Super Bowl Champ Bob Hyland Presents NFL Gold Football to Stepinac
On Friday, Dec. 18, Stepinac High School famed alumnus Bob Hyland and his wife Liz joined the celebration of the 2015 Stepinac Football Team, when Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino proclaimed the day as “Stepinac High School Day” in Westchester County.
Astorino’s Proclamation was a countywide recognition for the Stepinac Football Team for their undefeated season, while capturing the 2015 CHSFL and CHSAA New York State Championships.
Hyland graduated from Stepinac in 1963 and was an All-American at Boston College, before being drafted in the first round by the Green Bay Packers in 1967. The Packers, led by the legendary Head Coach Vince Lombardi, won Super Bowl II during Hyland’s rookie year, making Hyland’s high school alma mater eligible to participate in the nationwide NFL Super Bowl High School Honor Roll initiative, which recognizes schools and communities that contributed to Super Bowl History.
The Super Bowl High School Honor Roll Initiative is a function of the 50th Anniversary of the Super Bowl this year. Every high school in the nation that had a graduate who was a player or coach on an active Super Bowl Roster will be recognized with a NFL Wilson Gold Football.
Hyland, after congratulating the Crusaders on their remarkable year, presented an NFL Wilson Gold Football to his alma mater Stepinac High School, which symbolizes their participation in the NFL Super Bowl Honor Roll Initiative.
In accordance with the initiative, every high school that receives an NFL Wilson Gold Football is provided with a new character education curriculum and the opportunity to apply for grants of up to $5,000 from the NFL Foundation to help support their football programs.
“The NFL is very proud of these high schools and they are very grateful to these schools for producing such good football players,” said Hyland. “Stepinac is doing a great job as are other high schools in the United States and the NFL benefits from it, so I guess this is their way of showing thanks.” Hyland played 11 seasons in the NFL.
Stepinac is the second high school in White Plains to have an alumnus award an NFL Wilson Gold Football. Famed White Plains High School graduate Art Monk (’76), presented a Gold Football to his alma mater, on November 6, 2015.
Hyland is presently the proprietor of the Sports Page Pub, which is located on Hamilton Avenue, in White Plains.
