Shea attended the University of Michigan where he played fullback and tight end.
As a free agent in the 2006 offseason a handful of teams were reportedly interested in Shea, including the Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.
[4] A back injury bothered him throughout the preseason and forced him to miss the team's first three regular season contests.
In June 2007, The Plain Dealer reported Shea was receiving interest from his former team, the Cleveland Browns.
Shea and his family were involved in a minor car accident on Route 430 in the town of Ellery, New York, near Chautauqua Lake on July 6, 2010.