Wheaton College Athletics

Thane Ritchie was a two-time All-CCIW selection, playing on both sides of the football as a linebacker and at tight end. As a senior, he had 83 total tackles, including 49 solo tackles, with 5-1/2 sacks. In his junior year, he had 50 tackles, with a quarterback sack. Following his graduation from Wheaton, Thane went on to sign NFL free agent contracts as a tight end with Pittsburgh (’89) and Chicago (’90).

Thane notes of the lessons he learned from playing football at Wheaton, “Football is a team sport where it is crucial that everyone successfully executes each and every play. If one out of the eleven does not, the results could be horrible.” He adds, “Playing football builds a strong bond. I have friends from my playing days that I have not seen for years. If they were to call me to ask for help there would be little to no question that I would jump in and help a former teammate or coach.”