Illinois H.S. Gridiron Graduates (Pro)
& Coaches

IHSFW.com would like to recognize not only those individuals who have made it to the professional level, but also the fans who have helped compile this list of players who have made it to a pro career. Scroll down for a list of Pro coaches from Illinois high schools.

Past Player Triva
Do you know which former player was the first black coach in the NFL? Here's a hint there's an award named after him. There are 3 players that are currently active that all suited up for a game between two state championship teams, all 3 have played in a Super Bowl as well, do you know who they are? Numerous players were in Pro-Bowls & Super Bowls, but who is the only person in the NFL Super Bowl era to play on both an undefeated & winless team? scorll to the bottom for the answers.

Below is a list of players by name, high school & active players.
Name / high school / active players

Coaches

Callahan, Bill / Chicago (Mendel) 1975
Callahan, who played quarterback in high school and for Illinois Benedictine College, went on to coach at Oak Lawn & De La Salle high schools. Then on to assistant job at Illinois & Wisconsin. He accepted the job as the offensive line coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, before going to the Oakland Raiders to be their offensive coordinator before becoming their head coach in 2002. The Raiders made the Super Bowl in his first year as a NFL head coach.

Halas, George /Chicago (Crane)
Legendary football player, coach & founder of the NFL. Started the NFL's first team the Decatur Staleys, in Decatur, IL. They would eventually become the Chicago Bears.

Levy, Marv /Chicago (South Shore) 1944
Running back in high school & college. Went on to coach the NFL Buffalo Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls.

Shanahan, Michael / Franklin Park (East Leyden)
Head Coach with the Denver Broncos (1995-present). Lead the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl championships in 1997 and 1998. As of 2002 season his career record is 96-61. Played quarterback at East Leyden High School in Franklin Park Attended Eastern Illinois in the early 1970s on a football scholarship, playing quarterback and defensive back. Shanahan's playing career was ended after he had a sustained split kidney injury in a EIU game. A last-second operation saved his life. After the injury Shanahan, a physical education major, worked as an assistant with Eastern’s football team while earning his bachelor's degree in 1974 and master’s (also in physical education) in 1975. He was an assistant for the Oklahoma Sooners and won a national championship while there, a backfield coach at Northern Arizona . He returned to Eastern in 1978 as the Panther’s offensive coordinator, helping the team win a Division II championship.

Scott, Al / Former Head coach at Chicago (Simeon)
Played wide receiver in the NFL for the bengals in 69 & 70 had Bill Walsh as a wide receiver coach.

Know any NFL, CFL, Arena League or World League players who are a product of an Illinois High School. Past or present.
E-mail us at IHSFW@ihsfw.com.

Answers to Past Player Triva:
1. Fritz Pollard, Lane Tech
2. Mike Alstott, Donovan McNabb & Simeon Rice, Joliet Catholic & Mt. Carmel (Chicago)
3. Larry Ball, Rushville