What do we have included in this week’s National Football Foundation Footballetter?

🏈 Tim Tebow tells his ‘I Played’ story
🏈 Hear from Michael Vick on what’s good in the game
🏈 Former UCLA quarterbacks band together
🏈 And much more!

College football players are members of the greatest fraternity in the world. Check out the National Football Foundation’s ‘I Played’ roster and submit your story to join today!

Members who recently submitted their ‘I Played’ story: 

• Steve Korte, Arkansas — Principal Sales Rep, Medtronic (Retired)

• Troy Ory, Long Beach State — Flight Attendant, American Airlines

• Matt Wrather, John Carroll (Ohio) — District Manager, Aldi

Name: Tim Tebow
Accomplishments: NFF College Football Hall of Fame, NFF National Scholar-Athlete, two-time national champion, Heisman Trophy winner

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!

. . .

“My coaches always pushed us to do charity work. As a young man, you don’t understand that concept until a coach or someone who is a mentor to you drills it into your head that this is what’s important. We don’t want to just be looked at as athletes, we want to be well-rounded.”

— Michael Vick, 2025 NFF College Football Hall of Fame inductee

NFF Honorees Shine In 2026 NFL Draft

An impressive 63 National Football Foundation honorees heard their names called during the 2026 NFL Draft, including three of the first four picks who were members of the 2026 NFF Hampshire Honor Society: No. 1 Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), No. 2 David Bailey (Texas Tech), and No. 4 Carnell Tate (Ohio State).

📸 PHOTOS: NFF honorees at the 2026 NFL Draft

UCLA QBs Helping Out

On the evening of April 18, roughly two dozen former and current UCLA quarterbacks gathered for a fundraising dinner at UCLA's Luskin Center. Representing seven decades of Bruin football, the quarterbacks served as the centerpiece of an event that raised funds for UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital.

The second iteration of the gala (the first was held in 2023) generated more funds than the inaugural event through ticket sales, sponsorships and a silent auction featuring UCLA gear signed by the quarterbacks.

Acho’s Academic Acclaim

Sam Acho, the 2010 Campbell Trophy® recipient, has been named one of four 2026 inductees into the CSC Academic All-America Hall of Fame, becoming the first male student-athlete in University of Texas history to earn the prestigious honor. An NFL veteran, Acho is also an author, public speaker, humanitarian and analyst for ESPN.

University of Georgia Honors Scholar-Athletes

The NFF University of Georgia Chapter hosted its 40th Annual Awards Presentation on April 20 in Athens, honoring more than 20 scholar-athletes and community leaders. Two-sport standout Brian Jordan delivered the keynote address. Pictured: Shea VerStraete, North Oconee HS; Cohen Brown, Madison County HS; RJ Knapp, Jackson County HS; Hudson Stephens, Oconee HS; and Coleman Moore, Hart County HS. Back row: Judge Lawton Stephens (left), trustee of the Wilson Foundation, and Jordan, a former Richmond standout who played in the NFL with the Falcons and in MLB with the Braves. Photo: Dan Evans.

Sugar Bowl Honors Scholar-Athletes

The NFF Allstate Sugar Bowl Chapter hosted its annual awards luncheon April 22, recognizing 40 local high school football players. Each honoree was featured on a commemorative trading card with five selected to receive scholarships, totaling $60,000. Pictured are the 2026 Sugar Bowl Scholarship winners with President Riley Busenlener (left), Dylan Butler, Calvin Drake, Anthony Scandurro, Wyatt Perritt, Will Berry, and CEO Jeff Hundley (right). Photo by Katie Ulmer Photography.

In the most recent episode of the NFF Podcast, host LaVar Arrington sits down with Sterling Doty, head coach at Stephenville High School in Texas. Stephenville was announced as the winner of this year’s Hatchell Cup by the National Football Foundation. LaVar and Coach Doty discuss getting into the game, what football has done for him in his life and what he wants his legacy to be.

• William Benedict, who played collegiately at Kansas State, has passed away. He was 65.

• Erik C. Brechnitz, who played collegiately at Missouri, has passed away. He was 87.

• Montee Coleman, who played collegiately at Central Arkansas and won three Super Bowls with Washington and later coached at Arkansas Pine Bluff, has passed away. He was 68.

• George Hubbard, who played collegiately at Long Beach City College, has passed away.

• Kyle Kollmorgen, who played collegiately at Nebraska, has passed away. He was 47.

• Daniel Lanzotti, who played collegiately at Illinois State, has passed away. He was 77.

• Doug Martin, who played collegiately at Washington and won a Rose Bowl with the Huskies, has passed away. He was 68.

• Rick Purdy, the longtime head of fundraising for the UCLA Athletic Department and a running back for the Bruins from 1966-68, has passed away. He was 79.

• Randy Rovesti, who played collegiately at William & Mary, has passed away. He was 74.

• Andy Starinchak, who played collegiately at Youngstown State, has passed away. He was 91.

• Gerard Williams, who played collegiately at Langston (OK), has passed away. He was 73.

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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