DALLAS (March 10, 2021) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter announced today legendary broadcaster Scott Murray will receive the chapter's 2021 Distinguished Texan Award. Murray will accept the honor during the chapter's virtual Awards Show on Sunday, March 21, at 6 p.m. CT. Due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, the awards show will be pre-taped and will be streamed here.
 
Murray has served on the NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter Board since the chapter's inception in 2008. He has been essential to the chapter, volunteering his services as the awards banquet emcee each year while also helping to secure top-flight sponsors, guest speakers and honorees. He also created the Scott Murray Difference Maker Award, which is annually presented at the chapter banquet to a college bound graduating high school player who has made an impact on his community.
 
"Scott Murray has left a lasting impact on the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and the NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter," said Gerald Brence, president of the NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter and retired athletics director for the Plano Independent School District. "From his time at NBC to his work with community and charitable organizations, Scott has remained a constant presence in the area. He has been especially important to the NFF chapter in Dallas, serving on the board, helping secure sponsorships and serving as the emcee of our annual banquet since the chapter's inception more than a decade ago. His impact on the game and Dallas makes him truly deserving of our chapter's highest honor."

The Distinguished Texan Award, the chapter's most prestigious award, pays tribute to an outstanding person who has maintained a lifetime of interest in the game of football and has been a significant contributor to the betterment of the sport in Texas. Past recipients include legendary Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Drew Pearson (2019), NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell (2017), longtime Dallas sports talk radio staple Norm Hitzges (2016), Dallas businessman and former Texas Tech quarterback John Scovell (2015), former University of Texas athletics director DeLoss Dodds (2014), College Football Hall of Famer and longtime Dallas Cowboys director of pro scouting John Wooten (2013), longtime Dallas Cowboys personnel director Gil Brandt (2012), TCU head coach Gary Patterson (2011), Dallas Cowboys owner, president and general manager and NFF Board Member Jerry Jones (2010) and College Football Hall of Fame coach Grant Teaff (2009).
 
From U.S. Presidents to U.S. Opens, World Series to the World Cup, Olympic Games to 30 straight Super Bowls, Scott Murray has covered them all. He spent more than three decades with NBC television as a multi Emmy Award-winning television sports anchor and broadcast journalist. Murray claimed Sportscaster of the Year honors 17 times by various news organizations. He has been recognized as a Living Legend of Journalism by the Press Club of Dallas and is a recipient of the prestigious Silver Circle Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
 
Although retired from nightly television news, Murray returned to NBC5 to host the weekly public affairs/philanthropic program, "Talk Street," for several years. He is the host of the Emmy Award-winning weekly television program, "Conversations with Scott Murray" and formerly hosted two weekly radio programs, "The Scott Murray Show" and "Scott and the Doc" on 570 KLIF-AM. He also hosts a weekly podcast called "Leadership America," creating champions of change through a culture of civility. He continues to be a sought-after keynote speaker and a published author of two books: "Whatever It Takes" and "Bring Out the Best!"
 
In addition, he serves as Chairman/CEO of Murray Media, an Emmy Award-winning video/HD/television production and A/V event media company. He founded the company with his son, Doug, and they each received an Emmy Award for the program they hosted and produced following their trip to Normandy, France, with two dozen World War II veterans from North Texas on the 70th Anniversary of D-Day.
 
Murray is also a partner with Edgington & Murray Philanthropic Advisors, an innovative team of experienced fundraising and non-profit consultants where the culture is one of "aspire philanthropy… inspire humanity."
 
Murray is a regular emcee/host/moderator at hundreds of corporate and charitable events each year. For decades, he has been involved with thousands of non-profit events that have raised millions of dollars. He served on the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee and as chairman of the Honorary Committee of the NCAA Final Four Tip-Off Gala.
 
Murray serves on the board of trustees of the Dallas Sports Commission. He is an executive board member of the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and chairman of the O'Brien Legends Award and Founder's Award Committees. Murray received the Davey O'Brien's Charles Ringler Founder's Award in 2016. He is also a charter member of the SMU Athletic Forum Board and the Doak Walker National Running Back Award.
 
His other board positions include executive board member of the Armed Forces Bowl; executive board member of the First Responder Bowl; Pat & Emmitt Smith Charities, Children's Cancer Fund, Children at Risk, Center for Vital Longevity, National Kidney Foundation, Stallings Humanitarian Award, Boys and Girls Clubs, Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation, Dallas Symphony Orchestra; President's Advisory Council of the AT&T Performing Arts Center; founding member and former President of the Texas Motor Speedway Children's Charities; and former member of the board of trustees of the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau.
 
Murray stays active in the North Texas community as a volunteer, serving on the board/advisory boards of countless children's, civic, charitable and non-profit organizations. The Arlington Chamber of Commerce annually honors a worthy recipient with the Scott Murray Excellence in Media Award.
 
Murray has received countless awards and honors, including: Man of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Humanitarian of the Year, Diversity & Inclusion Champion Award, Special Olympics Torch Award, Komen for the Cure National Individual Community Service Award, Taste of the NFL Man of the Year, Tom Landry Award of Excellence, Inductee of the Philanthropy World Hall of Fame, Texas Baseball Hall of Fame-Honorary Inductee, Barbara Jordan Citizenship Award, Life of Purpose Award and, his two most cherished awards, Dad of the Year & Father of the Year.
 
Murray will serve as the emcee of the virtual event on March 21, which will also recognize the best high school student-athletes in North Texas and provide the stage for the presentation of several other awards to those who have made an impact on the game both on and off the field as well as the high school coach of the year honors. The NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter will announce the additional honorees in the near future.
 
The NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas is one of 120 nationwide chapters of the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame. The NFF is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. NFF programs include Future For Football, the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, The William V. Campbell Trophy®, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future.
 
Follow the NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter on Twitter @DallasNFF.