Tag: tribute

Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman’s hometown honored him with a monument

Kansas City #Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman’s hometown honored him with a career tribute monument | @EdEastonJr

The honors and accolades from the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII victory continue to stack up. Players and coaches have returned to their hometowns and been praised for the latest championship with various events and tributes.

Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman, now a three-time Super Bowl champion, was recently honored by his hometown of Bowman, Georgia, with a nine-foot-tall granite monument. The impressive structure features a photo of Hardman from his college days at the University of Georgia with an inscription: “From the Granite Bowl to the Super Bowl.”

Hardman was the hero in Super Bowl LVIII, securing the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime against the San Francisco 49ers.

After returning to Kansas City midseason last year, Hardman tallied 14 catches for 118 yards in six regular-season games and had five receptions for 62 yards in four postseason games.

Hardman shared an Instagram photo showing how he is immortalized in his hometown. The Chiefs and Hardman recently agreed on a one-year deal to return for a shot at a threepeat of titles. The bottom inscription on the monument says “3 Time Super Bowl Champion,” and that could be in store for an upgrade around this time next year.

LOOK: Images of Union Station’s tribute to Chiefs’ Norma Hunt

Kansas City’s Union Station lit their arches and fountains in #Chiefs’ red to honor the late Norma Hunt.

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As the Kansas City Chiefs organization mourns the death of team matriarch Norma Hunt, they’ve received an outpouring of support from every corner of the NFL, from a message to the commissioner to teams around the league.

In order to pay tribute to Hunt, Kansas City’s Union Station, the host site of the 2023 NFL draft put together a special lighting arrangement in short order on Sunday evening. Here’s a look at their initial message, with pictures of Union Station all lit up down below:

Tonight, Union Station will darken our exterior building lighting with just our east and west arches illuminated in Chiefs’ red as we mourn the passing of Norma Hunt and offer condolences to the Hunt family and members of the Chiefs organization. We honor Norma’s legacy of commitment to our community and celebrate her tremendous passion for Chiefs football – from the very first days of the AFL to celebrating the Chiefs’ victory at Super Bowl LVII. She was the Chiefs team matriarch, the “First Lady of Football,” and an extraordinary woman whose presence in our community will be dearly missed.

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The Steelers are honoring Dwayne Haskins with his ‘3’ sticker on their helmets throughout the year

This is a really cool gesture from the Steelers.

It’s still pretty shocking that we’re starting an NFL season with Dwayne Haskins on somebody’s roster.

The Steelers quarterback died earlier this year after being hit by a car in South Florida where he’d been training for the upcoming season. Fans and peers everywhere had their collective hearts broken when the news broke.

The Steelers, who were his last NFL team, have done much to honor him in the aftermath of his passing. Immediately when the news came down, Mike Tomlin released a heartfelt statement about who he was as a player and person in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers are taking things a step further this year in honoring him. They’ll be rocking Haskins’ number 3 on a helmet sticker this year.

This is awesome, man. Fans were thrilled to see this.

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Here’s how Chiefs ‘choir huddle’ tribute to Len Dawson came to be

#Chiefs HC Andy Reid and QB Patrick Mahomes spoke about the “choir huddle” tribute to Len Dawson and how it came to be.

The Kansas City Chiefs honored the late Len Dawson in a number of ways during their preseason Week 3 game against the Green Bay Packers.

The most fitting tribute came on the opening play of the game. Patrick Mahomes ran out to the field to lead the offense in a “choir huddle.” The huddle type is named as such because the players line up as if they were in a choir. It was popularized by Hank Stram and Len Dawson’s early Chiefs teams and it almost became synonymous with them.

The Chiefs were called for a delay of game penalty on the play. The penalty was called on No. 16 (Len Dawson) as announced by official Craig Wrolstad, who was told to do so by Mahomes. The penalty was declined by the Packers out of respect for the tribute to Dawson.

It was a fitting tribute in every way and it came to be because of the entire team’s respect for the tradition and history of the franchise. It started at the top, with owner Clark Hunt signing off on the idea, from there it trickled down and manifested into something special.

“Yeah, that was (Chiefs Chairman and CEO) Clark’s (Hunt) suggestion,” Reid told reporters after the game. “The players completely bought into it and wanted to do it. And then, we added just the little wrinkle at the end there where the official, Craig (Wrolstad), did an amazing job of mentioning Len (Dawson).”

Reid said that all of the players wanted to be involved — Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce in particular, even though they weren’t scheduled to play in the preseason finale. He also said that the defensive players and the coaching staff were eager to see it happen.

“Yeah, we all wanted to do something,” Mahomes told Kimmi Chex during the game’s broadcast. “I think (Chairman and CEO) Clark (Hunt) and (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid talked about it, and they came up with the idea. And obviously, we’re praying for his family, but he did so much to impact the Kansas City community and this organization. We wanted to do
something, a little token to show our appreciation and I’m glad we got to do it out here at GEHA Field at Arrowhead.”

Mahomes understood just how important Dawson was to the franchise, not just as a player, but as a broadcaster too. He was responsible for connecting generations of fans to the Chiefs.

“Yeah, first of all as a player, I mean he was kind of the guy that got the Kansas City Chiefs going,” Mahomes said. “It was the Dallas Texans that came to Kansas City, joined the NFL (National Football League) and the AFL (American Football League) and he won those games. He was a part of that great group made the Chiefs who we are today. So, he started off there and a broadcaster, calling the games. I think a lot of people grew up listening to Len talking and broadcasting those games. And as a person, he was one of the best people that I’ve met, and I got to meet him a couple of times here. He always had advice for me on how to embrace this community because it’s such a great community.”

Mahomes is the only player in franchise history to have accomplished a few of the feats that Dawson had during the course of his playing career. In 2018, Mahomes set the single-season passing touchdown record (50), previously set and held by Dawson (30) for 54 years.

In Super Bowl LIV, Mahomes became the only other quarterback in franchise history to lead the team to victory in a Super Bowl. He also became the only other player in team history to win Super Bowl MVP.

“Yeah, it’s special,” Mahomes said. “I mean there is only a certain amount of quarterbacks who get to win Super Bowls. Len kind of set the standard here in Kansas City, and I’m thankful enough to be able to go up there and win one. It’s hard to do. I think I realize that every year playing. It’s hard to do, to win a Super Bowl. I’m going to try and do my best to get more flags up there and try to win a few more super bowls.”

Ultimately, the tribute was a smashing success for the team. It’s something that will be remembered for decades — binding generations of Chiefs fans together just as Dawson did through his playing and broadcasting career.

It wasn’t the first time the team had done the “choir huddle” as an homage. They did it for Hank Stram in a 2003  regular-season game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and it didn’t go quite as smoothly. This time, they ensured they got it right to honor the legacy of one of the pillars of the organization’s illustrious history.

“It’s a tribute to a great person, a great player and then all he did in (the media) there,” Reid said. “Very solemn, a Hall of Famer in two things, that’s – he lived a wonderful life. (He) really took advantage of every day he had on Earth here.”

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Orioles announcer Kevin Brown paid tribute to Michael K. Williams by using one of his most iconic lines after a home run

This was so awesome.

People everywhere were crushed after finding out about the tragic death of Michael K. Williams.

He’d touched so many people in so many places with his iconic acting performances through the years. And though his impact was wide-ranging, he’d probably left his biggest imprint on the city of Baltimore.

His performance in The Wire as Omar Little is one of the most iconic performances you’ll ever see on television. So, of course, folks from Baltimore will have a bit more of a connection to Williams than most others.

That’s why it was so perfect when Orioles announcer Kevin Brown paid tribute to Williams by using one of his most iconic lines from the show.

Kevin Hays hit a home run on Tuesday night against the Royals and as the ball was going over the wall, Brown said “If you come at the king, you best not miss.”

For those who haven’t seen The Wire, that’s one of the most iconic lines from Williams’ performance as Omar. It’s an incredible scene with an incredible line from an incredible actor.

What a call from Brown. This is a dope tribute.

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Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes pens touching tribute to late NFL writer Terez Paylor

“We can’t let his legacy go dim.” – #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes on late NFL journalist Terez Paylor

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Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes wrote a touching tribute about the late Terez Paylor in Monday’s Football Morning in America (FMIA) column.

Paylor died suddenly just days after Super Bowl LV last February. He was just 37 years old. Prior to working as a national NFL writer at Yahoo Sports, Paylor worked the Chiefs’ beat for the Kansas City Star.

Paylor covered Mahomes during his first two seasons in Kansas City, his rookie season and his MVP-winning season, which was also his first as a starter. Paylor’s genuine nature, journalistic integrity and passion for the game left an impression on Mahomes, just as it did on many of us. Because of that, Mahomes kicked off Monday’s guest column for FMIA, reminding us that we must help Paylor’s legacy live on.

“I miss Terez Paylor. It’s crazy, and sad, to think he’s been gone for five months now.

In my first two years in Kansas City, he was the beat guy covering the Chiefs for the Kansas City Star. I thought Terez was what a big-time NFL writer should be. He asked insightful questions, not cliché questions. I always knew when he was going to interview me that he’d be prepared. He’d have done his homework. I think some of the best stories written about me came from him—he asked questions that made me think, and so I’d give him good answers back. That’s a big part of why I really enjoyed my interactions with him.

I trusted him. He never tried to play gotcha with me, never tried to catch me in something so he could make a headline out of it. What I always appreciated was that he asked me questions to really try to let the fans know the inside story of why a play worked, or why we won or lost. That trust led me, when I started my foundation in 2019, to think of Terez. He had left to go to Yahoo Sports by that time, but when I started my foundation, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, I called him first. I wanted him to tell the story because I knew he’d tell it right.

One of the reasons I’m writing this today is that I feel we can’t let his legacy go dim. He deserves to be remembered, and to impact future journalists, for years to come.

Terez was just 37 years old. He had decades left to be a beacon for so many young journalists—particularly minority journalists. Terez didn’t get to be a national writer and forget where he came from. He knew as he rose in the business that he was a role model for minority journalists. He definitely knew who he was talking to, who he was writing for. It was for the football audience, yes, but it was also for a generation of journalists he was influencing and hoped would follow his path.

He knew he didn’t see many people from his race, people who looked like him, climbing the ladder in sports journalism. He wanted that to change, and I respected the heck out of him for that.

I hope through his scholarship fund at Howard University that young journalists study journalism well, and also study Terez’s path. I hope for years there is a stream of Terez Paylor Scholars entering the business and rising to the heights he did. Knowing Terez, and knowing where he came from, that would be a proud piece of his legacy.”

In addition to Mahomes’ tribute, NFL Network’s Steve Wyche, Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson, ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe and The Philadelphia Enquirer’s Josh Tolentino all wrote a little something about Paylor.

The column also revealed that Paylor will be honored during the Chiefs’ preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings on August 27 at Arrowhead Stadium.

If you’d like to help keep Terez Paylor’s legacy alive, you can make a donation to the Terez A. Paylor Scholarship at his alma mater, Howard University. You can contribute online or by check:

For online go to https://giving.howard.edu/givenow. Under “Tribute,” be sure to that your gift is made in memory of Terez A. Paylor. Under “Designation,” click on “Other” and write “Terez A. Paylor Scholarship.”

For check, write “Terez A. Paylor Scholarship” on the check and mail it to:

Howard University
P.O. Box 417853
Boston, MA 02241-7853

Vince Young posts heartwarming tribute to the Ehlinger family

Former Texas quarterback Vince Young shared a touching tribute on social media for the Ehlinger family following the death of Jake.

Former Texas quarterback Vince Young has spoken out for the first time since the tragic death of Longhorns linebacker Jake Ehlinger. Continue reading “Vince Young posts heartwarming tribute to the Ehlinger family”

WATCH: Wisconsin Athletics releases a touching tribute to AD Barry Alvarez

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez is set to step down and retire on June 30, according to a report from the Milwaukee Journal

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez is set to step down and retire on June 30, according to a report from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Jeff Potrykus.

The news doesn’t come as a surprise, as initial reports surfaced a few weeks ago of the 74-year-old Alvarez’s intention to retire before the upcoming school year.

But it will take some time to set in. It’s safe to say nobody has been as important to the Wisconsin Athletic Department over the last 30-plus years, or maybe in its history than Barry Alvarez.

Wisconsin Athletics released a touching tribute to their soon-to-be-former athletic director, providing anecdotes from many of his 32 years with the program.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

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Trae Young made a touching Kobe Bryant tribute after his big shot against the Clippers

What a gesture.

Trae Young absolutely cherishes Kobe Bryant. That much is clear.

Last year, he was one of the players who made a tribute to Kobe after his untimely passing by changing his number to 8 and taking an 8-second violation to start the game off for the Hawks.

This year on the anniversary of Bryant’s death, Young made another tribute within the game. Young and the Hawks were having a big game against the Clippers. He dropped 38 points in total with 26 of them coming in the second half.

With the game winding down in the fourth quarter, the Clippers were making a comeback attempt. They cut the lead to 8 with just about two minutes left. Then Young dropped a deep 3 from the logo and signaled two and four with his hands as a nod to Bryant after the cold shot he just hit.

He also wore purple and gold shoes as a nod to Bryant’s Lakers career.

What a gesture from Young and, yet another, tastefully done tribute from the Hawks start to Bryant.

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Kobe Bryant’s signature shoe became the NBA’s biggest tribute to the legend

The Kobe 5 is a tribute to Bryant for so many people.

There were plenty of hyped sneaker drops to talk about last year. The Chunky Dunky, the Off-White Jordan 5’s, the Yeezy Quantums.

None of them could compare to Kobe Bryant’s Kobe Protro 5 that returned to Nike’s catalog for the first time since 2010. It was arguably the most important sneaker of the year.

This shoe is legendary. It’s what Bryant wore during the 2010 Finals when he beat the Boston Celtics to capture his fifth and final championship with the Los Angeles Lakers.

He wore the original white and gold “big stage” colorway during game 7. The very next season he opened the year wearing the “5 rings” purple and gold colorway for the team’s ring ceremony.

So, naturally, this silhouette has a lot of meaning to Bryant fans and Lakers fans. After his tragic death last year, it took on even more.

(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Over the years, even before his passing, we saw Bryant turn into a mentor of sorts for so many players around the NBA. So many of the league’s up-and-coming stars grew up idolizing the Lakers’ legend. After last January, it was even more apparent how much he meant to them when tributes poured in from across the league.

In the immediate aftermath of his passing, Trae Young wore Bryant’s number 8 for a game and took an 8-second violation. Other teams around the league took 24-second violations as a nod to Bryant wearing number 24.

For the rest of the season, though, the players used his sneakers as a way to pay homage in that same way. Many players around the league were wearing the Kobe 5. It was the sneaker of the NBA Bubble, according to the Undefeated’s Aaron Dodson.

“Throughout the four-month restarted NBA season, 102 players across the league (67% wears Nike) laced up 280 pairs of Bryant’s Nike sneakers. The Kobe 5, in particular, emerged as the most-worn sneaker inside the bubble, with 70 players lacing up different pairs of Kobe 5s in 55 colorways.”

It didn’t stop just there. A number of players around the league including Anthony Davis, P.J. Tucker, DeMar DeRozan and Devin Booker got their own player exclusive colorways of the Kobe 5 last season.

The Kobe 5 became a way for NBA players to honor the legend. The unfortunate part is that most fans didn’t get that same opportunity.

Before Bryant’s passing it wasn’t hard to find his sneakers anywhere. After, though, all of that disappeared. Shoes sold out everywhere after the news broke. Ghoulish resellers capitalizing on his death bumped prices up on his sneakers to three and four times the retail value.

All of a sudden, fans who just wanted a pair of kicks to remember Bryant had to pay an arm and a leg for them. They weren’t available unless you had an extra $500 on tap at minimum.

That’s why when Nike released five different colorways of the Kobe 5 during Mamba Week from August 23 (his birthday) to August 29, the silhouette easily became one of the most coveted of the year.

Unfortunately for fans, though, they were extremely limited. The week ended in disaster. Most people had no shot at getting them, and they were furious.

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Mamba Week was a blunder. Nike had ready-made plans for the Kobe 5 and part of that was making it exclusive, but this should’ve been handled with much more care. Fans who wanted these should’ve gotten them.

It was clearly a sign that this wasn’t about sneakers anymore. This Kobe 5 is a tribute, a memory, a moment in time. Unfortunately, a lot of people are still searching for it — not just the 5, but any Kobe shoe.

The good news is that there are more already on the way.