It’s always “Sonny” in Wilmington

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This past Tuesday Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Sonny Jurgensen returned to where it all began for him. As part a terrific new program established by us and Allstate Insurance, many of our Hall of Famers are being honored permanently in their childhood communities. It's called Hometown Hall of Famers™ and Jurgensen was the most recent honoree when a plaque was unveiled at his high school in Wilmington, N.C.

It was a reminder of how the passion for this great game we all love carries on from one generation to another and another. It's what connects us all to football. We at the Hall of Fame see it every day as visitors travel from all over the world to take a three-hour stroll down memory lane.

And, on Tuesday, it happened in Wilmington, N.C. as Jurgensen put his permanent mark on the high school where his path to football greatness started. The moment was not lost on the young high school players as they clearly understood who that was standing at the podium. Nearly 60 years ago, there was a young redheaded quarterback who took the very same field they do each week. Today, he is one of only 23 quarterbacks from the NFL's modern era to have been enshrined into the Pro Football Hallo Fame.

No doubt, his bronzed Hometown Hall of Famer™ plaque will forever serve as inspiration.

Here's the recap of Sonny's presentation on Tuesday. Read>>>

If you'd like to find out more about the Hometown Hall of Famer™ Program, see this story and accompanying videos>>>