Lycoming’s Tom Cillo, 58, becomes the oldest college football player to sign an NIL deal
The Williamsport native signed an NIL deal with the pain relief product Aspercreme.
As 58-year-old Tom Cillo fulfills his dream of playing Division III football at Lycoming College, the defensive lineman has made history as the oldest college football player to sign an NIL deal — and it’s with a very fitting product.
The Williamsport native, who graduated from Williamsport Area High School over four decades ago, is signing an NIL deal with the pain relief product Aspercreme. The product’s promotional materials say it aims to relieve muscle aches, joint pains, sprains, and strains, coming in different forms — from roll-ons to patches and sprays.
Aspercreme said it selected Cillo because he exemplifies their commitment to challenge “ageist stereotypes.”
“As a brand committed to empowering people 55 and older to live life on their terms, Aspercreme is challenging ageist stereotypes and showing that getting older does not mean slowing down,” the brand wrote via an email statement. “Through cultural partnerships like an NIL deal with 58-year-old freshman Tom Cillo, Aspercreme is redefining what pain relief can look like.”
As Cillo continues his Lycoming college football journey, and works toward a degree in criminal justice, his message clearly aligns with Aspercreme’s mission statement: “Don’t feel your age, act your age.”
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“You lose something when you age,” Cillo says in an advertisement for the product. “The ability to give a damn what anyone else thinks. Aspercreme. Act your age.”
To get to where he is, Cillo has battled adversity — from the aches and pains that come with age to the uncertainty of whether his teammates would accept him. Now, he’s three games into the season and although he hasn’t made an appearance in a game yet, he’s already making big moves off the field.
As part of the partnership, Cillo could receive a four-year supply of the product, which will come in handy when the 6-foot and 227 pound athlete is battling any pains from the aftermath of working out with players nearly 40 years younger than him.
The team’s next game is on Saturday against Rowan University.
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