Dillon Salva: From College Athlete to Rap Stars’ Bodyguard & Netflix Actor

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   Follow us: Facebook Instagram  YouTube TikTok Twitter Join our Newsletter Visit the Mack & G Store