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The Goodyear Blimp has become an iconic image in sports. If it is a major event, you will see the blimp flying above the stadium or arena to provide aerial coverage. Now, the Goodyear Blimp will forever be immortalized in college football history.
On Monday, January 7, the day of the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced the Goodyear Blimp will be inducted as an honorary member of the 2019 Hall of Fame class.
“College players and fans know that when the Goodyear Blimp shows up, it’s a big game. Its presence is intrinsically known and tied to the traditions that make college football so great,” said Archie Manning, National Football Foundation chairman, in a statement. “As the eye in the sky to college football’s greatest coaches, players and moments, it’s only fitting that the Goodyear Blimp joins the College Football Hall of Fame in a year when the game celebrates its 150th anniversary.”
The release adds:
Fans will be able to experience the blimp’s history in college football with a new exhibit set to open later this year at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The exhibit will showcase historical blimp artifacts, video footage, pictures and more.
The Goodyear Blimp becomes the first non-player or coach inducted.
The full 2019 class can be seen below.
2019 College Football Hall of Fame Class
College Football Hall of Fame
PLAYERS:
- TERRELL BUCKLEY – DB, Florida State (1989-91)
- RICKEY DIXON – DB, Oklahoma (1984-87)
- LONDON FLETCHER – LB, John Carroll [OH] (1995-97)
- JACOB GREEN – DL, Texas A&M (1977-79)
- TORRY HOLT – WR, North Carolina State (1995-98)
- RAGHIB ISMAIL – KR/WR, Notre Dame (1988-90)
- DARREN McFADDEN – RB, Arkansas (2005-07)
- JAKE PLUMMER – QB, Arizona State (1993-96)
- TROY POLAMALU – DB, Southern California (1999-2002)
- JOE THOMAS – OL, Wisconsin (2003-06)
- LORENZO WHITE – RB, Michigan State (1984-87)
- PATRICK WILLIS – LB, Mississippi (2003-06)
- VINCE YOUNG – QB, Texas (2003-05)
COACHES:
- DENNIS ERICKSON – 179-96-1 (65.0%); Idaho (1982-85, 2006), Wyoming (1986), Washington State (1987-88), Miami [FL] (1989-94), Oregon State (1999-2002), Arizona State (2007-11)
- JOE TAYLOR – 233-96-4 (70.6%); Howard (1983), Virginia Union (1984-91), Hampton (1992-2007), Florida A&M (2008-12)
