On Nov. 1, 2013, inside a Manley Field House office, then-SU head coach Scott Shafer told defensive lineman Tyler Marona his career was over. For about three months after Marona suffered a concussion at an inter-squad scrimmage, he said he regularly met to evaluate his progress with Shafer and SU team doctor James Tucker, who came to the team facility about once per week. Marona liked both men and thought they cared about his health. He did not know who officially decided to medically disqualify him, but he understood why.
“(Shafer) ended up being like, ‘I don’t want to bring you back and then have you get hurt again, and then I can never look you in the eye ever again and be like, hey, I did what was best for you,’” Marona said this month.