AJ Dillon is not your typical football player. As an African American football player who practices Judaism, he’s pretty unique in the NFL. Standing 6’0″ and weighing 247 pounds, Dillon recently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles after playing four seasons with the Green Bay Packers. While his NFL career hasn’t been especially flashy, he still managed to put up around 2,400 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. For most of his time in Green Bay, he served as the RB2, meaning he was the team’s second option at running back.

Before turning pro, Dillon had an impressive college career at Boston College. In 2017, he was named both ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year. He also earned the title First-Team All-ACC three years in a row, which shows just how dominant he was at the college level.

A fun fact about AJ Dillon is that his grandfather, Thomas Gatewood, is also a legend in college football. In 1972, he became the first Black captain of the University of Notre Dame football team. He set school records for receptions and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015. Dillon has said his grandfather has been a major inspiration in his own football career.

What also makes AJ Dillon stand out is his background. His mom is Jewish and he grew up going to Hebrew school and celebrating Jewish holidays. Even with the demands of being a professional athlete, he still finds ways to stay connected to his Jewish roots—for example, joining his family’s Passover seder over FaceTime. Dillon has spoken openly about being a Jew of color and uses his platform to highlight that Jewish people come from all kinds of backgrounds. Overall, AJ Dillon is a one-of-a-kind player with a unique story. He sticks to his faith, is proud of who he is, and continues to inspire others both on and off the field.

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