Mike Reilly’s journey from NFL player to doctor
OLD TAPPAN, N.J. — Even over a tiny Zoom window, there is no mistaking the fact that Mike Reilly looks the part of an NFL linebacker. Five years after he decided to retire from the NFL and now a practicing chiropractic doctor, Reilly still trains and eats in the disciplined way he has since he started to get serious about football in high school. The unpretentious duo of hard work and consistency continue to be the hallmarks of Reilly’s success in athletics and beyond.
As a kid growing up in Old Tappan, Reilly played in rec leagues and always loved football, but the thought of making the pros was pure fantasy. He was one of the taller guys, but just an average player with a little extra toughness. Between eighth grade and his freshman year at NVOT though, Reilly had a big growth spurt. The freshman football coach at NVOT, Coach Doherty, was the first to teach Reilly how to work hard in the weight room. He credits Coach Doherty with the initial push that took his excitement about football and his skills to a new level. Reilly’s ethos was simple: Show up every day. Never be late. Always work as hard as you can with intensity. Just do things the right way. It wasn’t flashy, but eventually, he felt his teammates and coaches noticed and respected him for it.
Reilly started to see all his training paying off by his junior year of high school. That year, he made varsity and was a starter on offense. While watching game film, one of the coaches noticed Reilly’s hustle and decided to give him a chance to start on defense. He had a great first game on defense and the season took off for him. NVOT won the league title in 2009, the year Reilly graduated.
By this time, his dedication had garnered more than his high school coaches’ attention. Reilly was recruited to play football with a full scholarship to The College of William and Mary, a smaller division 1 in Virginia. By the time he got to school, he had reached an intimidating 6-foot-4 inches tall and weighed 265 lbs. A kinesiology major, he redshirted his first year and then played defensive end for four years. With a minimum of 6-8 hours a day spent at football meetings, weight training, and practice, he also remained dedicated to academics by focusing more than ever on time management. He was an All-American in both junior and senior year.
When Reilly became eligible for the NFL draft, he went to a Pro Day at William & Mary. Scouts from 25 teams came to watch the players go through combine workouts like bench press, jumping, and running. Reilly got offers from three NFL teams as a free agent following the draft. After graduation, he packed up his car and drove west to Ohio to join the Cleveland Browns.
During the training season, players would spend twelve hours a day at the team’s plush training facility, which had every amenity, including protein stations and napping accommodations. The players would hang out together all day, every day during training camp. Some new, lower roster guys might find themselves on a different pro team from week to week. Despite being vulnerable to that sort of changeability, the more seasoned players were remarkably open and welcoming. Reilly recalls the time a former first-round draft pick and seasoned veteran of the team picked him up from his hotel room and took him with a few of the guys to watch a WWE wrestling match: “They didn’t have to invite me to something like this, but they just treated me like a friend.”
After his first year with Cleveland, Reilly spent a short time in Arizona and then started to work out with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Their head coach, Mike Tomlin, was a William & Mary alum who had observed Reilly play in college. The Steelers signed him, and Reilly moved to Pittsburgh. The franchise seemed more laid back than Cleveland. With a history of wins, the coaches were more relaxed, and the team felt more player-driven. Once again, Reilly experienced immediate camaraderie with his teammates. “Guys that were there ten years were helping me out on the first day.”
When the Steelers released him in 2016, Reilly was 25 years old. Having spent a few years moving around in the NFL, Reilly realized that he could keep doing the same for a few more years, but at 30, he would probably still have to retire. The average NFL career is actually only 3 years. He decided it would be wise to consider his long-term career goals.
Reilly had been lucky never to experience a concussion or serious injury during his entire sports career. Nevertheless, he became familiar with the importance of seeing a chiropractor in the pros. Seeing a long-term opportunity for a chiropractic career after football, he decided to go back to school. Reilly attended Palmer Chiropractic School at their Daytona Beach campus. This September, Reilly graduated with a doctorate in chiropractic. He moved back to the area and began practicing under 45-year veteran chiropractor Dr. Gigante at Joint and Spine Rehab in Waldwick.
Dr. Reilly sees everyone from senior citizens to younger children in his practice. He especially loves treating athletes. “We speak the same language. I understand their viewpoint and challenges.” He hopes his background in intense sport at the highest level gives his patients something they couldn’t get elsewhere. When possible, he aims to give patients options other than stopping their training. He knows firsthand that “if you have to take a month off, your spot might not be there when you get back.”
In his spare time, he has taken up “old-school” bodybuilding. Bodybuilding requires an almost ascetic, protein-focused diet, but that is not a problem for Reilly. He’s been eating like an athlete for all of his adult life. “I love eating that way. I cook my own food and pre-portion everything for the day in Tupperware containers.” Reilly will relax the rules for an occasional “cheat meal,” but never for a “cheat day.” Although it may be hard for some to imagine the self-control it takes to live that way, Reilly has seen the results of his efforts play out again and again. From the weight room to the classroom to the examination room, you can’t help but notice the dogged discipline and intensity that make up Mike Reilly’s brand of success.
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