Former Notre Dame All-American dies following battle with cancer

SportsFormer Notre Dame football player Tim Scannell has died. (AP Photo/Michael Caterina)APBy Matt Connolly | mconnolly@pennlive.comFormer Notre Dame offensive lineman Tim Scannell died Sept. 26 following a battle with brain cancer, according to his obituary. He was 62.A native of State College, Pa., Scannell was a highly regarded recruit who had an opportunity to stay home and play at Penn State. However, he opted to attend Notre Dame, where his father Bob played football, instead.Scannell earned a starting job on the Fighting Irish offensive line as a freshman. As a senior, he was named a team captain and earned All-American honors.“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Tim Scannell,” Notre Dame football posted on X. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Scannell family and Tim’s loved ones.”Following his college career, Scannell spent two weeks with the Dallas Cowboys during training camp before being cut.After his playing career was over, Scannell worked as a grad assistant at Notre Dame under legendary coach Lou Holtz. He was on staff when the Fighting Irish won a national championship in 1988.From 1988 to 1990, Scannell worked for the United States Secret Service. After his time in the Secret Service, Scannell began working for Stryker Corporation, a medical device company. He remained with Stryker until retiring in 2021, playing a key role in the company’s growth.“Intensity and competitive spirit were baked into you,” Scannell said in 2005 about playing for the Fighting Irish. “The pressure of competing against very formidable opponents, overcoming adversity, and surviving to fight another day are lessons that have served me well in my career.”Matt Connolly is a Sports Trending Reporter for PennLive, writing about the NFL, college sports and other topics. He has covered college football and college basketball since 2010 and was on the Clemson beat...