Beyond making highlight plays at Tenney Stadium, Marist football running back and kick returner Tristan Shannon reveals another side — a masterful barber whose precision with clippers compliments his approach to football and life itself.
Shannon was electric as a return man this season, totaling 637 yards on 33 kick returns and 74 total yards on 11 punt returns. At 5’7, he also had success on the ground, carrying the ball 72 times for 257 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to 16 catches for 144 yards through the air.
Apart from being a standout football player, Shannon also has a passion for the barber business. As I sat in his chair and the clippers started to buzz, the all-but-inevitable barbershop conversation started. I couldn’t help but ask: “How long have you been cutting hair?”
For the Red Fox running back, his story begins during his senior year of high school, and time we all know a little too well, the COVID-19 pandemic. With the lack of barbers in his hometown of Bowie, MD, Shannon took the time to teach himself the art of cutting hair.
While still in high school, Shannon gained experience in haircutting that would serve him well on the football field. Having always been fascinated by the intricate process, he decided to learn the craft his senior year. His first time cutting someone else’s hair came about a year later in college.
“The first time I cut someone else’s hair, I was a freshman,” he recalls.
Pleased with his work, he began officially charging for haircuts that same year. Shannon acknowledged the value of cutting different people’s hair.
“I learned more about cutting other people’s hair than if I would just cut my own hair,” said Shannon. “Everyone’s hair grows different.”
This understanding of adaptability and eagerness to work with through numerous situation serves Shannon well as a running back and kick returner. At those positions, he is called to make something out of nothing, read the gaps, and go with the flow of the play to get the desired outcome. Learning to adapt his haircuts to various hair types parallels his on-field preparation for a diverse set of opponents.
Most of all, the craft cultivated Shannon’s eye for minute details. Whether giving someone a trim or crossing defenders out of their cleats, his barber background helped him identify the small nuances that separate good plays from great ones. The patience and focus required for barbering directly translated into Shannon’s play.
“Everything in football [translates to] cutting hair…it’s similar to game design,” said Shannon.
Shannon has pursued a degree in game design during his time at Marist. He jumped at the idea to study game design having loved gaming since his childhood, and now his focus is animation and interactive media. Shannon sees certain aspects of football differently and more coherently as a result of his interest in game design.
“You use so much more imagination in animation,” said Shannon, emphasizing how the creative elements of game design translate seamlessly over to football.
Shannon has drawn parallels between his off-the-field hobbies that translate well to on-the-field success. Game design and cutting hair demand a keen attention to detail. Whether it’s creating a character model, giving someone the perfect fade, or reading the opponent’s defense, success lies in the details.
When asked why he chose to play running back, the choice came down to the impactful nature of the position and the opportunity to stand out.
“You have the ability to make an explosive play, and the ability to change the momentum of the game at any time,” said Shannon, “Running backs are such an asset… Everything about football goes through the running back.”
Football is much more than just a sport to Shannon, and he specifically emphasized the values of hard work and elaborate preparation the sport leaves him with. Navigating a rigorous schedule through the season further instills these values within him.
“Everything you learn in football carries over into real life, like discipline…” said Shannon. “Just training hard, doing the best you can do will set you apart from everybody else, as long as you prepare correctly. I leave the house by 6:10 [a.m.], start our meetings by 6:30, and then break into individual meetings by 6:45. Practice starts by 8:20… and goes until around 11 or 10:45.”
Shannon’s mother has been a pillar of support throughout his young life. She is there to encourage him when he needs it the most, offering guidance and an understanding perspective. Her impact goes beyond just his approach to football; she has been crucial in shaping his character and overall approach to life.
“My mom, she is my sunshine,” said Shannon. “She understands how I function. She shows me that there’s so much more to life that I have to go get. Nothing worth having is not worth working for.”
That approach is vital to Shannon; when asked what the best advice he’s received to help shape that mindset, he emphasized the importance of authenticity.
“Always be yourself. When you’re always yourself, you’re more of an individual,” said Shannon. “You can bring your individual talents to any situation that you’re put in.”
Edited by Danny Destler, Ben Leeds and Luke Sassa
Graphic by Cara Lacey, Photos via Red Fox Report and Marist Athletics
For more coverage of Marist athletics, follow @cfmarist on Instagram, X and TikTok, and sign up to receive daily alerts here.