Conlan capped his junior season at Penn State in the 1985 national championship game in the Orange Bowl against the University of Oklahoma. The finale to his senior year was in the 1986 national championship game versus the University of Miami in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl, Conlan had eight tackles, two interceptions. Most memorably, he returned the second of his two interceptions 38 yards to the Miami 5-yard line to set up D.J. Dozier's game-winning touchdown. With Penn State's 14-10 victory, Conlan's squad completed an undefeated season, securing the 1986 national championship.

As captain, Conlan led the 1986 squad in tackles with 79, including a team-high 63 solo stops. During his final two collegiate seasons (1985 & 1986), he was named an All-American at outside linebacker, making him the sixth two-time All-American at Penn State. He received this honor from NEA in 1985 and from Walter Camp, The Football News, Football Writers, Football Coaches, Associated Press, United Press International, and College and Pro Football Newsweekly in 1986. In addition, Conlan was a 1986 finalist for the prestigious Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker.

Conlan was selected as the No. 1 draft pick of the Buffalo Bills in the 1987 NFL Draft. After his rookie season, he was awarded the 1987 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press. From 1988 to 1990, Conlan enjoyed three straight trips to the Pro Bowl. Conlan played with the Bills (1987-92), where he played in the first 3 of the Bills Super Bowl teams and the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams (1993-95) before retiring from the NFL in 1995.

External links

• Shane Conlan's Penn State Nittany Lions 1986 National Championship Football Pennant