Painted Portraits of Past Honorees
"THE BEST EVENT OF THE SUPER BOWL!"
- Jerry Jones, 2017 Hall of Famer
SAVE THE DATE
Join us on Friday, February 5, 2021 virtually for a LIVE SHOW from the Super Bowl honoring Gold Jackets Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr. and Derrick Brooks
History of the Merlin Olsen Super Bowl Luncheon
The Luncheon was first hosted prior to Super Bowl XL in Detroit on Friday February 3, 2006. It was named after Class of 1982 Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, who persuaded the National Football League to sanction the luncheon as an official event of Super Bowl Week. It was one of his many initiatives pushed by Merlin to help his Hall of Fame teammates and their families Proceeds of the luncheon funds the Hall of Fame’s Ensrhinees Assistance Fund. The luncheon honors an NFL Legend and a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Since then, the Merlin Olsen Super Bowl Luncheon has grown to become THE “must attend” event outside of the Game, with 700 attendees, including over 100 Hall of Famers, NFL Legends, and the New Class Finalists. It has raised over $1.2 million for the PFHOF Enshrinee Assistance Fund.
The event has evolved into a “Golden Globes” production. It begins with an exclusive meet and greet during a one hour cocktail reception. For the luncheon, each sponsor table is hosted by a Gold Jacket. The event begins with a red carpet introduction by all the Hall of Famers, chalk talks centered around the Hall’s Mission hosted by President/CEO David Baker and the unveiling of painted portraits of that year’s honorees. It is captured with a five camera live stream available at HOF Channel.
Ford, the official automobile of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has been the presenting sponsor since 2016. For the purchase of tables and sponsorship opportunities please contact Chief Partnership Officer & Sr. VP of Gold Jacket Relations Pat Lindesmith at 330-588-3623 or visit our Sponsorship page for more information.
Past Honorees
2006 Super Bowl 40 in Detroit
Roger Staubach
2007 Super Bowl 41 in Miami
Jim Brown
2008 Super Bowl 42 in Phoenix
Dick Butkus
2009 Super Bowl 43 Tampa Bay
Merlin Olsen
Related article
2010 Super Bowl 44 in Miami
Don Shula
2011 Super Bowl 45 in Dallas
Bob Lilly
2012 Super Bowl 46 in Indianapolis
Gale Sayers
2013 Super Bowl 47 in New Orleans
Jim Taylor
2014 Super Bowl 48 in New York
Frank Gifford
Related article
2015 Super Bowl 49 in Phoenix
Dan Dierdorf
Related article
2016 Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco
John Madden and John Brodie
Related article
2017 Super Bowl 51 in Houston
Robert McNair and Earl Campbell
2018 Super Bowl 52 in Minneapolis
Bud Grant and Wilf Family
Related article
2019 Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta
Chris Doleman and Arthur Blank
Related article
2020 Super Bowl 54 in Miami
Don Shula, Dan Marino, and Steve Ross
Recap of the Last Five Events
Merlin Olsen Luncheon X in 2016 was held at the San Francisco Hilton Grand Ballroom in partnership with the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce honoring Hall of Famer John Madden and NFL Legend John Brodie. The event hosted over 500 for the first time, in addition to 60 Gold Jackets and 30 NFL Legends, many of whom were part of the NFL’s pregame walk on the field celebrating the first 50 years of the Super Bowl.
Also in attendance were eight NFL Owners, including 49ers owner Jed York and Dallas Cowboys owner and Hall of Fame Board member Jerry Jones. Read related article.
In 2017 the Super Bowl was hosted by Houston for the second time and NFL Legend Houston Texan owner Bob McNair and Hall of Famer Earl Campbell were honored.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame had just announced its partnership with the Black College Hall of Fame and the chalk talk round table was hosted by HBCU Texas Southern alumni Michael Strahan joined by Aeneas Williams, Shannon Sharpe and Jackie Slater.
Minneapolis was the site of the 2018 Super Bowl at their new U.S. Bank Stadium. Legendary Hall of Famer and Minnesota Viking former head coach Bud Grant was honored along with the first family honorees, the Vikings owners, the Wilf family.
For the first time, the Class of 2018 Finalists were honored with the Gold Jackets and NFL Legends, over 100 greats together for attendees to meet and greet and take photos with the biggest gathering of the greats of the game at any Super Bowl event.
Atlanta hosted its second Super Bowl in 2019 to introduce its brand new Mercedes Benz Stadium. NFL Legend and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank was lauded for his Atlanta community support as well as his support of the Black College Football Hall of Fame. Hall of Famer honoree was Chris Doleman, whose courageous fight with brain cancer unfortunately ended one year later.
Miami hosted its record 11th Super Bowl in 2020. The Merlin Olsen luncheon had taken place in 1999, 2007, 2010 but 2020 was Super Special. For the first time the Hall honoree three. NFL Legend Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, Hall of Famer, Gold Jacket Dan Marino and for the second time, the winningest coach in NFL history, Don Shula. Chalk Talk Roundtable theme was the Hall’s look ahead to celebrating the league’s Centennial in Canton September 17-19.
Painted Portraits of Past Honorees
"THE BEST EVENT OF THE SUPER BOWL!"
- Jerry Jones, 2017 Hall of Famer
SAVE THE DATE
Join us on Friday, February 11, 2022 from Los Angeles as we kick off the excitement for Super Bowl LVI.
For the purchase of tables and sponsorship opportunities please contact Matthew LaNeve at 330-588-3618 or [email protected].
History of the Merlin Olsen Super Bowl Luncheon
The Luncheon was first hosted prior to Super Bowl XL in Detroit on Friday February 3, 2006. It was named after Class of 1982 Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, who persuaded the National Football League to sanction the luncheon as an official event of Super Bowl Week. It was one of his many initiatives pushed by Merlin to help his Hall of Fame teammates and their families Proceeds of the luncheon funds the Hall of Fame’s Ensrhinees Assistance Fund. The luncheon honors an NFL Legend and a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Since then, the Merlin Olsen Super Bowl Luncheon has grown to become THE “must attend” event outside of the Game, with 700 attendees, including over 100 Hall of Famers, NFL Legends, and celebrities. It has raised over $1.2 million for the PFHOF Enshrinee Assistance Fund.
The event has evolved into a “Golden Globes” production. It begins with an exclusive meet and greet during a one hour cocktail reception. For the luncheon, each sponsor table is hosted by a Gold Jacket. The event begins with a red carpet introduction by all the Hall of Famers, chalk talks centered around the Hall’s Mission hosted by President/CEO David Baker and the unveiling of painted portraits of that year’s honorees. It is captured with a five camera live stream available at HOF Channel.
Ford, the official automobile of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has been the presenting sponsor since 2016. For the purchase of tables and sponsorship opportunities please contact Chief Partnership Officer & Sr. VP of Gold Jacket Relations Pat Lindesmith at 330-588-3623 or visit our Sponsorship page for more information.
Past Honorees
2006 Super Bowl 40 in Detroit
Roger Staubach
2007 Super Bowl 41 in Miami
Jim Brown
2008 Super Bowl 42 in Phoenix
Dick Butkus
2009 Super Bowl 43 Tampa Bay
Merlin Olsen
Related article
2010 Super Bowl 44 in Miami
Don Shula
2011 Super Bowl 45 in Dallas
Bob Lilly
2012 Super Bowl 46 in Indianapolis
Gale Sayers
2013 Super Bowl 47 in New Orleans
Jim Taylor
2014 Super Bowl 48 in New York
Frank Gifford
Related article
2015 Super Bowl 49 in Phoenix
Dan Dierdorf
Related article
2016 Super Bowl 50 in San Francisco
John Madden and John Brodie
Related article
2017 Super Bowl 51 in Houston
Robert McNair and Earl Campbell
2018 Super Bowl 52 in Minneapolis
Bud Grant and Wilf Family
Related article
2019 Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta
Chris Doleman and Arthur Blank
Related article
2020 Super Bowl 54 in Miami
Don Shula, Dan Marino, and Steve Ross
2021 Super Bowl 55 in Tampa
Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. and Derrick Brooks
Recap of the Last Five Events
Merlin Olsen Luncheon X in 2016 was held at the San Francisco Hilton Grand Ballroom in partnership with the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce honoring Hall of Famer John Madden and NFL Legend John Brodie. The event hosted over 500 for the first time, in addition to 60 Gold Jackets and 30 NFL Legends, many of whom were part of the NFL’s pregame walk on the field celebrating the first 50 years of the Super Bowl.
Also in attendance were eight NFL Owners, including 49ers owner Jed York and Dallas Cowboys owner and Hall of Fame Board member Jerry Jones. Read related article.
In 2017 the Super Bowl was hosted by Houston for the second time and NFL Legend Houston Texan owner Bob McNair and Hall of Famer Earl Campbell were honored.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame had just announced its partnership with the Black College Hall of Fame and the chalk talk round table was hosted by HBCU Texas Southern alumni Michael Strahan joined by Aeneas Williams, Shannon Sharpe and Jackie Slater.
Minneapolis was the site of the 2018 Super Bowl at their new U.S. Bank Stadium. Legendary Hall of Famer and Minnesota Viking former head coach Bud Grant was honored along with the first family honorees, the Vikings owners, the Wilf family.
For the first time, the Class of 2018 Finalists were honored with the Gold Jackets and NFL Legends, over 100 greats together for attendees to meet and greet and take photos with the biggest gathering of the greats of the game at any Super Bowl event.
Atlanta hosted its second Super Bowl in 2019 to introduce its brand new Mercedes Benz Stadium. NFL Legend and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank was lauded for his Atlanta community support as well as his support of the Black College Football Hall of Fame. Hall of Famer honoree was Chris Doleman, whose courageous fight with brain cancer unfortunately ended one year later.
Miami hosted its record 11th Super Bowl in 2020. The Merlin Olsen luncheon had taken place in 1999, 2007, 2010 but 2020 was Super Special. For the first time the Hall honoree three. NFL Legend Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, Hall of Famer, Gold Jacket Dan Marino and for the second time, the winningest coach in NFL history, Don Shula. Chalk Talk Roundtable theme was the Hall’s look ahead to celebrating the league’s Centennial in Canton September 17-19.