Aidan O’Connell competed at Cooperstown Dreams Park during Week 3 in 2009 with the Highwood Braves Blue (IL).

Aidan graduated from Stevenson High School (Lincolnshire, IL) where he was the quarterback of the football team, completing 183 of 297 attempts (61.6 percent) for a school-record 2,741 yards and 26 touchdowns in a lone season as starter. In addition to football, Aidan played basketball.

Aidan continued his academic and football careers at Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN). He was a walk-on to the 2017 team, becoming an Academic All-Big Ten in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Aidan saw the field for the first time during the 2019 season, appearing in six games and making three starts. In 2020, he started the first three games of the season before missing the rest due to injury. During the 2021 season, Aidan appeared in 12 games, making nine starts, posting 315-of-439 passing for a 71.8% completion percentage. He was named All-Big Ten Second Team by league’s coaches & media, Associated Press, Pro Football Focus and Phil Steele, All-Big Ten, and received National Football Foundation Drew Brees Mental Toughness Award. Academically, Aidan graduated with this master’s degree in May.