 |
 To
say that Aliquippa High School has made its mark on the National
Football League would be an understatement. Names like Hall of Famer
Mike Ditka, future Hall
of Famer Ty Law and current All-Pro Darrelle Revis have left an
indelible imprint on football’s highest level. Sean Gilbert is part
of that fraternity, and he not only built on the Quips’ NFL legacy,
he enhanced it. Gilbert spent 11 seasons in the NFL, earning Pro
Bowl recognition in 1993.
But that was par for the course for
Gilbert, who established himself among the best football players in
the nation at every level – high school, college and professional.
Gilbert first jumped into the football conscience of America during
his senior season at Aliquippa, being selected as The USA Today’s
National Defensive Player of the Year. Parade magazine also selected
Gilbert to its prestigious All-American team and the Associated
Press named him to its first team all-state team. The Atlanta
Touchdown Club named him its “Lineman of the Year” and he was
selected to play in the Big 33 Classic. That season, Gilbert made 91
tackles as he led Aliquippa to a 14-1 record, a WPIAL championship
and a spot in the PIAA championship game.
One of the most heavily
recruited players in the nation, Gilbert took his talents to the
University of Pittsburgh, where he would establish himself as one of
the best defensive lineman in the school’s history. In 1990, Gilbert
was named first team all Big East and was an Associated Press All
East first team defensive selection. In 1991 Gilbert earned
All-American honors with the Panthers, finishing his college career
on a high note in a game against rival Penn State by making 16
tackles and 1½ sacks. The 6'-5", 318-pound Gilbert opted for the NFL
after his junior season and became the number one draft pick of the
Los Angeles Rams, and the third overall selection in the 1992 draft.
He established himself as a force from the very start, as he was
named to the NFL All-Rookie team by the Pro Football Writers
Association. One year later, Gilbert became regarded as one of the
best defensive lineman in the NFL, recording 10½ sacks that season
and culminating with his selection to the Pro Bowl. He went on to
play with the Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers and Oakland
Raiders. He finished his career with 475 tackles and 42½ sacks.
Gilbert has gone on to an equally successful career as a businessman
since retiring from the NFL. He is the founder of Sean Gilbert
Associates, Inc; the CEO of Nerih, Inc; the owner of Obediah
Records, LLC; and a partner in Esquire Big & Tall Men’s Clothing
Store in Charlotte, NC. Gilbert now resides in Charlotte with his
wife, Nicole, and their four children, Deshaun, A’lexus, Zaccheaus,
and A’lea. |
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