Good morning, football fans! 

Born out of the National Football Foundation's mission, Good in the Game serves to bring inspiring stories to life that often go unnoticed about the profound ways in which football contributes to the personal and professional growth of young men and women. By focusing on the ‘good’ in the game, it celebrates the values that make football more than just a sport, but a powerful force for developing future leaders.

Name: Dr. Chris Howard
College: Air Force Academy
Now: Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Arizona State
Achievements: First recipient of the William V. Campbell Trophy, Rhodes Scholar, Bronze Star honoree

Share your football story with us! We want to know what football means to you, the lessons you learned, and the opportunities it provided.

There are good things happening all over the game of football. The National Football Foundation has asked individuals to share an example of something they see happening within our sport that is good for the game. Here are their answers!

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“It’s the ultimate team game. You get the opportunity to meet a lot of different people from totally different places and walks of life. You all come together for one common goal. You develop a brotherhood and a kindred spirit for one another that you really can’t explain to people who aren’t a part of it.”

— Dennis Thurman, 2025 NFF College Football Hall of Fame inductee

A big congratulations to NFF Trustee Joe Castiglione, who on Friday concluded his remarkable run as Vice President and Director of Athletics at the University of Oklahoma, a tenure that made him the longest-serving FBS athletics director in the nation.

Castiglione, a member of the NFF Board since 2003, took the helm at OU in 1998 and led the Sooners to extraordinary success. During his tenure, Oklahoma captured 26 team national championships. The Sooner football program won the 2000 national title and 10 Big 12 championships, and he guided OU's transition from the Big 12 to the SEC. His leadership also produced record fundraising and facility improvements.

In 2013, the NFF honored Castiglione , who previously served as Director of Athletics at the University of Missouri, with the John L. Toner Award for excellence in athletics administration. His contributions also earned him honors as national athletics director of the year six times.

A big congratulations to Cotton Bowl Athletic Association President & CEO Rick Baker on the announcement Feb. 4 of his retirement after an extraordinary 38-year career. Baker has helped build the Cotton Bowl Classic into one of the most revered traditions in all of college football with an annual estimated impact of $100 million on North Texas. Beyond the Classic, Baker has been instrumental in the creation and maturation of the Cotton Bowl Foundation, which has awarded more than $4 million benefiting non-profit organizations in the North Texas community since 2016.

Peyton and Eli Manning participated in a special tribute during Super Bowl LX honoring past Super Bowl MVPs. The two took the field at Levi’s Stadium alongside fellow past honorees wearing custom NFL MVP varsity jackets. Both share a lasting connection to the National Football Foundation. Peyton, a Tennessee standout, captured the 1997 NFF Campbell Trophy, and Eli, who starred at Ole Miss, was named an NFF National Scholar-Athlete in 2003.

NFF in the News

📰 Texas high school football team wins NFF Hatchell Cup for academic excellence
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The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who starred as quarterback at North Carolina A&T State University before becoming one of the most influential civil rights and social justice advocates of his generation, passed away Feb. 17. He was 84.

After transferring from the University of Illinois, he became the first-string quarterback for the Aggies, helping lead the program to the 1964 CIAA title. Jackson’s time at North Carolina A&T proved foundational to both his leadership and his activism, and he began his national career working alongside Martin Luther King Jr.. Over more than six decades, he became a prominent voice in domestic, international and political causes. He founded the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition (People United to Serve Humanity) to advocate for social justice and expand economic opportunity for Black Americans and underserved communities of all backgrounds. He twice sought the presidency of the United States, in 1984 and 1988, earning more than 18 million votes in the 1988 Democratic primaries.

“Jesse Jackson was a transformational figure in our nation’s history, becoming a fierce advocate for civil rights and social justice during his lifetime,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “His experience as a student-athlete on a historically Black campus not only shaped his character but helped prepare him for a lifetime of breaking barriers and advocating for justice. We are forever grateful for his impact in helping pioneer change that continues to open doors for new generations of student-athletes.”

• Craig Bray, who coached collegiately at both Washington State and Idaho, has passed away. He was 74.

• Pat Collins, who was the head coach at Northeast Louisiana University, now Louisiana-Monroe, has passed away. He was 84.

• Danny Duray, a student-athlete at Southeast Missouri State, has passed away. He was 20.

• Robert Duvall, a high school football player before becoming a Hollywood icon for more than five decades, has passed away. He was 95.

• Patti Edwards, the wife of NFF Hall of Fame coach LaVell Edwards, has passed away. She was 93.

• Ray Handley, who played collegiately at Stanford and later coached at Stanford, Army and Air Force before jumping to the NFL coaching ranks, has passed away. He was 81.

• Tre Johnson, who played collegiately at Temple and in the NFL from 1994-2002, has passed away. He was 54.

• Jim Poole Jr., a two-time first-team All-SEC tight end at Ole Miss from 1969-71, has passed away. He was 76.

• John Poulos, who played collegiately at Clemson and was the first Tiger to catch a touchdown pass in a bowl game, has passed away. He was 99.

• Michael Proctor, a four-year starting quarterback at Murray State, has passed away. He was 58.

• Tracy Scroggins, who played 10 seasons in the NFL after playing collegiately at Tulsa, has passed away. He was 56.

• Mark Smith, who played collegiately at Hinds Community College and later starred at Auburn, has passed away. He was 51.

• Gregory Stanley, who played collegiately at Northwestern, has passed away. He was 70.

• Parker Sutherland, a student-athlete at Northern Iowa, has passed away. He was 18.

April 8 - Announcement of the 2026 NFF Hampshire Honor Society

June 1 - Release of the 2027 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Ballot

June 16 - Announcement of the 2026 NFF High School Team of Distinction

July 23-25 - NFF Campbell Trophy® Summit at Stanford University

September 23 - Announcement of the 2026 NFF Campbell Trophy® Semifinalists

October 21 - Announcement of the 2026 NFF Campbell Trophy® Finalists

December 8 — 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas at Bellagio Resort & Casino

December 8 — Announcement of the winner of the 37th NFF William V. Campbell Trophy®

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