Ed O'Neill was born into an
Irish-American Catholic family in
Youngstown, Ohio.
[4][5] His mother, Ruth Ann (
née Quinlan), was a homemaker and social worker, and his father, Edward Phillip O'Neill, was a steel mill worker and truck driver.
[6] O'Neill attended
Ursuline High School before transferring to Worthington High School and winning a state championship, earning the name Ed O'Winner and winning a football scholarship to
Ohio University, where he majored in history, also joining the Mu chapter of the
Delta Tau Delta fraternity.
[7] O'Neill left Ohio after his sophomore year; he spent more time playing sports and partying than studying
[7] and also feuded with his coach.
He transferred to
Youngstown State University, where he was a defensive lineman. While an undergraduate, O'Neill pledged
Delta Sigma Phi and was initiated into the Delta Sigma chapter there. Rumors abound that he was an avid partier.
[6] O'Neill was signed as an undrafted free agent by the
Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969 but was cut in training camp.
[5][6][8] Later, on
Married... with Children, O'Neill played a former high-school football star who had failed to make it big and constantly reminisced about his "glory days" at Polk High ("I once scored four touchdowns in a single game"). As part of this theme, former Pittsburgh Steelers great and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback
Terry Bradshaw also made two guest appearances on the show. O'Neill was also a substitute
social studies teacher at Ursuline High School before becoming an actor.
[6]
