CHARLOTTE, N.C. (June 16, 2015) – The Charlotte Touchdown Club in conjunction with the Football Writers Association of America and Florida East Coast Railway proudly announce College Football Hall of Famer and 1973 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Randy Gradishar as the recipient of the 2015 Bronko Nagurski Legends Award, which recognize outstanding defensive football players from the past 40 years.
The award will be presented formally during the annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Awards Banquet presented by ACN on Dec. 7. Auburn University head coach Gus Malzahn is slated as the keynote speaker.
"I want to thank everyone at the Football Writers Association and the Charlotte Touchdown Club for this honor,” said Gradishar. “I had the privilege of playing college football at an outstanding university, with tremendous teammates and for one of the greatest coaches ever. It is on their behalf that I accept this special award."
Gradishar continued, “My fondest memory is having the opportunity to play for legendary Ohio State Head Football Coach Woody Hayes. Coach always talked about 'paying forward.' Every Friday in the off-season he had all the players go out into the community visiting organizations from Children’s Hospital to hospices. 'Paying Forward' is about getting involved now in a ministry of service helping others.”
“Randy Gradishar’s leadership, dedication and passion for the game are what make college football so special and he is to be congratulated on being named the 2015 Bronko Nagurski Legends Award recipient,” said James R. Hertwig, CEO of Florida East Coast Railway. “Florida East Coast Railway takes great pride in our support of the Charlotte Touchdown Club and its mission to promote Citizenship, Scholarship, Sportsmanship and Leadership.”
Gradishar joins a growing list of prestigious Bronko Nagurski Legends Award recipients including College Football Hall of Famers Alan Page (Notre Dame), Randy Rhino (Georgia Tech), Bubba Smith (Michigan State), Roger Wehrli (Missouri), Randy White (Maryland) and Jack Youngblood (Florida).
During Gradishar’s three year college career at Ohio State, he became a two-time first team All-America selection, a member of the Ohio State Varsity Hall of Fame and a member of the Ohio State Football All-Century team. Gradishar led the Buckeyes to two Big Ten championships and two Rose Bowl appearances. Gradishar was named an NFF National Scholar-Athlete after his senior year in 1973 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998.
An NFL first round draft pick, Gradishar enjoyed a 10-season NFL career. His career highlights include being a seven-time Pro Bowler, five-time First-Team All-Pro and seven-time All-AFC selection.
Gradishar has been labeled the heart and soul of the infamous Denver Broncos’ “Orange Crush” defense. Known for exemplary leadership, he was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1978. Praised for his leadership and dedication, Gradishar never missed a game in his 10 seasons with Denver and led the Broncos to their first Super Bowl appearance in 1978. He is a two-time finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and in 1987 was inducted into the State of Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,300 men and women across North America who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards, a national poll and its annual All-America team.
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a 501©3 non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate and professional football in the Charlotte, N.C., region. The club's activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding Citizenship, Scholarship, Sportsmanship and Leadership of area athletes and coaches.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s official website, www.NCFAA.org.
