How about a big cheer for a member of the NY Jets.

[Elwood P Dowd]

He is the oldest running back/fullback in the league at 38. He is still starting after 15 years with Kansas City, Minnesota, and now the NY Jets, but that's not what this post is about so I will skip his NFL accomplishments......

TONY RICHARDSON

BEFORE THE NFL

◊ Racked up 162 carries for 715 yards and nine touchdowns during four seasons at Auburn.

◊ Grabbed 44 passes for 395 yards and two touchdowns as a senior.

◊ A three-sport standout at Daleville, Alabama HS in football, basketball and track.

OFF THE FIELD

◊ Named 2008 Walter Payton Man of the Year for the Jets.

◊ Richardson was recognized for his community service during the NFL Charities Week Event and received an NFL Charities grant for $25,000. The grant will by used by the Rich in Spirit Foundation to continue fund the Dictionary Project as well as additional charitable endeavors by Richardson.

◊ The Rich in Spirit Foundation was created by Richardson to extend a helping hand and uplift the lives and spirits of individuals who society has turned their backs on.

◊ Selected by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to the sixmember Player’s Advisory Committee in Spring 2007, joining Donovin Darius, Jeff Saturday, Takeo Spikes, James Thrash and Troy Vincent.

◊ Serves on the NFLPA Executive Committee.

◊ The Dictionary Project, which provides new dictionaries to schoolchildren and emphasizes the importance of literacy and education, is one of the many programs implemented by Richardson’s Rich in Spirit Foundation. His Dictionary Project event at P.S. 14 Fairview will allowed him to spend time with 240 third-grade children and provide them with new dictionaries...Donated over 45,000 dictionaries to elementary school students in the Kansas City area through the years… Also still active in Minneapolis.

◊ Continues to be active in the NFL Entrepreneurship program, taking part in classes at the Wharton School of Business in 2008 and Northwestern’s Kellogg School in 2007, marking his third year in the program…Had previously studied at Stanford and Harvard.

◊ Named Pro Football Weekly’s “Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian of the Year” in 2003 and was voted an “NFL Good Guy” in 2002, 2003 and 2004 by The Sporting News based on civic responsibility and character.

◊ Chosen by teammates as the Chiefs’ NFL Man of the Year nominee and the NFLPA’s Byron “Whizzer” White Award nominee.

◊ Born in Germany while his father, Sergeant Major Ben Richardson, was stationed there with the U.S. Army.

◊ Tony moved to the U.S. permanently in seventh grade, while his father remained in Germany until his senior year in high school.

◊ Sister, Shonn, is a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army.

◊ After the 2005 Pro Bowl, he toured tsunami-ravaged Sri Lanka as part of a week-long relief effort.

◊ Sponsors the Rich In Spirit Foundation which benefits Special Olympics and Athletes in Action.

◊ Took advantage of opportunities presented through the NFL Player Programs system to earn his bachelor’s degree in education from Auburn in 2000 and an MBA from Webster University in 2004.

◊ Honored with the 2005 Distinguished Citizen Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice, an organization dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry and racism.

◊ Annually hosted the Special Olympics Punt, Pass and Kick competition in Kansas City from 1999-2005.

[HBravo]

1. Thank you

You never hear about the good things about athletes. Not news worthy enough I guess.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. We loved him when he played here

[Captain Hilts]

3. When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way....Go Gang Green!