Football 7/8/2022 2:00:00 PM Written By: Mallory Allen

“You Can't Give Up”: From Back-Up to QB1, Sheehan is Relentless in Chasing His Dreams

Quarterback Jack Sheehan

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Green Bay, WI – Every athlete is undoubtedly familiar with adversity. After all, braving hardships and overcoming obstacles is an inevitable part of playing sports. 25-year-old Green Bay Blizzard quarterback Jack Sheehan knows this all too well, as he's faced his share of each.

Jack Sheehan, #12, is the rookie quarterback for the Green Bay Blizzard. (Image: Tyler Thomas)

Sheehan attended four colleges in seven years. As a freshman, he suffered a serious ACL injury. After transferring schools, he was forced to sit out a year, then eventually found himself as his team's fourth-string QB. Sheehan's graduate school shut down mid-way through his time there as a student-athlete, and the coronavirus pandemic threatened to derail his final football season. He began his rookie year in the Indoor Football League (IFL) as the Blizzard's back-up quarterback, having been beaten out for the starting spot, and mourned the loss of a close family member in April.

And yet, through all the ups-and-downs the last seven years have thrown at him, Sheehan has stood tall and refused to give up — offering an inspiring display of faith, grace, and humility while perfecting the art of turning the difficulties and setbacks he endures into successes and triumphs.

"I've always loved football"

Sheehan was born and raised on Florida's Gulf Coast, calling the picturesque tourist city of St. Petersburg "home." He grew up in a tight-knit family as the third of four children – and the only son – to his parents, John and Bethany, and as a proud brother to his three sisters: Gabby, Hannah, and Lily.

Football became an integral part of Sheehan's life at a very young age; in fact, he was only four years old when he began playing flag football. "I moved up to tackle when I was seven, but I didn't play quarterback at first – I was an offensive lineman and a tight end," Sheehan recalled. "In sixth grade, I started playing QB, and I've been one from there on out."

Sheehan said he can't remember a time when sheer passion for this sport didn't pump through his veins. "I've always loved football, ever since I first started playing it. I used to play baseball too, but football was my favorite and it became my main focus once I got to high school."

Throughout middle and high school, Sheehan was trained and mentored by Steve DeBerg, who spent 17 years playing quarterback in the NFL. A three-year starter at St. Petersburg Catholic High School, Sheehan helped the SPC football squad win their first playoff game in nearly a decade as a junior. He then transferred to Calvary Christian High School for his senior year – joining a program that had never before notched a winning season – and led them to a 7-3 record, plus a playoff appearance.

Sheehan takes a snap under center as Calvary Christian High School's QB. (Image: Jack Sheehan)

According to Sheehan, a number of factors played into his decision to finish high school at Calvary. One of the main reasons behind the move was Todd Yoder, who had been hired as the Warriors' head coach the prior year. "He was a great coach – he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they won the Super Bowl [in 2003]," explained Sheehan. "I really loved both schools. Transferring was just what was best for me at the time."

Four Schools In Seven Years

Sheehan's journey is unique in that his collegiate football career spanned four schools in three states throughout seven years.

After graduating from CCHS in 2015, Sheehan attended Mount Ida College – located just outside of Boston in Newton, Massachusetts – where he was the football team's starting quarterback for two years. "At the end of my freshman year, I actually tore my ACL. I was able to come back and play my sophomore season in a brace, but I was really slow," Sheehan joked.

Although he enjoyed his time at Mount Ida College, a small Division III school, Sheehan said after his first two seasons there, he was ready for a change. "I really loved the coaches, my teammates, and the atmosphere. That's why I went out there in the first place. But ultimately, I decided I wanted to go to a bigger school – and I was really far away from home, too."

Sheehan (with his sister, Hannah) played two seasons for Mount Ida College. (Image: Jack Sheehan)

Sheehan chose to return to Florida and join the Stetson University football team (DI-AA). But an unfortunate consequence came along with that decision: the inability to play his first year there.

At this point, the NCAA's "one-time transfer rule" – which permits college athletes to transfer to a different school and play immediately without ramifications one time during their career – did not exist. Prior to this rule taking effect in April 2021, student-athletes like Sheehan were forced to sit out for a full season of competition as a penalty for transferring.
Still, Sheehan said he did what he could to make the best of his situation. "I actually worked in the equipment room throughout my first year at Stetson. It was a lot of fun, and it helped me get to know my teammates."

Once he was allowed to join the team in the spring, Sheehan found himself in unfamiliar territory: at the bottom of the depth chart as the Hatters' fourth-string quarterback. "That was a big test for me – a 'How much do you really love football?' moment. It was hard; I'd always been 'the guy' and I wasn't anymore," Sheehan said. "But I still played good football while I was there and ended up with a lot of really great practice film."

As a result, after graduating from Stetson University in 2019 with a degree in Business Administration, Sheehan earned a scholarship to play football for Robert Morris University in Chicago as a graduate transfer student pursuing his Master's degree.

"Just because of the way it worked out, I actually didn't use any eligibility while I was at Stetson. I found out I could use my remaining two years and spread them out in graduate school, so that was my plan," Sheehan explained.

After his first season at Robert Morris, financial difficulties caused the school to cease operations and it was subsequently acquired by its neighbor, Roosevelt University, in March 2020. (Oddly enough, the first school Sheehan attended – Mount Ida College – also closed its doors recently; it was purchased by the University of Massachusetts in 2018).

Following the merger, Sheehan – now the starting quarterback for the Lakers' first-ever football team – quickly ran into another big obstacle: the coronavirus pandemic. "What was supposed to be my second and last year there [at Roosevelt] was when COVID started, so they pushed my senior season to the spring," Sheehan said. "We ended up having to play in a couple snowstorms. I remember our first game, the temperature was -6 degrees and there was a few inches of snow covering the field. It was insane."

Sheehan takes a throw in the snow as Roosevelt University's quarterback. (Image: Jack Sheehan)

Ultimately, Sheehan received a third year of eligibility, allowing him to play three seasons of football at Roosevelt and earn his Master of Business Administration (MBA) on scholarship.

"I graduated in December 2021, went home for a couple months, signed with the Blizzard, and moved to Green Bay," Sheehan said with a laugh. "I've definitely been on the move."

From College to the Pros

Sheehan participated in a few Senior Bowl games in an attempt to be recruited to play professionally, sparking interest from several programs in the process. But in a roundabout way, his path led him to the Green Bay Blizzard.

"A scout from back home who's a friend of one of my former coaches connected me with an IFL scout who knows a lot of the coaches in this league," Sheehan explained. "That scout introduced my film to the coaches here [in Green Bay] and a few other IFL teams."

Arizona's Tucson Sugar Skulls were the first to offer Sheehan a contract. Additionally, one of his friends – a wide receiver for the Bismarck Bucks – put in a good word for Sheehan with his coaches, who said they would happily sign Sheehan. Finally, there was the Blizzard.

"Green Bay seemed like the best scenario, and they were the last team to offer me. I was holding out for the Blizzard because I knew they had only signed one quarterback at the time," Sheehan said. "I really wanted to come into Green Bay and compete, so when they signed me, I was super grateful and excited."

Initially, the second quarterback on the Blizzard's roster, Torrance Gibson (who is no longer with the team) earned the role of starting QB. As a result, Sheehan didn't see any playing time at the quarterback position until midway through the team's third game of the season.

He then started for the first time in Green Bay's Week Four match-up versus the Frisco Fighters and has been the Blizzard's QB1 ever since. "I'd been in that spot. I'd been a back-up before, and I knew that if I just got a chance, I could win the starting job," Sheehan recalled.

He also acknowledged that making the adjustment from traditional high school/college football to the rules and style of play in the IFL – especially as a quarterback – hasn't always been easy.

"The biggest difference is the speed of the game. Everything in indoor football happens so much faster, and on top of that, it's so much more condensed," he said. "When you play outdoor ball, you can get away with a lot because there's not as much to analyze so quickly and there's loopholes to get through if you know what you're doing. In the indoor league, you can't second guess yourself or be hesitant. I've had to practice getting better pre-snap so that I don't put myself in bad situations, because I've made some mistakes where it's like, 'Dang, I'm smart enough to not do that.'"

Still, despite the growing pains he's encountered, Sheehan said playing indoor football this season has undoubtedly made him a better QB. "Every week, I've been working on finding a balance between playing fast, playing decisive, and playing smart. Those are the keys to being a good quarterback in this league."

Sheehan makes a pass during the Blizzard's home game versus Massachusetts. (Image: Cormac McInnis)

One of the noticeable hallmarks of Sheehan's game is his aversion to shying away from contact. A dual-threat passing and running quarterback who has seen great success this year both with his arm and on his legs, Sheehan isn't afraid to take any hits – or make some of his own.

"That's just how I was taught to play ball. When I got to college, I had to double back a bit and not do that as much – especially after tearing my ACL freshman year and having a few other injuries. I also didn't take the weight room as seriously back then as I do now that I'm older and stronger," Sheehan said. "Toward the end of my college football career I tried to play more reserved, but once I got into this league I figured I might as well just hit the guys, because hitting the turf actually feels worse."

Sheehan said that one of the biggest challenges he's faced this season is learning to welcome constructive criticism. "I really want to improve and be one of the best players in the league, and to do that, I have to be willing to take the burns that come with coaching and feedback and failure. For me, it's hard to accept all that, but I know that in the end, it's going to help me become a better player."

A Friend and Family Affair

Despite being more than 1,400 miles from home, Sheehan's support system has been with him unconditionally every step of the way throughout his time with the Blizzard.

"My family gets together at my house and watches our games on YouTube," Sheehan said. Many of his loved ones traveled to Green Bay to attend the Blizzard's home game against the Vegas Knight Hawks earlier this year, and Sheehan's longtime girlfriend Kassandra is a frequent face in the Resch Center seats, standing out in her custom-made, one-of-a-kind Sheehan jacket.

Sheehan and his girlfriend have been together for more than four years. (Image: Kassandra Chang)

Additionally, this season granted Sheehan the opportunity to reunite with Damian King Jr., one of his lifelong best friends, who spent time as a wide receiver for the Blizzard earlier this year. According to Sheehan, the pair played on the same football team when they were 12 years old and have remained close friends ever since.

"Our relationship runs way deeper than football. He's my brother," Sheehan said. "But us getting to play ball together again after 13 years was really cool; things felt like they'd come full circle. It was a lot of fun to be out there on the field with him and score a few touchdowns together."

Taking It All In

When tasked with choosing a favorite memory from this season, Sheehan had a difficult time picking just one.

"Bismarck was a really fun game because I felt like I was in my element the whole time," he said, referencing the Blizzard's dominating Week Nine 55-14 win over the Bucks. In this game, Sheehan went 15 of 17 for 232 yards, scoring eight touchdowns (seven passing, one rushing) en route to receiving the IFL's Offensive Player of the Week award.

Sheehan continued, "But honestly, the greatest moment I've had so far might be my Hail Mary to Dez [Stewart] versus Massachusetts." After dropping their first four games of the season, the Blizzard knocked off the Pirates – the reigning United Bowl champions, who were riding a 14-game win streak – at home in a thrilling overtime victory, all set in motion by a last-second Hail Mary touchdown pass from Sheehan as time expired.

Sheehan said the best part about playing for the Blizzard is the relationships he's formed and the camaraderie he shares with his teammates, who have become friends and brothers to him. "I don't think I've ever played on a team where everybody loves football as much as I do. Being here gets me hyped because all my teammates really want to play, love to play, respect the game, and want to win. It makes me really excited to compete with them each week."

Looking Ahead

Sheehan admitted he isn't sure what the next step in his football career – or his life in general – will be. "I made myself a promise a long time ago to take football as far as I can. But at the same time, my goal has always been to set myself up so that football isn't the only thing I can do, which is why I tried so hard in school and got my MBA."

No matter what happens, Sheehan said he'll continue to work hard, believe in himself, and refuse to give up when things get tough. "I know that every time you go through something hard or feel like you're going in the opposite direction you want to be, those are the things that build you up and make you stronger."

Sheehan's story is the perfect example of this. As a soon-to-be-graduating senior, he was Stetson's fourth-string quarterback… but he ended up receiving a scholarship to play collegiate football for three more years and is now playing professionally.

"You never know what will happen, so you can't give up. Just give it everything you have," Sheehan advised. "Don't take any of it for granted. Enjoy every moment you get. And most importantly, just have fun."

Wherever life takes him, Sheehan is simply looking forward to the ride ahead. "I'm kind of in an unknown space right now, but also a really fun one," he said with a smile. "I don't necessarily know what's coming next, but I'm prepared and ready and excited for whatever it is."

Written By: Mallory Allen

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Players Mentioned

#12 Jack Sheehan: QB; 6' 1"; 1; Roosevelt University

Players Mentioned

#12 Jack Sheehan
: 6' 1"; 1; Roosevelt University
: QB

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“You Can't Give Up”: From Back-Up to QB1, Sheehan is Relentless in Chasing His Dreams

Quarterback Jack Sheehan

Players Mentioned

#12 Jack Sheehan

Players Mentioned

#12 Jack Sheehan

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