:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56760923/466626291.0.jpg)
If you were making a list of careers little kids dream of pursuing when they grow up, both NFL player and FBI agent might make the list. Charles Tillman already accomplished one of those. Now, he’s working on the other.
TIllman, who retired from the NFL following the 2015 season, is currently in training to become an FBI agent, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
And Tillman is getting in just under the wire. Prospective agents must be at least 23 years old to begin training, but they also must be younger than 37. Tillman is 36, with his next birthday coming up in February.
The FBI would not confirm the report.
We don't speak about personnel matters," agent Garrett Croon, on behalf of the Chicago bureau, told the Tribune.
But Biggs spoke to multiple sources who did confirm it, including “a high-ranking law enforcement source who is not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.”
Tillman majored in criminal justice at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, so he’s got the educational background to flourish in this field. He also was raised in a military family and has long expressed his respect for the military and law enforcement.
When Tillman was honored with the NFL’s Salute to Service award in 2012, he shared how the military had influenced his life.
"Throughout my dad's 20 years of service, he learned about teamwork, leadership and commitment, and he taught me those same values,” Tillman said, via NFL.com. “I'm thankful not only for what the military has done for me, but for what the members of our military sacrifice for this country.”
Tillman also was honored as the league’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2013. His Charles Tillman Cornerstone Foundation supports various children’s charities.
Tillman spent 12 seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears. He signed with the Panthers for the 2015 season and helped Carolina to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl bid.
There’s another job little kids dream of doing, and that’s being on television. Tillman also checked that one off the list last season as a part of FOX’s NFL Kickoff show.
Congratulations to Tillman on this next phase of his career. His trademark “Peanut Punch” may come in handy in his new job, too.