth chart and made it to the last round of cuts. When he appeared on a “final” list for special teams, he was so certain he would make the team, he went apartment hunting with fellow rookie Don Strock.

But fate would deliver the first blow to Kevin’s NFL career.  It would not be the worst hit.

Legendary Penn State Coach Joe Paterno called Don Shula for a favor. One of his “guys” had been waived by another NFL team and was now available. He was a former Defensive End who had converted to Linebacker and would be the perfect fit for the “53” defense. That made Reilly expendable.

“It was devastating. But Coach Shula couldn’t have been more gracious. He took me aside and told me I could play in this league. That gave me even more confidence.”

After so much promise, Miami was a dead end. Where would the next stop take him?

Another Shot at Glory

Kevin went back to Wilmington to work in his dad’s liquor store. He had an agent but no one was picking up the phone. It looked like the end of the line.

But Kevin’s dad once again stepped in with his trademark timely advice.

“You’re not gonna make it to the NFL working here. Why not hop the fence up in Philly and ask the Eagles for a tryout.”

Kevin didn’t know where to begin. Really? The Eagles would have him arrested if he stormed their training camp. But just to prove his dad wrong, Kevin headed up the road and gave this “crazy” idea a shot.

“Nobody was calling me, so I really didn’t have much to lose.”

Kevin still had some gear and credentials from the Miami Dolphins training camp, and he was able to talk his way past the guard at the Eagles Training camp. He sat in the stands for most of the practice and then seized the opportunity.

As he approached Eagles Head Coach Mike McCormack, another coach, and former NFL star, Jim Katcavage, recognized Reilly from a recruiting trip. Jim asked what he was he doing here. When Kevin stammered, he invited Coach McCormack over to the conversation.

“I was nervous. But it was so incredulous, I finally just let it all hang out. I asked him right then and there for a tryout.” 

And then Kevin waited to be escorted off the grounds.

But Katcavage vouched for him. And Coach McCormack smiled.

“Meet me tomorrow morning at 8am. We’ll take you through a run and a lift and see what you got.”

Are you serious?  Thanks to his dad’s “crazy” advice, Kevin Reilly was one step away from living his dream.

Living the Dream

And Kevin Reilly made the most the most of his opportunity. He impressed the coaches with his speed and strength. And he impressed the coaches with his fierce competitiveness. His dream was right there in front of him. He would take hold. And he would never let go!

The next day, Kevin Reilly signed a practice contract to officially join the Philadelphia Eagles! He excelled on defense, as it was a lot simpler than the one in Miami. Kevin steadily moved up the ranks on special teams and as a back up linebacker. The dream was real!

Kevin officially made his debut at linebacker during a regular season game in 1973. His linebacker coach, Walt Michaels, respected toughness and no-nonsense players (if you wore a neck roll to practice, you’d be sitting on the bench the next game!). He gave Kevin a shot.

On his first series, massive NY Giants running back Ron Johnson came barreling toward Kevin. As he was scrambling to tackle him, Kevin’s chinstrap was pulled loose and his helmet came off. But nothing could stop him. Kevin Reilly didn’t need a helmet. He made the tackle and ran back to the huddle to find his chinstrap.

Coach Michaels knew he had a winner.

But the enormity of Kevin’s improbable run to he NFL did not sink in until the 1974 season. By then, Kevin Reilly was a captain of the special teams and earned time at linebacker as well. He was even introduced on national television on Monday Night Football with his special teams unit.

But nothing compared to a moment later that season against the Washington Redskins. Starting linebacker Steve Zabel was injured and Kevin was inserted into the lineup. Halfway through the game, the starting quarterback for the Washington Redskins, Billy Kilmer, was also injured. The back up quarterback for the Redskins came in to replace him.

And Kevin Reilly nearly passed out when he realized he was staring across the line from his childhood hero, Sonny Jurgensen!  

Every part of Kevin Reilly’s dream had come true.

But for every climb, there is a fall. And Kevin Reilly was in for a HUGE fall.

A Harsh Reality

Kevin continued to impress. But after two years with the Philadelphia Eagles, he was traded to the New England Patriots. He played the first five games of the season and started in two of them. He stuck his nose in and tackled future Hall of Famers OJ Simpson, Joe Namath, and John Riggins. But a knee injury suffered in his sixth game forced him onto injured reserve and ended his season.

Ever resilient, Kevin trained hard for a comeback the next season. While rehabbing, he noticed his left arm was noticeably weaker than his right. And it continued to weaken throughout the off-season.

His shoulder had atrophied.  And severe pain started to creep in. Thinking it was bursitis, Kevin received several cortisone shots. Nothing seemed to help.

At New England’s training camp the next summer, Kevin was still battling pain. While trying to rush All-Pro Tight End Russ Francis, he collapsed to the ground. His left shoulder was failing him. After the second exhibition game, Kevin Reilly was cut from the New England Patriots.

To make matters worse, Kevin noticed a growth in that same left shoulder. He finally went to the doctor and it was diagnosed as a benign tumor. He had an immediate operation to remove it. But 5 weeks later it was back. He had another operation. But nothing could stop this aggressive tumor.

Kevin needed to solve this problem so he could get back to playing football. After several misdiagnoses, he finally consulted Dr. Ralph Marcove, a renowned orthopedic surgeon at Manhattan’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering. It didn’t take Dr. Marcove long to properly diagnose the condition.  And it wasn’t good!

Kevin had a desmoid tumor, a cancerous , aggressive tumor which attacks any living tissue in its path. Dr. Marcove lowered the boom, and it was the hardest hit Kevin had ever taken:

“You are never going to play football again.”

Gut punch. Imagine. A professional athlete in his prime suddenly stripped of his dream. Devastating. 

But Dr. Marcove was saving the worst for last.

“And we’ll be lucky to save your arm!”

Everything Kevin had ever worked for was suddenly taken away. He had no choice but to undergo aggressive surgery to try and save his arm.

But he tumor had other plans. Kevin finally came across something that matched his own tenacity.  The tumor had taken hold. And it would not let go!

Life-Changing Surgery

The surgery to remove Kevin’s shoulder blade was not successful. Once again, the tumor came back stronger than ever.

Now Kevin was in a deep state of depression. He was taking 16 aspirin a day and getting 2 hours of sleep a night.

“I was in constant pain for 3 months. It was a bear. I simply couldn’t go on like that!”

Dr. Marcove needed to match the aggressiveness of the tumor. He suggested a radical “forequarter” operation, which would remove Kevin’s left arm, shoulder, and five of his ribs.

“At that point, it was a blessing. I welcomed the operation. I was no longer worried about football. I wanted to live!”

It’s amazing how quickly our goals can change.  

Right before going into surgery, Kevin was as relaxed as he had been in months. He had a scapular bracelet of the Blessed Mother on his right arm. It was for protection. But it was also a reminder for Dr. Marcove.

“This marks the arm you DON’T cut off!”

Kevin Reilly was seconds away from life-altering surgery. It was not certain he would survive the ordeal. But either way, he knew his body would never be the same.

“I held up my left hand, made a fist, and said goodbye. See you later, baby!” 

After 11 and a half hours of surgery, Kevin emerged from the deep haze. He was missing 30 percent of his left side. But he was alive.

“Dr. Marcove saved my life. We had a special bond until he day he died.”

Kevin Reilly survived. He was relieved to finally be out of pain. But he had underestimated the psychological impact of the surgery.

His limitations suddenly hit him. He couldn’t tie his shoes. He couldn’t easily dress himself. He couldn’t give a big, two-armed hug. These are things he had taken for granted just a few short months ago.

As he slipped into depression in his hospital bed, Kevin received a phone call from an old acquaintance. Rocky Bleier, the four-time Super Bowl Champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers, had known Kevin from their playing days. Rocky had been severely injured in Vietnam and nearly lost his leg. But he he battled back and made the most of his career.

“The call from Rocky did more for me than anything. Everyone was telling me what I couldn’t do. Rocky told me not to give up on anything until I tried at least three times. That was huge for me.”

He also sent Kevin a copy of The Winner’s Creed. Kevin still carries it with him today.

Inspired by Rocky’s advice, Kevin no longer felt sorry for himself. And he no longer made assumptions about what he couldn’t do.

Kevin taught himself how to tie his shoes. He taught himself how to tie a tie. He learned how to play pretty good one-armed golf. He ran 5 half marathons and the full Marine Corps Marathon. He struggled. But he never let his surgery stop him from living a normal life.

“I stopped feeling sorry for myself and got on with my life. At least it wasn’t my dominant arm. I was thankful.”

Losing an arm and being thankful. Now THAT is perspective.

Kevin Reilly took hold of his new life. And he would never let go!

A New Dream Emerges

Kevin went on to have a successful 30-year career at Xerox. He also served as a professional announcer for the Philadelphia Eagles and a play-by-play man for Villanova football. He raised a son and two daughters and now has 10 beautiful grandchildren. He has had a wonderful life.

But not a perfect life. He still yearns to do certain little things he could easily do before the surgery. He misses 2-handed weight lifting, giving 2-armed hugs, and swinging a baseball bat. These are not coming back.

But Kevin is at peace. And much more importantly, Kevin Reilly now has a new calling in his life. He is a successful motivational speaker and author who connects with people of all ages.

Kevin speaks to military groups. He speaks to children. He speaks to businesses and charities. And he always leaves his audience inspired and enthusiastic.

“I cherished my time at Xerox, but it was a job. Now, I am energized. I can’t get enough of it. I love connecting with people and trying to make a difference!”

Mark Twain said the two most important days in a person’s life are the day they are bornand the day they find their purpose. Kevin Reilly had his career cut short and lost his left arm. But through all the pain and heartache, that experience led him to his true calling in life. Kevin Reilly has found his purpose.

He has taken hold. And he will never let go!

What Does It Mean For Us?

Kevin Reilly defied the odds and reached the pinnacle of professional sports through hard work, grit, and tenacity. Then, those same odds turned on him and cost him his career and his arm.

And while there were periods of doubt and depression, Kevin never stopped battling. He never stopped improving. He never stopped trying to make the lives around him better. And Kevin’s heroic journey has lessons for all of us.

How many of us have the faith and perseverance to live out our dreams?

How many of us feel intimidated but still charge forward in battle?

How many of us suffer a setback but refuse to feel sorry for ourselves?  

How many of us focus on what we have, rather than what we are missing?

How many of us see our challenges as a blessing?

How many of take hold of something and never let go?

We may not have experienced the highs of becoming a professional athlete. Or the lows of battling cancer. But we all have dreams. We all have goals. And we all have obstacles in our path.

No one has an easy journey. Everyone is going through some type of battle. But we all have the ability to keep moving forward despite the pain. We all have the ability to taste success and satisfaction.

Sometimes, we just need little reminders to keep us on the right track.  Never underestimate the power of perspective.

Kevin Reilly has lived a remarkable life and, at 67 years old, he is only just getting started.

And we all have that same journey inside us. Thank you, Kevin, for teaching us all how important it it is to live out our dreams and pull people along for the ride.

Hold on and never let go.  

Rob Clark is a motivational speaker and author. For more on resiliency, please visit and sign up for his weekly blog, The Resilient Worker.