NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Team 151 has its leader.
 
Linebacker Dean Shaffer was elected captain of the 2024 Yale football team. The announcement was made at the annual postseason banquet, held on Sunday at the Cullman-Heyman Tennis, one day after the Bulldogs knocked off Harvard to win an Ivy League championship.
 
"Team 151, I am incredibly honored and humbled to stand here before you as the captain of this remarkable group of men," Shaffer told the large audience at the banquet. "Being selected as captain of this group is both a privilege and a responsibility that I deeply respect. This role is not about me. It is about us. Our strength lies in our resilience and our unwavering support of one another. I am very excited about the journey that lies ahead."
 
Shaffer of Smithtown, N.Y., has been part of a strong Yale linebacker group in his career. This fall, he contributed a season-high three tackles in the win at Brown, including one for a loss. He also had a tackle for a loss in the home win over Sacred Heart.
 
In the 2022 championship season, Shaffer appeared in seven games and had eight tackles, including five solo stops.
 
"Dean has been a great leader for us as an underclassman," said Tony Reno, The Joel E. Smilow '54 Head Coach of the Bulldogs. "There isn't a better person than Dean to bring Team 151 together. I'm excited to see his growth as captain."