The National Football League (NFL) honored Pro Football Hall of Fame players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) before the start of Sunday’s Super Bowl LIbattle between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots, who won in overtime, 34-28.
Following an almost year-long partnership between the Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (PFHOF), the NFL “reached out with the great concept of shining a light on the Historically Black Colleges and Universities by introducing those HBCUs Gold Jackets at Super Bowl LI,” PFHOF President and CEO Dave Baker said in a statement.
Of the 303 members of the PFHOF, 29 attended HBCUs. Grambling State University President Rick Gallot said in an interview that the amount of hall of famers that graduated from HBCUs highlights “the importance of HBCUs and how we have played a significant role in producing some of the greatest players to ever put on a helmet and shoulder pads.”
