Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2025 induction ceremonies this week
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- Five inductees join the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2025.
- Festivities include awards for players, coaches, referees and volunteers.
- Public events span two days in Lexington and Frankfort, concluding Friday.
The Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame will induct five new members during two nights of festivities this week in Lexington.
Michael Bush, Jim Daopoulos, Sam Gruneisen, Danny Trevathan and Walt Yowarsky were elected to the class of 2025 earlier this year.
The celebration gets underway Thursday from 6-8 p.m. with an “Evening with Legends” featuring former Western Kentucky University player and NFL coach Romeo Crennel and ex-Louisville Cardinal and Cleveland Brown Ernie Green at the Hilton Lexington/Downtown. The event is open to the public and tickets are available for $35 apiece.
During the evening, the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame will present its 18th annual Blanton Collier Award for Integrity to Crennel. Also that night, the Blanton Collier Sportsmanship Group will present awards for Howard Schnellenberger High School Coach of the Year (Bell County’s Dudley Hilton), Tommy Bell Referee of the Year (Paul J. Doyen) and Philip Haywood Volunteer Coach of the Year (Ronald Vaughn).
On Friday, the Hall will name its 2025 Collegiate All-Commonwealth Team, a preseason recognition of 80 players from Kentucky’s 17 football-playing colleges and universities. Former Kentucky quarterback Derrick Ramsey is the featured speaker for the event, which will take place from 11 a.m.-noon at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History in Frankfort and is open to the public.
That afternoon, from 4-5 p.m. at the LFUCG Center in Lexington, Mayor Linda Gorton will present Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame purple jackets to the three living class of 2025 inductees and family members of the two deceased inductees in another event open to the public.
Finally, on Friday from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Hilton Lexington/Downtown ballroom, is the purple jacket dinner party and induction ceremony, which is sold out.
The class of 2025
Michael Bush — The two-sport star at Male High School in Louisville, where he was named Mr. Football and runner-up for Mr. Basketball his senior year, went on to rush for more than 2,500 yards and score 39 touchdowns in three seasons at U of L. He played six years in the NFL with the Raiders and the Bears.
Jim Daopoulos — He arrived at UK as a basketball walk-on for Adolph Rupp but pivoted to a career in officiating football, spending seven years as a referee in the Ohio Valley Conference and 10 in the Southeastern Conference before a long NFL career that included a 12-year stint as supervisor of officials.
Sam Gruneisen — The Louisville native, who died in 2012, got his start at St. Xavier High School before a decorated career at Villanova University. His excellence on and off the field earned him induction into both the St. Xavier Hall of Honors and Villanova’s Wall of Fame. Gruneisen enjoyed a 12-year pro career with the Chargers and Oilers before going on to coach college and pro teams.
Danny Trevathan — The former linebacker was an All-American at the University of Kentucky, played 10 years in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos. He led the SEC in tackles in both his junior and senior seasons.
Walt Yowarsky — The former lineman, who died in 2014, was MVP of the 1951 Sugar Bowl for UK before enjoying a 50-year NFL career as a player, coach and scout.