Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE @ProFootballHOF 05/23/17

Contact: Pete Fierle, Chief of Staff & Vice President of Communications [email protected]; 330-588-3622

DAVID BAKER’S STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF CORTEZ KENNEDY

CANTON, OHIO – Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle CORTEZ KENNEDY passed away at the age of 48. Kennedy was drafted third overall by the Seattle Seahawks in the 1990 NFL Draft. For the next 11 seasons, he anchored the team’s dominant defensive unit.

He had a streak of 116 straight games played and set the team record of 100 consecutive starts. Kennedy was named to eight Pro Bowls, voted first-team All-NFL three times and selected as the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1992. Kennedy, a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s, was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

Pro Football Hall of Fame President & CEO David Baker made the following statement regarding Kennedy’s death.

“The entire Hall of Fame family is stunned and deeply saddened to learn the news of Cortez Kennedy’s passing. On behalf of the Hall of Fame Board of Trustees, Cortez’s fellow Hall of Famers, and our staff, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and fans.

Cortez will be remembered not only for all his great achievements on the football field but how he handled himself off the field. He epitomized the many great values this game teaches which serves as inspiration to millions of fans.

COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE

Although he left this earth far too soon, the Hall of Fame pledges to keep his legacy alive forever in Canton.”

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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.

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.

Construction on Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village, a $700 million development project that includes nine main components, is under way in Canton to transform the Hall of Fame’s campus.

For more information about the Pro Football Hall of Fame, please visit ProFootballHOF.com; @ProFootballHOF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube.

COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE