The Haggar Gold Jacket Report - Issue 5

The Haggar Gold Jacket Report is a weekly update on recent news surrounding the very select group of men who’ve earned a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver TOMMY MCDONALD made his mark on the professional level catching passes for 12 years with five different teams, most notably the Philadelphia Eagles. Perhaps his greatest claim to fame on the NFL gridiron is his penchant for finding the end zone. McDonald had an incredible 1 to 5.9 ratio of touchdowns to receptions during his career that spanned from 1957 to 1968 with the Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons, and Cleveland Browns.

But as a collegiate athlete McDonald made a name for himself as a star running back at the University of Oklahoma. Tommy was a two-time All-American (1955 and 1956), and Heisman Trophy candidate in 1956. That same season McDonald was honored with the Maxwell Award, given to college football’s top player of the year, and ended his college career with the Sooners with a perfect 31-0 record.

In early December of last year McDonald was named the 2011 PwC Doak Walker Legends Award Recipient. Created in 1998, the award honors former running backs that excelled at the collegiate level and went on to distinguish themselves as leaders in their communities.

“Tommy McDonald made extraordinary contributions on the field at Oklahoma and in the NFL,” said Thomas W. Codd, PwC North Texas Managing Partner. “We are pleased to honor this tremendous athlete and person, who was an integral part of one of the most remarkable teams in college football history.”

McDonald will accept his trophy at the DOAK WALKER Award Presentation Banquet tonight (Friday, Feb. 17) at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas. He will join an impressive list of Hall of Famers who have received this prestigious honor in the past:  JIM TAYLOR (2010), ERIC DICKERSON (2009), MARCUS ALLEN (2007), WALTER PAYTON (2006), EARL CAMPBELL (2002), TONY DORSETT (2001), AND GALE SAYERS (1998).

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Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback ROGER STAUBACH will be honored at the 42nd Annual NFL 101 Awards Gala in Kansas City on Saturday, Mar. 3 at the Westin Crown Center. The two-time Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl VI Most Valuable Player will receive the 2011 Lamar Hunt Award for Professional Football.

The award honors the life and legacy of LAMAR HUNT while recognizing people who have helped shape the National Football League into the preeminent sports league in America.

“Roger Staubach certainly ranks as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the National Football League, but his impact on the game goes far beyond that,” said Clark Hunt, chairman of the Kansas City Chiefs. “He has represented our league with class, integrity, leadership and excellence, and our family is delighted to have Roger as this year’s award recipient.”

Previous winners of the Lamar Hunt Award for Professional Football include The Foolish Club (the original eight owners of the American Football League), Tony Dungy, Monday Night Football and NFL Films.

The awards show will be hosted by NFL Network’s Paul Burmeister and CBS football analyst and former quarterback Rich Gannon.

Event proceeds will be directed to the Truman Medical Center Charitable Foundation through the Chiefs Children’s Fund, a 501(c)(3) foundation that distributes funds to various children’s charities throughout the Kansas City area.

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A few Hall of Famers stepped back on the playing field during Super Bowl Weekend in Indianapolis. DEION SANDERS, BARRY SANDERS, WARREN MOON and JOE MONTANA joined celebrities like David Arquette, Neil Patrick Harris and Jordin Sparks at the Sixth Annual DirecTV Celebrity Beach Bowl on the eve of the big game. The event teamed celebrities with former and current professional athletes for a game of flag football played on sand at Victory Field in Indianapolis.

In true Hall of Fame fashion Montana showed his competitive nature stating.

"I hate to lose," stated the Hall of Fame quarterback prior to the game. "I am not very good at losing. You try to go into this as it's going to be a fun game, but as soon as you get involved ... if they score, you go, 'OK.' You have got to at least keep it competitive. I can't just go through the motions. I want to win."

Montana and Barry Sanders formed a Hall of Fame connection on the first score of the game for Team Spike, but eventually lost to Team Palladia, who was quarterbacked by Moon. The Class of 2006 Enshrinee was more than happy to make use of fellow Hall of Famer Deion Sanders and the game’s MVP rapper Snoop Dogg.

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Speaking of WARREN MOON, he recently participated in the Hall of Fame Educational Outreach Program’s character development series called the "Heart of a Hall of Famer." This program provides students with the opportunity to learn firsthand what it took beyond athletic ability for legendary Hall of Famers to achieve great success. The program focuses on the positive character qualities possessed by these men.

Over the past two years the Hall of Fame has put together more than 15 "Heart of a Hall of Famer" programs. Already during the month of February both DAVE WILCOX (Feb. 10) and Moon (Feb 15) have connected with students across the country via videoconference technology. These programs showcased the importance of education and living life according to the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship.
 

Links related to this story:

HOF Bios: Marcus Allen, Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson, Tony Dorsett, Lamar Hunt, Tommy McDonald, Joe Montana, Warren Moon, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Deion Sanders, Gale Sayers, Roger Staubach, Jim Taylor, Doak Walker, Dave Wilcox

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Issue 4 (Feb. 10) | Issue 3 (Feb. 3) |  Issue 2 (Jan. 27) | Issue 1 (Jan. 20)