From Division III football to the big leagues, former All-American safety Derek Slywka’s football journey took a turn, landing him on the radar of the NFL and ultimately signing with the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts.
By Flynn Hynes, Assistant Sports Editor
• May 2, 2024
During the 1967 NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons chose Sandor Szabo ’67 with the 317th pick. That was 57 years ago and no athlete from Ithaca College has made it close to the NFL since then. Until now.
Since the end of the 2023 Ithaca College Bombers’ football season, All-American graduate student defensive back Derek Slywka has been training to get a shot in the National Football League.Â