Good in the Game 8/20

Now is the time to join the NFF's 'I Played' campaign!

August 20, 2024

Good morning, football fans! Football is back! Florida State and Georgia Tech kick us off from Dublin, Ireland at 12 p.m. ET this Saturday, with three other games to follow that day. The long wait for football is finally over!

The National Football Foundation has launched its ‘I Played’ campaign, an opportunity for those who have played football to celebrate the life lessons and lasting values the game has imparted on them.

Here’s one testimonial, from a former Florida Gator you may remember:

“Football takes you places you didn’t think you could go and it pushes you past boundaries you never thought you could push past. And now, you begin to have more confidence in who you are and what you can do in your dreams. I’m so grateful for this incredible game for so many different reasons.”

— Tim Tebow

Would you like to contribute your story and become part of the ‘I Played’ campaign? Visit footballfoundation.com/iplayed and share your experience playing the greatest sport on Earth!

Congratulations to College Football Hall of Famer and NFF Trustee Archie Griffin on the unveiling of The Archie Griffin Statue and Legacy Walk dedication at the Rose Bowl! The new statue was unveiled Aug. 17 by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Archie’s first Heisman Trophy.

L-R: Big Ten Associate Commissioner A.J. Edds, NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell, Rose Bowl Institute President and former UCLA and Dallas Cowboys DB James Washington, Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation statue honoree and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Griffin (Ohio State), host of the NFF Good in the Game Podcast and College Football Hall of Fame inductee LaVar Arrington (Penn State) and NFF COO Matthew Sign.

Photo: Utah Athletics

What a year it’s been for former Utah quarterback Alex Smith! Earlier this year the NFF announced Smith will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024, and now it’s his alma mater honoring him — Utah Athletics has created the Utah Football Ring of Honor, and has chosen Smith as the first inductee!

In Part 2 of a two-part interview, NFF CEO Steve Hatchell continued his conversation with the On The Fly podcast and host Gene DeFilippo on the increasing number of colleges and high schools sponsoring football and key NFF initiatives such as the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy, the Annual Awards Dinner, and criteria for Hall of Fame induction!

🏈 Click to listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify

COME JOIN US IN LAS VEGAS!

The 66th Annual National Football Foundation Awards Dinner will be here before we know it, and tickets are going fast — buy yours now to ensure you get the NFF discounted rate!

Did you know that President John F. Kennedy once spoke at the National Football Foundation Awards Dinner? President Kennedy was honored with the Gold Medal Award during the 1961 dinner, and spoke to the nearly 1,400 people in attendance.

Photo: National Football Foundation

Photo: Harvard Business Review

Former Michigan quarterback and all-time NFL great Tom Brady is one of the best leaders the game has ever seen.

And now, he’s telling us exactly how he did it — Brady has identified seven behaviors all great leaders share in the Harvard Business Review!

📰: Tom Brady on the Art of Leading Teammates
Harvard Business Review

Photo: National Down Syndrome Congress

Mark your calendars — the third annual Big Game Ball, which raises funds to support post-secondary educational opportunities for students with Down syndrome or other intellectual disabilities, will take place on Oct. 24 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta!

This year’s honorees are Georgia, Alabama, Clemson and South Carolina, as well as coach Gene Stallings on an individual level.

🏈: More information — Big Game Ball
National Down Syndrome Congress

Photo: Getty Images

Thanks to COVID-19 and injuries, college football will be home to sixth and seventh-year seniors this season. And in one case, a ninth-year player.

Photo: Bill Welt

Drew Chance is the offensive coordinator at Illinois College. His younger brother, Destin, is the quarterback for the Blueboys.

Last season, Destin threw for over 4,000 yards and 48 touchdowns in Drew’s offense, breaking Midwest Conference records for both. And now, they’re ready for their encore.

Dave M. Davis, a past president of the Tournament of Roses and a member of the NFF Board of Trustees from 2005 to 2022 and then in an emeritus capacity, has passed away. He was 82.

Dan Dorazio, who spent time coaching at Kent State, Hawaii, San Jose State, Washington, Northern Iowa and Georgia Tech before winning four Grey Cups in the CFL, has passed away. He was 72.

Darryl Mason, the assistant head coach at Langston University (Okla.), has passed away. He was 63.

Terrance Howard, a defensive back at North Carolina Central, has passed away. He was 19.

Dr. Mark Price, the New England Patriots’ head team physician and medical director since 2016, has passed away.

Can you believe it’s been 10 years already since the opening of the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta? There have been 184 players and coaches added to the hallowed halls since then, with 111 different colleges and universities represented during that time!

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.