Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame dinner honored those who reached goals against odds

In its two decades, the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame induction dinner has become a fraternity of old friends slapping each other on the back, catching up on family news, sharing memories while welcoming new members.

They did all that and more Friday night at the Hilton Hotel for the 21st annual ceremony, this year with a bit of a twist.

For the annual Blanton Collier Award, named after the late University of Kentucky and Cleveland Browns football coach, the Blanton Collier Sportsmanship Group chose three Black football coaches who have carved out long and meaningful careers.

Mike Tomlin, Todd Bowles and Lovie Smith couldn’t attend the annual weekend or Friday night’s dinner, but all three sent video messages that made an impact.

Head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bowles spoke of what the honor meant to him given Collier’s reputation for integrity. Tomlin, who has never had a losing season in his 16 years as coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, talked about the people who had helped him along the way.

Smith, former NFL head coach of the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans, spent a year in Lexington on Bill Curry’s 1992 staff. In his video, Smith displayed a Kentucky football helmet and a game ball from the Cats’ 37-25 win over Indiana in 1992.

During the inductions, Tomlin reappeared on video to tell former Steelers defensive back Mike Mitchell, “I had the pleasure of watching you work.”

Mitchell was one of five inductees in this year’s class, all with their own stories to tell.

Former Washington Redskins offensive line coach Joe Bugel (who played at Western Kentucky) and former Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Frank Fuller (who played at UK) were inducted posthumously. Fuller died in 1993. Bugel died in 2020.

Inductee Teddy Bridgewater, the former star Louisville quarterback who has played eight years in the NFL, was not at Friday night’s dinner.

Steve Wright, the former Green Bay Packers offensive tackle who played his high school football at Louisville Manual, was in attendance despite recently undergoing back surgery. The 80-year-old Wright played for Bear Bryant at Alabama and Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers.

“There wasn’t a whole lot of difference between the two,” said Wright, who now lives in Augusta, Ga. “They taught you to not only play for your team, but to play for yourself.”

Wright’s likeness — a lineman standing on the sideline with the familiar weather coat hanging from his shoulder pads — was also the model for the Walter Payton Man Award presented each year by the NFL.

Fellow inductee Larry Kirksey also had an Alabama connection. The former Harlan High School and Eastern Kentucky star was the running backs coach on Gene Stallings’ 1992 national title team. Among his previous stops, Kirksey served as an assistant coach on Fran Curci’s 10-1 Kentucky team in 1977.

Kirksey is still coaching. He is on the staff of the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions. And he won a Super Bowl ring in 1994 as wide receivers coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

In fact, star pupil Jerry Rice appeared on video Friday to thank Kirksey for his coaching and congratulate him on his induction. “You are the GOAT,” Rice said. “You’re the champion. I love you.”

Last but not least was Mitchell, who played high school football at both Covington Catholic and Fort Thomas Highlands before starring at Ohio University. Uninvited to the NFL combine, Mitchell was still a second-round draft pick by the Oakland Raiders in 2009. After joining the Steelers in 2013, Mitchell’s star began to shine.

“That was a little awkward,” the 36-year-old Mitchell said after an introduction video that featured many of his hits and celebrations with Pittsburgh. “My girlfriend is here and I don’t think she’s seen that side of me.”

Now an assistant coach with the Indianapolis Colts, Mitchell also talked about achieving a goal against all odds, something that surely hit home with his new fraternity members.

Said Mitchell: “I hope everybody here can experience that feeling of going for something.”

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