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Pro Football Players Live!
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Dermontti Dawson Featured Hall of Fame Member Learn More Join us in 2027 for our Annual Purple Jacket Dinner Party and Induction Ceremony Details Coming Soon! Hall of Fame Members Learn about our 115 Learn More A message from Gov. Andy Beshear to the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame on June 27, 2025. Watch

Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026

Ermal
Allan

University of Kentucky
Morristown, TN
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys

Mark
Pike

Georgia Tech
Dixie Heights H.S.
Edgewood, KY
Buffalo Bills

Jerry
Blanton

University of Kentucky
Toledo, OH
Kansas City Chiefs

Bilal
Powell

University of Louisville
Lakeland, FL
New York Jets

Chad
Pennington

Marshall University
Knoxville, TN
New York Jets, Miami Dolphins

Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame
Announces Class of 2026

Watch the Announcement Show

our mission

Honoring Kentucky’s Pro Football legends to support Kentucky’s children and young people

The Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame was founded in 2003 when members of the Kentucky Chapter of the NFL Players Association came together to organize events supporting children’s charities across the Commonwealth. What began as a way to unite local NFL alumni soon evolved into a larger vision—one that recognized the incredible football talent with Kentucky ties. In a state renowned for basketball, why not also celebrate the athletes, coaches, officials, executives, and media personalities who have made their mark in the National Football League? From this idea, the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame was born.

Proudly, it stands as the only Professional Football Hall of Fame at the state level, outside of the national NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Jason Dunn, Class of 2006

Our Mission has always been clear:

To honor Kentucky’s football legends while supporting Kentucky’s children and youth

Supporting our Legacy

We remain steadfast in this commitment. Each year, we proudly present a check to our chosen beneficiary, helping fund youth and children’s charities while also fostering the growth of football at all levels throughout Kentucky. Over the years, we have raised more than a million dollars for these charities, making a lasting impact on countless young lives.

In a world of constant change, we recognize the enduring values the game instills—discipline, teamwork, and perseverance—qualities that extend far beyond the field and into the game of life.

Looking ahead, we envision the Hall of Fame Living History House—a space not only dedicated to preserving the memorabilia and legacies of Kentucky’s football’s greats but also serving as a place where the story of the game, and its impact on our nation and Commonwealth, can be shared and understood for generations to come.

Learn more about our story and passion to support our Kentucky children:

Learn more about our story and passion to support our Kentucky children:

Press / Media

June 27, 2025

Annual Purple Jacket Dinner Party

Stay tuned for details on the 2026 Purple Jacket Dinner Party.

The 2025 Annual Purple Jacket Dinner Party, where we officially inducted the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025, was a night to remember.

PHOTOS

Connect on social media for updates and spotlight features!

🏈 Honoring a Special Teams Legend Who Played in Four Super Bowls 🏈

Mark Pike (Georgia Tech / Dixie Heights HS – Edgewood, KY)

A standout ⭐ at Dixie Heights High School in Edgewood, Kentucky, Mark Pike went on to play college football at Georgia Tech 🐝 before being selected by the Buffalo Bills 🦬 in the seventh round of the 1986 NFL Draft.

Over 12 seasons in Buffalo 🏟️, Pike played in 193 games 💪 and earned a reputation as one of the greatest special teams performers in NFL history 🚀. He was a key contributor on the Bills’ teams that reached four consecutive Super Bowls (1991–1994) and remains the franchise’s all-time leader in special teams tackles (255) —ranking second all-time in NFL history.

Mark Pike passed away in 2021, but his legacy of toughness, consistency, and excellence lives on 💜.

www.kyprofootballhof.org 

#MarkPike #KentuckyFootball 🏈 #SpecialTeamsLegend #BuffaloBills 🦬 #GeorgiaTech 🐝 #PurpleJacket 💜 #NFLHistory
🏈 A Louisville & NFL Standout 🏈

Bilal Powell (University of Louisville / Lake Gibson HS – Lakeland, FL)

After a standout senior season at the University of Louisville 🐦, where he rushed for 1,405 yards—the fifth-highest single-season total in program history, Bilal Powell was selected by the New York Jets ✈️ in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Powell went on to spend his entire nine-year NFL career with the Jets 💪, establishing himself as a dependable and versatile all-purpose back—equally effective running between the tackles and catching passes out of the backfield. He finished his professional career with 5,275 all-purpose yards and became a fan favorite among Jets supporters for his toughness, reliability, and consistency.

Following his playing career, Powell returned to Louisville 🏠, where he founded the 29th & 9th Foundation —a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting athletes by bridging the gap between mental health and sports🏈.

www.kyprofootballhof.org

www.29thand9th.org 

#BilalPowell #LouisvilleFootball 🏈 #GoCards 🐦 #JetsNation ✈️ #AllPurposeBack #PurpleJacket 💜 #NFLHistory
🏈 Honoring a Defensive Leader 🏈

A trailblazer ⭐ at the University of Kentucky, Jerry Blanton became the first true freshman to start a varsity football game in program history and later anchored a Wildcats defense that captured an SEC Championship 🏆.

Selected in the 11th round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills 🦬, Blanton narrowly missed the roster before being signed the following season by the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent his entire seven-year NFL career in Kansas City, earning a starting role at inside linebacker 💪 and emerging as a defensive leader. In 1983, he led the Chiefs with 136 tackles 📊.

Following his playing career, Blanton built a distinguished legacy in public service and business. In 2003, he accepted an invitation from Ernie Fletcher to become Deputy Commissioner of Kentucky’s Department of Parks, becoming the highest-ranking African American in the department’s history.

His football legacy continues through his son, Kendall —a two-time Super Bowl champion 🏆🏆 with the Los Angeles Rams 🐏 and the Kansas City Chiefs.

kyprofootballhof.org

#JerryBlanton #KentuckyFootball 🏈 #SECChampion #LinebackerLegend #ChiefsKingdom 🔴 #Wildcats 🐾 #PurpleJacket 💜 #NFLHistory
🏈 Chad Pennington

From college football standout at Marshall University to one of the NFL’s most respected quarterbacks, Chad Pennington built a career defined by resilience, intelligence, and accuracy. 

A first-round draft pick of the New York Jets in 2000, Pennington overcame multiple injuries and shoulder surgeries to earn NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors twice (2006, 2008).

He led the Jets to an AFC East title in 2002 and guided the Miami Dolphins to a division championship in 2008, finishing his 11-year NFL career with more than 19,000 passing yards and a reputation as one of the game’s smartest passers.

Today, Pennington continues to lead—this time on the sidelines. In 2024, he guided Sayre School in Lexington, Kentucky to an undefeated season and the program’s first-ever Kentucky Class 1A state championship.

📖 A legacy of leadership—on and off the field.

#ChadPennington #KentuckyFootball #MarshallFootball #NFLLegacy #PurpleJacket #Leadership #HallOfFame
🏈 Kentucky Football History 🏈

A rare multi-sport standout at the University of Kentucky, Ermal Allen lettered in football, basketball, golf, and track before serving four years in the U.S. Army during World War II. Drafted by the Chicago Cardinals in 1947, he chose instead to play for the Cleveland Browns in the AAFC—earning a championship in his lone professional season.

Allen’s legacy continued on the sidelines at the University of Kentucky, serving as offensive coordinator under Paul "Bear" Bryant and later defensive coordinator under Blanton Collier from 1948 to 1961. In 1962, he joined Tom Landry and the Dallas Cowboys, helping guide two Super Bowl championship teams through his leadership in research and scouting.

Ermal Allen passed away in 1988, but his influence on football endures. 🟣🏆

#KentuckyFootball #PurpleJacket #FootballLegacy #UKFootball #NFLHistory #SuperBowl #HallOfFame
🏈 Tonight’s the Night! 💜

The excitement is building! Tonight at 7:00 PM (ET), the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame will announce the members of the Class of 2026.

Who will be the next legends to don the coveted Purple Jacket and join Kentucky football royalty? 👀

📺 Tune in or stream the show on one of our great TV partners and be part of the moment.

See you tonight! 💜🏈
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