78. John Parrella
Football / Grand Island / Born: 1969
QUICK FACTS:
Played for: Grand Island Central Catholic High, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams
Best athlete from Nebraska played with or against: Former Nebraska defensive tackle Danny Noonan, "but there are a lot of guys I could say, too many to say."
Best moment as an athlete: "Having my sons watch me play in the Super Bowl. There's nothing better."
John Parrella was Nebraska raised, the pride of Grand Island. Defensive coordinator Charlie McBride once ranked him among the top three defensive tackles he had ever coached.
Hard to believe Parrella once dreamed of dominating performances on the Memorial Stadium turf -- as a Colorado Buffalo.
In fact, it wasn't until Colorado withdrew Parrella's scholarship offer that the Nebraska boy built like a Mack truck elected to walk on at Nebraska.
In hindsight, Parrella couldn't imagine playing for the team on the other side of the stadium, against the lifelong friends he gained at Nebraska.
After earning three letters as a Husker, Parrella became the first NU player selected in the 1993 draft, going in the second round to the Buffalo Bills.
The next season Parrella found his way to San Diego, spending several years there before heading north to Oakland, where he teamed up with current Nebraska coach Bill Callahan, then the head coach of the Raiders.
That season saw Parrella and Callahan make it to the Super Bowl, where they fell to Tampa Bay.
Parrella currently lives in California. Always a family man, he has been firm about letting his kids grow up without having to move around much. Earlier this summer, Parrella signed a free agent contract with the St. Louis Rams, his fourth NFL team.
"Big John" is one of the best stories among the numerous walk-on successes at Nebraska. After a troublesome beginning to his NFL career, Parrella "went back to what I learned at Nebraska" to rejuvenate a career that has grown into a long, successful stay at professional football's highest level of play.
-- Jon Crowl
QUICK FACTS:
Played for: Grand Island Central Catholic High, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams
Best athlete from Nebraska played with or against: Former Nebraska defensive tackle Danny Noonan, "but there are a lot of guys I could say, too many to say."
Best moment as an athlete: "Having my sons watch me play in the Super Bowl. There's nothing better."
