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Watch: Modern Family’s Ed O’Neil Shares How Being Cut by Pittsburgh Steelers Haunted Him for 52 Years
Modern Family star Ed O'Neill shares his haunting recurring dream about being cut by the Steelers, revealing a lesser-known chapter of his life before Hollywood fame.
Ed O'Neill is known for his acting skills and for portraying fans’ beloved characters with such finesse over the years. O’Neill is most famous for his roles as Jay Pritchett in Modern Family and as Al Bundy in Married... with Children.
Interestingly, the character of Al Bundy bears a relatable resemblance to O'Neill's real life. Like Al Bundy, O’Neill was once a successful high school football player. However, they didn't make it to the big leagues.
Modern Family Star's Ed O'Neill's Nightmare
Unlike his character, O’Neill also has an unfulfilled dream. He always wanted to play professional football. This wish of his has lingered with him for over 52 years. O'Neill played as a defensive lineman for Youngstown State. However, he went undrafted in 1969.
The actor was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers. But his professional football aspirations were cut short. This happened when he was released during training camp before the season began.
Ed shared that this setback has haunted him in the form of recurring dreams. That to not for one or two years but for more than five decades. He recently appeared on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show.
There, O'Neill shared, “When I got cut, every year after that, I would have a recurring dream, at least once or twice a year, and the dream was I'm back in Latrobe, St. Vincent's College, on the sidelines, in uniform, scrimmage going on, and the assistant coach comes out and says, ‘You're in the next series.’ He also added, “‘I say, 'OK, coach.’ And that would basically be the dream. Every year.”
O’Neill explained that there is also an amusing part of this recurring dream. He said that each year he was the age he was at the time of the dream. He recounted, “The only difference is, every year I was the age I actually was. So, this went on, and it ended with, ‘You're in the next series. Go ahead, O'Neill.’”
He also said, “I said, ‘Hey, coach, do you know I'm 75 years old?’ ‘You'll be all right. You look fine. Go on in.’ I said, 'No, I don't think so.’ And I walked off the field, and I never had the dream again.”
O’Neill started having this dream when he was 23. It was the same year he was released by the Steelers. The dream persisted until he metaphorically stepped off the field in his sleep. Thus, according to him, ending this long-running nocturnal replay of his unfinished business in football.
Ed O’Neill Brought Back Al Bundy
However, O’Neill's connection to the world of football has extended beyond his dreams lately. He interacted with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. In 2022, O’Neill took out his Al Bundy persona once more. The actor sent a personal video message to congratulate Kelce.
O'Neill, in character, said, “I want to congratulate you on the four touchdowns in one game last night, tying my record that I never thought would be broached.” The message from O’Neill was a humorous nod to his character, Al Bundy.
It became more iconic to the fans as the character famously boasted about scoring four touchdowns in a single high school game. Kelce, on the other hand, had achieved a similar feat, scoring four touchdowns against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Despite his successful acting career, his wish to play on the ground remained unfulfilled. But fans are excited to see a goal on the field one day. Let us know in the comments what your thoughts are on O’Neill’s dream.
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