IRVING, Texas (Aug. 6, 2025) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today five individuals who will be recognized with 2025 NFF Legacy Awards during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas Dec. 9 at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The NFF Legacy Awards, established in 2007, honor individuals and organizations who have made extraordinary contributions to the NFF and/or embody its mission. This year's honorees are:
 

• Norma Dean, Delta Air Lines Director of Specialty Sales
• Steve Richardson, Football Writers Association of America Executive Director
• Langston Rogers, Ole Miss Special Assistant to the Athletics Director for History
• C. Paul Rogers III, SMU Dedman School of Law Professor of Law
• Gary P. Stokan, Peach Bowl, Inc., CEO & President

 
The NFF Legacy Award recognizes individuals who have never failed to answer a call of support from the NFF, and they have distinguished themselves as the most ardent proponents of football's unique ability to develop the next generation of great leaders.
 
"Each of these five individuals – Norma Dean, Steve Richardson, Langston Rogers, Paul Rogers and Gary Stokan – has played a unique and invaluable role in helping the National Football Foundation carry out its mission," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "Whether through storytelling, leadership, partnership, or advocacy, they've championed the game at every level — and their efforts have left a lasting impact on the football community. We're proud to honor them with the 2025 NFF Legacy Award."
 
   
Norma Dean is a 40-year Delta veteran based in Atlanta who began her career in New Orleans as a reservations sales agent and has held progressively senior sales leadership roles across the United States. For nearly 20 years, Dean has served as the key liaison for Delta Air Lines and its sponsorship as the official airline of the National Football Foundation, offering special airfares to attendees of the NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas.

"Norma Dean has been the definition of a steadfast partner, helping ensure Delta Air Lines delivers exceptional service year after year to the NFF and our extended football family," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "From facilitating special airfares to making our travel seamless for nearly two decades, Norma's leadership has helped make the NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas a truly first-class experience. We are deeply grateful to her and Delta for being such vital champions of our mission."
 
From her field experience, Dean came to Delta's headquarters in Atlanta and was promoted to National Account Manager, overseeing association sales in Washington, New York City and Chicago. Thereafter, she held the position of Global Account Manager-Corporate Sales and then went on to serve as General Manager – Corporate Sales for the Northeast region and General Manager of Specialty Sales.
 
In her current role as Director- National Specialty Sales, Dean manages $2B in Delta segmented and leisure revenue, including Military & Government, Meetings, Convention & Incentive Sales, Sports & Universities, and Leisure/Tour Operator/Cruise Sales. She is an active industry leader serving on several international boards and committees. 
 
Widely recognized for her influence and mentorship within the business travel field, Dean was honored in 2019 by the Global Business Travel Association as the WINiT (Women IN Training) – GBTA "Best Mentor or Coach – Female" Award winner, celebrating her dedication to elevating others in the industry. A native of New Orleans, Dean is a proud alumna of Louisiana State University and is known for her love of LSU football and the Saints.
   
Steve Richardson, known widely by his nickname "Tiger," has served as executive director of the FWAA since 1996, overseeing an organization of approximately 1,200 media professionals covering college football across North America.
 
"Steve Richardson has been an invaluable presence at the NFF for more than two decades, bringing his deep media expertise, integrity, and steady counsel to every challenge and opportunity," said Hatchell. "Having the executive director of the Football Writers Association of America make our headquarters his home base has been an extraordinary asset. His insight has helped guide countless communications decisions, and his advocacy for writers and the game itself reflects a deep love of college football. We are proud to recognize his impact with an NFF Legacy Award."
 
Under his leadership, the FWAA not only selects the annual college football All-America team and presents major awards such as the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy, and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, but it also champions better working conditions in press boxes and supports scholarships and writing contests for aspiring sports journalists.
 
Richardson has also been widely praised for his advocacy on behalf of writers—whether writing protest letters when access is restricted or standing up for press box etiquette—earning respect from both media colleagues and university communications professionals.
 
Richardson serves on the NFF Honors Court, which selects the NFF College Football Hall of Fame inductees, and has partnered with the NFF on multiple occasions over the years on a wide range of NFF events. In 2014, he partnered with the NFF to launch the Super 16 Poll, which ranks the top teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision each week during the regular season.
 
Richardson began his journalism journey at the University of Missouri, where he earned a journalism degree and wrote for the student newspaper. He later reported for the Kansas City Star and Dallas Morning News before joining the FWAA.
   
Langston Rogers retired in May 2010 after 29 years of service to Ole Miss, having joined the Rebel athletics staff July 1, 1981, as sports information director. He was promoted to assistant athletics director for sports information in 1984, was named associate athletics director for sports information in 2001 and then became senior associate athletics director for media relations in 2005. Although retired, he continues to serve the University of Mississippi on a part-time basis as Special Assistant to the Athletics Director for History.

"Langston Rogers has been one of the most loyal and passionate advocates for college football that we've ever had the privilege to work with," said Hatchell. "Whether promoting Ole Miss players for the College Football Hall of Fame or championing Rebel student-athletes as NFF National Scholar-Athlete nominees, Langston has always gone the extra mile. He's been a fixture at our Annual Awards Dinner since the 1970s, and his presence, perspective, and genuine love for the game have made a lasting impact. We are truly honored to recognize his decades of support with an NFF Legacy Award."

Prior to joining Ole Miss, Rogers served 17 years as Sports Information Director at his alma mater, Delta State University, and four years as the school's Publicity Director, overseeing both general and sports news. 

In 1980, at age 36, Rogers became the youngest president in history of the 2,700 member College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and served 11 years on its Board of Directors. He continues to serve on a number of CoSIDA's key committees.

In 1991, he was honored for 25 years of service in CoSIDA, and in 2001 received the Arch Ward Award, presented annually to a CoSIDA member who has made outstanding contributions to the field of college sports information and is the highest award presented to a member of that national organization. 

Rogers is a member of eight Halls of Fame, including induction into the College Sports Information Directors of America Hall of Fame in 1990, the Mississippi Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame in 1997, the Delta State University Alumni Hall of Fame in 2008, the East Mississippi Community College Sports Hall of Fame in 2010, the Ole Miss Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2013, the Delta State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Mississippi Community and Junior College Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.

Rogers is currently serving as a member of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame District 3 Screening Committee, CoSIDA Past Presidents Advisory Council and the College Sports Information Directors of America Hall of Fame Selection Veterans Committee.
   
C. Paul Rogers III has served on the SMU Dedman School of Law faculty since 1980 and was dean of the law school from 1988 to 1997. He also served as associate dean for academic affairs from 1982 to 1986.
 
"Paul Rogers has brought extraordinary vision and leadership to the NFF, particularly in helping us shine a light on the critical role faculty members play in the academic success of our student-athletes," said Hatchell. "His work was essential in launching the NFF Faculty Salutes, Presented by Fidelity Investments, which has allowed us to honor the academic mentors behind every NFF National Scholar-Athlete. Paul's integrity, wisdom, and unwavering support have enriched our mission, and we are proud to celebrate his contributions with an NFF Legacy Award."
 
Upon graduation from the University of Texas School of Law in 1973 he practiced law in Pennsylvania before accepting the Krulewitch Fellowship for graduate law study from Columbia Law School. He subsequently joined the faculty of Loyola University of Chicago before coming to SMU.
 
Rogers has published articles in the area of antitrust law, contracts, commercial law, regulated industries, and legal history, and has co-authored an antitrust casebook entitled ANTITRUST LAW: POLICY & PRACTICE, now in its fifth edition. Rogers has been of counsel to the Locke Lord law firm in Dallas since 1996 and has spoken widely at academic and legal conferences in the United States and abroad.
 
He has taught courses in contracts, antitrust law, business torts, and sales of goods transactions at SMU. He is an elected member of the American Law Institute, the American Bar Foundation, the Texas Bar Foundation, and a charter member of the Dallas Bar Foundation.
 
Rogers has served as SMU's faculty athletic representative since 1987, helping to represent the University before the NCAA and the Atlantic Coast Conference. He previously served on the NCAA's Football Oversight Committee and is former President of the Southwest Conference and a former member of the Cotton Bowl Board of Directors and the NCAA's Amateurism Cabinet. He was one of the founders of the Doak Walker National Running Back Award, which was first presented in 1990.
 
Because of his background as a faculty athletic representative, Rogers has provided key counsel to the NFF over the years, including helping launch the NFF Faculty Salutes presented by Fidelity Investments in 2011. The Salutes, an extension of the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Program, recognizing 198 FARs since the program's inception while providing $990,000 in donations from Fidelity to boost the academic support services at schools of each honoree.
 
An avid baseball historian, Rogers has co-authored or edited six books and countless articles on baseball history. Since 1998, he has served as President of the Ernie Banks-Bobby Bragan DFW Chapter of the Society of American Baseball Research.
   
Gary Stokan is CEO and president of Peach Bowl, Inc., a position he has held since 1998. Under his management, Peach Bowl, Inc. events have generated an economic impact of $1.299 billion and $79.34 million in direct government tax revenue for the city of Atlanta and state of Georgia since 1999.  Stokan has positioned the Peach Bowl as one of the best bowl game organizations in the nation, earning the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl a position as a New Year's Six bowl game in the College Football Playoff (CFP). Stokan also inked contracts with Mercedes-Benz Stadium through 2025 and with Chick-fil-A to continue its title sponsorship of both the Bowl and Kickoff Games through 2025.
 
Stokan's visionary leadership efforts resulted in the relocation of the College Football Hall of Fame to Atlanta and the creation of Atlanta Hall Management, Inc., which with Stokan serving as CEO and president, signed a 30-year licensing agreement with the National Football Foundation for Atlanta to build and operate the new Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame.
 
"Gary Stokan's vision and tenacity were instrumental in bringing the College Football Hall of Fame to Atlanta, where it continues to thrive as a world-class tribute to the game," said Hatchell. "Gary understood the Hall's potential as a centerpiece of college football's celebration and found the perfect home in the heart of a city that lives and breathes the sport. His work has had a lasting impact on how fans experience the history and pageantry of college football, and we are proud to honor his contributions with an NFF Legacy Award."

During Stokan's tenure, the Bowl has enjoyed sellouts in 22 of the past 25 years and earned the second-longest sellout record in the Bowl business. Peach Bowl, Inc. has also distributed more than $281 million in team payouts under Stokan and is college football's most charitable bowl organization – having donated $58.8 million since 2002 – which garnered Peach Bowl, Inc. the Atlanta Small Business Philanthropic Award.

Stokan has created major events that bring exposure, economic impact and charitable donations to Atlanta by creating the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in 2008, which is the leader in opening weekend games. Stokan's innovation of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game helped change the college football season by elevating opening weekend and placing a focus on scheduling nationally ranked, out-of-conference opponents. Since its creation, the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game has distributed a cumulative $83.5 million in team payouts and has sold out 12 of 15 games. He also created the Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament, which since 2007 has given $8.73 million for scholarship and charity to its participating universities and coaches charities is the preeminent coaches golf tournament in the country.

Stokan has been ranked by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of Georgia's 30 Most Influential Sports Business Figures, one of the 100 Most Influential Atlantans, a top 50 leader in Atlanta hospitality, one of Atlanta's Most Admired CEOs, a Georgia Titan 100, and was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, the Atlanta Hospitality Hall of Fame and the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame.  
 
Stokan played basketball at NC State, graduating with a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1978.
 
Click here for the list of all-time NFF Legacy Award Honorees
 
Click here for more information on the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas, including how to purchase tickets and obtain discounted airfare and hotel accommodations.