National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame

Awards Presented at Annual Banquet

Past and Present Honorees

Note: Award years refer to football seasons. The awards are presented at the following spring's Banquet.

"Fred Russell Distinguished American Award"

  • 1969 - Alfred Adams*, Dr. Thomass Zerfoss*
  • 1970 - P V. Overall*, Alfred Sharp*
  • 1971 - Charles W. Geny*, Robert Lawrence, Jr.*
  • 1972 - Vernon Sharp*, Boyce Smith Sr.*
  • 1973 - Charles M. Murphy*
  • 1974 - Dr. Amos Christie*, Charles W. Hawkins Sr.*
  • 1975 - Joe E. Torrence*, James A. Webb*
  • 1976 - Frances E. Carter*, Coach Art Guepe*
  • 1977 - Horace G. Hill, Jr.*, Ralph Owen*
  • 1978 - Capt. Wm. P. Lawrence, USN*, Dr. Bill Sherman
  • 1979 - Guilford Dudley, Jr.*
  • 1980 - Dr. F. Tremaine Billings
  • 1980 - James F. Neal
  • 1981 - Arthur Rebrovick*
  • 1982 - Kenneth L. Roberts
  • 1983 - Mayor Richard Fulton*
  • 1984 - Nelson C. Andrews
  • 1985 - Joe M. Rodgers*
  • 1986 - Frank C. Gorrell*
  • 1987 - Dennis C. Bottoff
  • 1988 - John Rich
  • 1989 - Dr. Thomas F. Frist, Jr.
  • 1990 - Gen. William G. Moore, Jr.
  • 1991 - Dr. Greer Ricketson*
  • 1992 - William M. "Bill" Johnson
  • 1993 - E. W. "Bud" Wendell
  • 1994 - Governor Winfield C. Dunn, Governor Ned Ray McWherter*
  • 1995 - U.S Senator William H. "Bill" Frist, M.D., Fred Dalton Thompson*
  • 1996 - John Richard Hall
  • 1998 - Drew Rederick Maddux
  • 1999 - Joe Kelley
  • 2000 - John Seigenthaler*
  • 2001 - Dr. Bill Wise*
  • 2002 - Lee Greenwood
  • 2003 - Coach Edward S. Temple*
  • 2004 - Captain Greg Johnson
  • 2005 - Charles W. Hawkins III*
  • 2006 - Martha Rivers Ingram
  • 2007 - Colonel Jeff Holmes
  • 2008 - Governor Phil Bredesen
  • 2009 - Father Charles Strobel, Sgt Kevin Downs
  • 2010 - Captain Barry Wilmore, Judge Frank Drowota*
  • 2011 - Admiral Frank Kelso
  • 2012 - Coach Fred Pancoast
  • 2013 - Jimmy Davy*
  • 2014 - Steve Robinson
  • 2015 - Hon. George Cate*, Tim Corbin
  • 2016 - Dr. Margaret Rhea Seddon
  • 2017 - Brig. Gen Scott E. Brower - US Army (Ret)
  • 2018 - Rear Admiral Jimmie W. Taylor - USN (Ret.)
  • 2019 - CW5 Gary Linfoot – US Army (Ret), Mari Skogen Linfoot
  • 2020 - Woody Hunt
  • 2021 - No honoree named
  • 2022 - Butch Spyridon
  • 2023 - Dr. Kevin Dyson
  • 2024 - Chief John Drake
  • 2025 - Lee Brown

*Deceased