4/29: The Pick Is In!

Good in the Game 4/29

April 29, 2025

Good morning, football fans! Have you ever wondered where the chime noise during ESPN’s NFL Draft coverage comes from? The Athletic has the scoop!

An impressive 45 National Football Foundation honorees heard their names called at the 2025 NFL Draft, which took place April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The three-day event drew more than 205,000 fans on opening night — nearly double the city's population — and 13.6 million viewers at home, marking the second most-watched Day 1 in NFL Draft history.

CLICK HERE to see the full list of 45 NFF honorees who heard their names called.

Pictured with the team, L-R: Coach Jason Thornburg, Head Coach Jeff Galloway, NFF COO Matthew Sign.

The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame traveled to Southern California this past Friday to formally recognize Hemet High School as the 2024-25 recipient of the NFF Hatchell Cup, presented by Bob's Steak & Chop House! The honor solidified the Bulldogs' place as the top high school football team in the nation for excellence on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.

CLICK HERE to read more about “A Memory for a Lifetime” for Hemet High School.

Join us to celebrate college football legends such as Montee Ball, Graham Harrell, Michael Strahan, Michael Vick and many, many more at one of the sport's grandest traditions — the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas — Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at the iconic Bellagio Hotel & Casino.

The highlight of the Awards Dinner will be the induction of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class, where 18 legendary players and four acclaimed coaches take their place amongst the greatest of all time. The inductees proudly represent every region of the country, 28 collegiate institutions, 11 conferences, and seven decades.

In the latest episode of the Good in the Game Podcast, Texas football head coach Steve Sarkisian sits down with host LaVar Arrington to discuss his coaching career, the coaching influences he's had from Pete Carroll to Nick Saban and how the NFF has been continuing to grow the game.

NFF chapters continue with a busy slate of events across the country, celebrating the best scholar-athletes from their respective regions. Collectively, the network will award more than $1 million in local scholarships this year while recognizing 3,500 high school and college student-athletes. Spanning 120 chapters in 47 states, the NFF Chapter Network serves as the heartbeat of a nationwide effort to promote amateur football and instill leadership, sportsmanship, and academic excellence among young players. The movement traces back to 1954, when the Cincinnati Club first discussed forming NFF chapters. Today, more than 12,000 passionate members continue that legacy, dedicated to Building Leaders Through Football. Together, they host more than 300 events annually, reaching 500,000 football players at 5,000 high schools.

Top Left: John Elway accepts the Joe Kearney Service Award from the NFF Colorado Chapter, recognizing his outstanding contributions to football in the state. Former Chapter President Dick DeWire made the presentation during the April 21 event.

Top Right: The NFF Wisconsin Chapter honored 11 exceptional scholar-athletes during its annual banquet on April 27.

Bottom Left: Orange Bowl Committee President Henri Crockett (second from right) accepts the NFF Brian Piccolo/Fort Lauderdale Distinguished American Award at the NFF South Florida Chapter’s April 24 banquet. Established in 1975, the chapter is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Bottom Right: The NFF Memphis Chapter hosted its annual banquet on April 21, recognizing standout scholar-athletes, including Austin Kelley, a quarterback and wide receiver at Jackson Christian High School.

The NESCAC presidents have approved a proposal from the conference athletic directors to allow NESCAC football teams to participate in the NCAA Division III playoffs effective in fall 2026.

Steve McMichael, a 2009 College Football Hall of Fame inductee who starred at Texas from 1976 to 1979, passed away April 23. He was 67 years old and had been battling ALS since 2021.

A four-year letterman at Texas, McMichael was a member of the 1977 Southwest Conference Championship team, and he twice was selected All-Southwest Conference (1978–79). He graduated as the school's all-time leader in career tackles (369) and sacks (30), and during his tenure at Texas, the Longhorns posted an impressive 34-12-1 record.

CLICK HERE for more on the life and legacy of Steve McMichael.

Steve Kiner, a 1999 College Football Hall of Fame inductee who starred at Tennessee from 1967–69, passed away April 24. He was 77.

Kiner was a consensus All-American in 1968 and a unanimous All-American in 1969 as a linebacker for Tennessee. The Vols posted a 26-6-1 record during his tenure and captured two Southeastern Conference championships.

CLICK HERE for more on the life and legacy of Steve Kiner.

Lindy Callahan, who played halfback from 1948-53 at Mississippi for Hall of Fame Coach John Vaught before becoming a high school coach and administrator, passed away April 23. He was 97.

Tony Policare, who played at Austin Peay from 1988-89 and at Buffalo from 1990-92 and later served ten seasons on the UB coaching staff, passed away April 21 after battling cancer. He was 55.

Jeremiah Kelly, a freshman early enrollee on the Cincinnati Bearcat football team, passed away unexpectedly on April 22. He was 18.

Frank Parker, who played collegiately at Oklahoma State before spending eight seasons in the NFL with the Browns, Steelers and Giants from 1962-69, has passed away. He was 85.

Todric McGee, a senior football player at Missouri State, passed away on April 19. He was 21.

Mike DeBord, the head coach at Central Michigan from 2000-03 and a longtime assistant coach at Michigan before spending time in the NFL, passed away on April 15. He was 69.

Tom Brown, a Maryland Hall of Fame member who was a two-sport standout for the Terrapins and the first athlete ever to both win a Super Bowl and hit a home run in an MLB game, has passed away. He was 84.

Andrea Donahue, the wife of former UCLA legendary Coach Terry Donahue, has passed away.

Name: Greg Gardner
High School: Lakehill Preparatory School (Dallas, Texas)
College: Southern Methodist

How has football changed your life?

“The opportunity to play college football quite simply raised the bar in my life. It introduced me to people and concepts I would have never been exposed to if I did not play. With the help of Coach Forrest Greg and Jon Tenuta, systems, processes, and accountability became the foundation of my professional life. To this day, I still show up 15 minutes before any meetings.”

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

May 29 — 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Ballot released

June 17 — NFF Team of Distinction announced

July 24-26 — Campbell Trophy Summit at Stanford University

You’re receiving this email from the National Football Foundation in partnership with Sport & Story. If you’d like to unsubscribe from the Good in the Game Newsletter, which replaces the NFF’s Down & Distance, you can easily do so below and it won't affect anything related to your current communication preferences with the National Football Foundation.