In this episode, we sit down with Dillon Salva—a former college football and basketball player who turned rejection from the NFL into a springboard for something bigger. Dillon shares his wild journey from crushing tackles to guarding Fetty Wap and Kevin Gates, training in Hollywood gyms, and landing a spot on Netflix’s Running Point.
You’ll hear about nightclub shootouts, touring with rappers, transforming his body through bodybuilding, and the resilience that kept him going when everything else fell apart.
Highlights include:
• How a college coach broke his confidence—and built it back • Getting scouted by the Patriots without knowing it • The insane story of becoming Fetty Wap’s trainer • A baby mistaking Kevin Gates for a mom (!?) • What it’s like to witness a shooting on tour
Stick around—this one is packed with unbelievable moments and serious inspiration.
Timestamps:
00:00 Show Intro 02:27 Family of Athletes: Records and Recruits 04:02 Early Lifting & Athletic Development 07:04 High School Transfers and Position Changes 10:09 Switching from QB to Tight End 13:18 New Coach, New Opportunities 14:47 Almost Playing in the SEC 17:04 Academic Struggles and Lost Scholarships 18:19 College Football at Kean & Injury Setbacks 21:00 Getting Moved Between Four Positions 22:02 Kicked Off Basketball Team After Spitting Incident 25:06 Brookdale Year and JUCO Hoops Success 27:19 Why Dillon Chose Merrimack 30:07 Coach Curran’s Tough Love Moment 34:03 NFL Interest, Patriots Scout Mention 36:11 Pro Days, Falcons & Redskins Tryouts 39:08 How He Met Jack Silva 41:11 CBD Line & Move to California 44:45 Meeting Jay Cutler & Larry Wheels 46:04 How Fetty Wap Found Him on Instagram 50:06 From Training Fetty to Being His Bodyguard 52:11 Wild Nights at Miami Swim Week 54:52 “Would You Take a Bullet?” 58:42 Witnessing Shootings on Tour 1:02:00 Meeting Kevin Gates at a Miami Club 1:06:50 Kevin Offers Bodyguard Job After Fetty’s Arrest 1:13:14 Why Kevin Gates is a Fitness Monster 1:15:03 Origin of the Nickname “Scutty” 1:16:12 Netflix Role in *Running Point* 1:18:42 His Acting Goals and SAG Eligibility 1:29:01 Prepping for Pro Card in Bodybuilding 1:32:00 Cheat Meals, Five Guys vs In-N-Out 1:34:00 Where He Hopes to Be at 40
Links & Mentions:
🎥 Dillon’s Instagram 📺 Watch Running Point on Netflix 💪 Team Personal Record (Larry Wheels’ Brand) 🎤 Kevin Gates Tour Info
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