‘A lot of maturing’: Noah Shannon ready to put suspension behind him
Former Hawkeyes defensive tackle Noah Shannon didn’t get drafted but minutes after the final pick was made, he signed a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. Shannon gets his shot in the NFL and gets to put a frustrating previous 12 months behind him.
Shannon opted into his 6th year at Iowa hoping to lead the Iowa defense yet again. What actually happened his final year was anything but fun. Shannon was one of more than 25 athletes at Iowa and Iowa State who were penalized by the NCAA for gambling violations.
Head coach Kirk Ferentz was adamant that the punishment did not fit the crime.
“It’s on their phones, people are enticing him with 300 dollars credit if you go with us,” Ferentz said in August. “I think it’s time to recognize the world these guys are living in.”
The appeal was eventually denied in September and Shannon was forced to out the season.
“A lot of maturing,” Shannon described it. “I got to find out what my purpose without football is in a way.”
A glimmer of hope arrived in October when the division one council offered to consider reinstatement. Shannon was cleared to practice but final approval never came.
“The reinstatement process, I don’t even know what to compare it too,” Shannon said. “You get your hopes up and they dwindle all the way back down.”
“You’re always going to get your way in life, this was my first bit of adversity but good is preparing for me what’s to come later in life. This won’t be my first and only time going through adversity.”
If there’s anything to positive to take away from the experience, it would be how to look at similar situations.
“Control what you can control,” Shannon said. “You’ll go crazy trying to control stuff that is out of your control.”
Another bonus is Shannon has two plus years starting in college to show NFL teams. His previous full season, 2022, he racked up 8.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
“I got to practice for a lot of October if not all of October,” Shannon said. “I was practicing during fall camp, I wouldn’t say I lost my football edge. Mentality, in that area of my game I’m better than I was before all the stuff came out and I’m able to see more in the film room.”
Shannon’s college career didn’t have a fairytale ending but everyone’s time on campus ends and they have to move on. Shannon will now get to see the field again in the NFL.
“I don’t even like to think about it because it sickens me honestly,” Shannon’s former teammate Joe Evans said. “Me and him not being able to finish the year. But he is going to give every single ounce of effort and any team that picks him up is going to be lucky, very lucky.”
Evans and Shannon both found homes early as undrafted free agents. Evans latched on to the Ravens roster and will get a chance to play outside linebacker. He will not have to pull a Parker Hesse just yet. Tight end Steven Stilianos will get a look with the Titans.
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