Goodbye television punditry and acting, Peanut Tillman has moved on to a bigger and better post-football career.The former Chicago Bears cornerback (who also had a very small role in one of the Sharknado films) recently began training to become an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Tillman, 36, was a criminal justice major at Louisiana Lafayette, and when the news broke last week that he had designs on joining the FBI, we reached out to a few of his colleagues, all with Chicago Bears connections, to hear their thoughts on this development.
The most colorful response probably came from Otis Wilson, the legendary linebacker and member of the immortal Super Bowl XX championship squad.
At the Built Ford Tough Toughest Tailgate, we asked “Mama’s Boy Otis” if he knew Peanut Tillman (meaning “are you close with him?” “not do you know of him?”) The response was hysterical.
“Does he play hockey? He played for the Blackhawks, right?” Wilson joked.
“C’mon man, do I know Peanut Tillman, does a bear shit in the woods? Of course I know Peanut Tillman.”
“I think that’s great, I come from a law enforcement family, so I think it’s commendable, he’s got credibility. He’s known.”
Wilson, who was also a criminal justice major at Louisville, continued: “that’s where I started out at, then I changed it to basket weaving, I think it was.”
“Football has opened the door for us in so many ways, if he has the opportunity to further his education, to go in to a different field, I think he’ll do well. “He’s a prey smart guy, I think he’ll go in there, he’ll work hard, he’ll fight, and he’ll do well.”
Charles Tillman, as he’s formally known, played 12 of his 13 NFL seasons with the Chicago Bears organization and helped the Carolina Panthers to a 15-1 record and Super Bowl 50 appearance in his final season.
During his career, Tillman was renowned for his ability to knock the ball loose from opposing offensive players, and he forced 44 fumbles during his career. “The Peanut Punch” was his signature move, and his former head coach and close friend, Lovie Smith, has a contraption espousing this football concept in his current team meeting room.
Now the head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini, the defenders on the current team are required to hit the machine pictured below upon both entering and exiting the team room.
We asked Smith about his close friend joining the FBI during his weekly news conference.
“Peanut has always had an interest in law enforcement. we share a common like as far as that is concerned,” he responded.
“So it’s not a surprise, I know Peanut has a variety of interests that are important to him right now, I know he’ll do well with it.”
Tillman was named the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2013 for his philanthropic efforts.
One of Payton’s teammates on the Super Bowl winning ’85 team, the MVP of the big game himself, Richard Dent, is the final guy we surveyed.
“That’s cool, I’m probably going to do that FBI academy community outreach program as I have an M.O.U. with them,” Dent responded.
“With my technology to protect the kids that’s from K-12 and college, and the elderly, it’s related to the recent online surge in hate crimes, cyber-bullying, gang warfare, stuff that we’re going out in the community to help corporate initiatives to make it safe for the kids.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now and Minute Media. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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