Former Clemson star Will Shipley – now a Super Bowl champion – credits Dabo Swinney for getting Shipley to where he is today.

Shipley had high praise for his former head coach during an appearance on Gramlich & Mac Lain with Clemson alums Kelly Gramlich and Eric Mac Lain.

“Coach Swinney, who I could go on about for years, because he’s such a good football coach, but he’s an even better leader of young men,” Shipley said. “And that’s what he always says is he has a PhD in helping 18- to 22-year-olds. And he helped me mature, he helped me grow, and he truly got me to where I am right now.”

Following his outstanding three-year Clemson career, Shipley had what was certainly a memorable rookie season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Along with fellow former Clemson standouts Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and K.J. Henry, Shipley earned his first Super Bowl championship ring on Feb. 9, when the Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22, in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

Shipley was selected by the Eagles in the fourth round (No. 127 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft after his prolific Clemson career from 2021-23.

A Charlotte-area native, Shipley said his parents handed him off to Swinney, and that Swinney handed Shipley off to the Eagles organization.

“He handed me off to the Eagles organization. And that’s how I see it,” Shipley said.

“Now I’m kind of a little more on my own because it’s a business, it’s the NFL,” Shipley added. “You got such a great support system, but it is a little different. There’s no doubt about it. But yeah, I could go on for days about Coach Swinney. He truly is the best.”

In addition to exiting Clemson in the Top 10 in school history in total touchdowns (33), rushing touchdowns (31), 100-yard rushing games (10), all-purpose yards (4,253) and kickoff return yards (904), Shipley is the only known FBS player on record to produce both 4,000 career all-purpose yards while simultaneously graduating with a perfect 4.0 career GPA in only a three-year span.

During the NFL playoffs en route to Philadelphia’s eventual Super Bowl title, Shipley had an unforgettable performance in the NFC Championship Game against the Washington Commanders in Philadelphia on Jan. 26, when he shined while tallying 165 all-purpose yards, two tackles, a forced fumble and his first career NFL touchdown.