Many athletes pursue different careers after their playing careers are over. Some stay involved in the sport they played in, and others pursue different paths. Marcellus Wiley spent 10 seasons in the NFL. 

After his playing career, the former NFL player pursued a career in radio and television.

Marcellus Wiley excelled on the field and classroom

Wiley is a native of Compton, California, and he attended Saint Monica Catholic High School, where he was a standout on the football and track team. He was an all-conference selection on the football field. Wiley also was named the class valedictorian and was a member of the National Honor Society. With Wiley excelling in the classroom, he attended Columbia University, an Ivy League school where he played football.

At Columbia, Wiley played halfback, defensive end, and kick returner. He was very versatile and excelled at every position he played. During his time at Columbia, he was an All-American and an All-Ivy League pick. He helped lead Columbia to an 8-2 record in 1996 and a second-place finish in the Ivy League. As a senior, he recorded 63 tackles, 6.5 sacks, eight pass breakups, and three blocked field goals. He rushed for 118 yards on 321 on the offensive side as a senior and scored five touchdowns.

Wiley received numerous recognitions at Columbia as he received the Sid Luckman and David W. Smyth Awards as Columbia’s MVP was voted co-captain, and was awarded the 1997 Connie Maniatty Award as the top senior men’s student-athlete in the University. He went on to graduate from Columbia in 1997 with a degree in sociology.

A look at Marcellus Wiley’s career in the NFL

The Buffalo Bills selected Wiley in the second round of the 1997 NFL draft. Wiley spent his first four seasons with the Bills as a defensive end. During his four seasons with the Bills, he had 129 combined tackles and 19 sacks. He joined the San Diego Chargers during the 2001 season and had one of his career’s best seasons. Wiley finished with 48 combined tackles and 13 sacks. After an impressive performance during the 2001 season, he was selected to his first and only Pro Bowl and was named second-team All-Pro.

He spent three seasons with the Chargers and then spent one year playing for the Dallas Cowboys. After one season with the Cowboys, he finished his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Wiley finished his career with 324 tackles, 44 sacks, two interceptions, and 14 forced fumbles. He had one year where he had a lot of success, and that was in 2001. 

Wiley pursuing a career in radio and television

After his playing career, Wiley decided to tap into radio and television. He was the co-founder of Prolebrity, a sports community where pro athletes express viewpoints, publicize their businesses, charities, and events, and connect with other athletes, fans, and business opportunities. Wiley has been busy appearing on numerous sports shows throughout his career after playing in the league.

He has appeared as a co-host for Mike and Mike in the Morning and SportsNation. In January of 2013, he became the co-host for SportsNation on a full-time basis. Five years later, he left ESPN and joined Fox Sports 1 as the co-host of Speak for Yourself. In 2018, Wiley also released a book titled Never Shut Up: The Life, Opinions, and Unexpected Adventures of an NFL Outsider. Wiley has been busy since he retired from football, and he’s making sure that he’s making an impact in whatever it is that he’s doing.