Chris Gannon

Christopher Stephen Gannon (born January 20, 1966) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and in the NFL for the New England Patriots and the San Diego Chargers.

Early life Christopher Stephen Gannon was born in Brandon, Florida to Juanita L. and Donald F. Gannon Sr. The Gannon family moved from Brandon, Florida to Orange Park, Florida when Chris was at a young age. He played Pee Wee football in the Pop Warner program. Later, he attended Orange Park High School where he played football as a tight end and defensive end. He was named to both the All-County and All-District teams during his freshman and junior years. As a senior at Orange Park High, he was second-team Class AAAA and made the All-State team.

Collegiate athletic career

College football

Gannon attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (formerly University of Southwestern Louisiana). He played four years with the Ragin' Cajuns on the defense team.

1984–1985 season Gannon was signed by coach Sam Robertson and practiced and played under Robertson's leadership as a redshirt.

Gannon experienced recurring knee injuries that hampered his play. He was also plagued by a sore neck and pinched nerve in the shoulder from prior injuries.

• First Team All-South Independent

Other collegiate activities Gannon lettered twice in track throwing the discus. Gannon also lettered in baseball. Gannon worked as a swimming instructor during the summers of 1986, 1987, and 1988 in Lake Wales and St. Augustine, Florida where he taught the visually and hearing impaired to swim.

Due to his stand-out college years, Chris Gannon was considered to be one of the country's top defensive linemen available in the 1989 NFL draft. Gannon's speed, agility, strength, and field reaction were all qualities the Patriot's needed to shore up their defense.

Gannon wore 98 in his rookie time with the Patriots. During those weeks, the Chargers lost six games and won four.

Gannon played on special teams as the Charger's deep snapper.

The Chargers placed Gannon on Injured Reserve on 17 November 1989 due to a knee injury. He had to have surgery and spent the last six weeks on the Injured Reserves.

Gannon became a Plan B free agent in 1989. The Chargers left him unprotected, thinking other teams would shy away from him due to his knee injury. He signed a two-year contract for the 1990 and 1991 seasons.

He was back on the field for the Phoenix game on 25 November 1990. He played in six games that season, between week 10 and 17. He started at defensive end in the New York Jets game on 23 December and in the New York Giants game of 30 December 1990.

Gannon, recovered from the knee surgery, chalked up seven tackles with three assists in the six games he played for the Patriots during the remainder of the 1990 season.

1991 season He was placed on the Injured Reserve list on 27 August 1991 due to a preseason knee injury.

Gannon moved over to special teams He recovered a Buffalo Bills fumbled punt during his first game back as a roster member on 3 November 1991. He also racked up three special teams tackles during the season.

Missed the Seahawks game on 18 September 1992 due to knee and ankle injury.

Gannon had thirteen tackles and four assisted tackles as a defensive end that season. He made four tackles in three games against New Orleans, Indianapolis, and Miami. It was a career high performance. The Patriots viewed him as a valuable member of the special teams squad because of is ability to make the long snap.

He was waived by the Patriots in 1993 along with several other defensive linemen.

Gannon fumbled the ball twice while playing with the Patriots (1990, 1992). He recovered a fumble in the 1992 season with the New England Patriots. He was credited with an assisted quarterback sack during his career.

Chris played for Bill Parcells during his final year with New England. Parcells was running pre-season summer practice as if it were a game, running different scenarios, intent on finding problem areas and preventing mistakes leading to penalties. On one play, Gannon anticipated the snap and jumped offside. Parcells took this as a teaching opportunity. "That's the worst penalty you can have on defense! It's all because you're not watching the ball, Gannon". Chris was embarrassed by the gaff and looked as if he wanted to "dig a hole at the 50-yard line and crawl into the ground".

Personal and later life Chris Gannon married Ruth Ann Schoeffler in 1991.

During the NFL off-seasons, Gannon was involved in Boys and Girls Club and other charities. He was also active in the Say No To Drugs campaign.

Chris Gannon, along with his wife Ruth Ann returned to Lafayette, Louisiana after his NFL career was over.

Chris began a pharmaceutical sales career in 2001

Chris coached his son Brandon from Pop Warner youth football, Middle School, and Junior High School until Brandon attended St. Thomas More High School and joined the Cougar football program. With Brandon's contribution, the Cougars reached the Division II semifinals. After high school, Brandon followed his father's path to University of Louisiana, appearing as a preferred walk-on in 2018. He made the Ragin' Cajuns roster as a redshirt freshman in the spring 2019. Like his father, he is part of the defensive line.

Gannon coached the fifth and sixth grade football team at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School for several years

His daughter Hailey Gannon has played soccer for St. Thomas More as a midfielder and made All-District second-team for Division II, District three in 2019.

Ruth Ann (Schoeffler) Gannon also attended University of Louisiana and lettered in track. She ran cross county and was a member of the track and field teams in 1986, 1987, and 1988.

Chris' father, Donald Francis Gannon Sr. died in 1994 at age 63. His mother, Juanita L. Gannon died on April 25, 2007, at age 70.

Donnie F. Gannon Jr, Chris's older brother, died on June 5, 2010, at age 52.