Penn State's Dan Connor takes NFL lessons to Archbishop Carroll

RADNOR, Pa. (WPVI) -- When you think of Dan Connor, you think of Penn State.

The two-time All American is still their all-time leading tackler.

But Connor is about to tackle a brand new challenge.

Dan Connor is now head football coach at Archbishop Carroll High School.

"I always wanted to be a coach. It was always in the back of my mind. As my career started winding down in the NFL, I started keeping a coaching notebook with some of the coaches that I had, they're good, they're really good, started writing down what they did. I knew I wanted to make that transition," Connor said.

The former Strath Haven star played parts of 7 seasons in the NFL, but his career was cut short by injuries in 2013.

So he took a job on the staff at West Chester University and found his niche.

"I couldn't be away from football. I'm a football junkie. So coaching has bridged the gap from the NFL to your career. I don't think I could be a salesman. I couldn't sell insurance. I'd be terrible at it," Connor said.

You'd think with all his connections, Connor would want to be the head coach at Penn State or in the NFL, but he says walking the halls of a high school is where he feels most comfortable.

"I have a family, two kids and a wife. We want a situation like this, some stability and a chance to set roots down and start that second career, something you can build from really the ground up," Connor said.