Pro Football Hall of Fame's Far-Reaching Presence At
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 04/24/2019 PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME’S FAR-REACHING PRESENCE AT THE 2019 NFL DRAFT KEVIN MAWAE INSPIRES YOUTH; NFL DRAFT EXPERIENCE; STRONG YOUTH STRONG COMMUNITIES; DAY 3 OF NFL DRAFT FROM CANTON WITH COMMUNITY DAY CANTON, OHIO – The Pro Football Hall of Fame will celebrate the 2019 NFL Draft with a variety of events in Canton; Nashville, Tennessee; and Baltimore, Maryland. HEART OF A HALL OF FAMER Class of 2019 Enshrinee KEVIN MAWAE took part in the Heart of a Hall of Famer powered by Extreme Networks earlier today at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville. Mawae, who will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August, is the former Dean of Students at the school. The Heart of a Hall of Famer educational series provides students the opportunity to learn first-hand what it took beyond athletic ability for legendary Heroes of the Game to achieve success on and off the field. The program focuses on the Hall of Fame’s core values of commitment, integrity, courage, respect and excellence. “It’s not where you start the race; it’s how you finish it,” Mawae shared in reference to the NFL Draft that is applicable to life in general. “You can start at the bottom, the middle, or even the top, but it is how you finish the race and run the race. A career is not a sprint; it’s a marathon.” The program was streamed live on the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Facebook @ProFootballHOF. 2019 NFL DRAFT EXPERIENCE The Pro Football Hall of Fame will have numerous artifacts from its world-class collection on display at the 2019 NFL Draft Experience at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. The Hall of Fame will remove eight Bronzed Busts from the Hall of Fame Gallery to be displayed at the Draft Experience – BRETT FAVRE, JOHN MADDEN, BRUCE MATTHEWS, JOE MONTANA, WARREN MOON, JERRY RICE, DEION SANDERS and REGGIE WHITE. Hall of Fame staff members will be on hand to showcase the latest technology from the Hall as fans can see Madden’s Bronzed Bust “talk.” The following artifacts will be on display in the Hall’s exhibit area: • Jersey worn by Peyton Manning when he threw seven touchdowns in a single game in 2013 and the football he threw in 2014 for his NFL record 509th career touchdown. • Pat Tillman’s Arizona Cardinals jersey and a maquette of his sculpture at the Cardinals home stadium. • Johnny Unitas’ famed high-top shoes and a maquette of his sculpture in Baltimore. • Anthony Lynn’s Los Angeles Chargers Salute to Service hoodie and Ron Rivera’s Salute to Service hat. • Football thrown by Drew Brees when he broke Johnny Unitas’ 48-straight game touchdown streak in 2012 and Brees’ Super Bowl XLIV jersey. The Hall of Fame’s Marketing Team will be on hand at the draft to interact with fans. Additionally, those who attend the Draft Experience will have the opportunity to sign up for a chance to win a special “Fan Cave Giveaway.” The prize consists of a variety of official fan gear and commemorative items from the Hall of Fame store representing the NFL team of the winner’s choice. The prize has an estimated value of $500. The Hall’s Marketing Team will also be in Baltimore at the “Ravens Flock Party: Draft Edition” on Thursday, April 25 at Hightopps Backstage Grille and the Ravens Draft Fest on Saturday, April 27 at the Baltimore Inner Harbor. Fans will have a chance to win a trip to see ED REED enshrined this August in Canton. The Draft Experience is free and open to the public. More information can be found at www.nfl.com/draft/experience/overview/page/e73577dc-5c5e-4f48-9f60-344c1c960922. COMMUNITY DAY The Pro Football Hall of Fame will be hosting “Community Day” at the Museum on Saturday (April 27) in celebration of the 2019 NFL Draft. Guests who live in zip codes beginning with 446 or 447 can enjoy this special promotion: • 50% off Museum Admission • Free Parking • 20% off in the Hall of Fame Store DAY 3 OF THE NFL DRAFT FROM CANTON NFL Network’s day three coverage of the NFL Draft will kick off from Canton with the Hall of Fame’s Hupmobile in front of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The vehicle, identical to those on hand in 1920 when the NFL was founded in a Hupbmobile showroom in downtown Canton, will be surrounded by members of the Centennial Celebration Host Committee. The group includes community leaders who are planning the celebration of the National Football League’s centennial in Canton on Sept. 17, 2020. Additionally, for the second consecutive year, the President & CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, David Baker, will announce a pick live from the Hall of Fame Gallery in Canton later in the day. STRONG YOUTH STRONG COMMUNITIES Centene Corporation, the Official Youth Wellness Partner of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will host its 13th Strong Youth Strong Communities (SYSC) Summit at Tennessee State University’s Floyd- Payne Campus Center on Saturday April, 27. Founded by Pro Football Hall of Famer DARRELL GREEN in 2015, SYSC is focused on equipping our youth with life skills, resources, and leadership- focused mentoring to maximize potential, promote active thinking, sound judgement and connect them with thought leaders committed to developing youth leaders. The free summit, led by Green and fellow Pro Football Hall of Famers BRUCE MATTHEWS and AENEAS WILLIAMS, will be open to all middle and high school students in the Nashville area. Green, Matthews and Williams will be joined at the summit by Iman McFarland, COO 21st Century Expo Group, along with various other community leaders, mentors and health experts, to lead discussions on topics such as bullying and self-esteem. Partners include National Urban League, Big Brothers Big Sisters, National Council for Mental Illness, Sandy Hook Promise, National Youth Council, Beyond Differences and Peace First. The event will be Livestreamed at https://www.profootballhof.com/hof-channel/. ### CONTACTS: Pete Fierle, Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President of Communications [email protected]; 330-588-3622 Rachel Gutting, Director of Communications & Strategic Initiatives [email protected]; 330-588-3671 ABOUT THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME Located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the National Football League, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution with the Mission to Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values, & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. AAM accreditation is national recognition for the museum’s commitment to excellence and the highest professional standards of museum operation and public service. Hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe travel to Canton annually to experience “The Most Inspiring Place on Earth!” that chronicles America’s most popular sport. Fans can also enjoy the Hall of Fame Store at the Hall, and online at www.profootballhof.com/store, for merchandise from all 32 NFL clubs plus the Hall of Fame. Proceeds from the Store support the Hall’s Mission. Construction on Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village, a mixed-use development project that will include 10 main components, is under way in Canton to transform the Hall of Fame’s campus. @ProFootballHOF .