By Jim Smith

Correspondent

The Kent Roosevelt football team experienced an extraordinary start to a recent practice when Pro Football Hall of Famer Randall McDaniel visited the team prior to the Rough Riders taking the field.

McDaniel’s visit was another memory making experience in the relationship between the Kent City School District and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Students in the district have participated in a variety of educational programs offered by the Hall and museum, and the football team attended the Class of 2025 enshrinement in August as guests of the Hall.

Kent State University alumnus Antonio Gates is a member of the 2025 class.

Roosevelt head coach Kardell Jackson described attending Enshrinement as a “once in a lifetime opportunity for our kids,” adding, “It was a fun experience and they got to hear a different side of their (Hall of Famer’s) story.”

McDaniel’s visit presented an opportunity for players to ask the Hall of Famer not only football-related questions, but their inquiries also focused on commitment, education, preparation and facing and overcoming challenges.

The first in his family to earn a scholarship and attend college, McDaniel encouraged the student-athletes to study and “hit the books” more.

“You spend more time in a classroom setting going over the film, breaking it down, going over the plays and then you only have an hour or two on the field. You’ve got to hit the books really good.”

When asked what separated him from other talented players growing up, McDaniel cited hard work, not wanting to let his teammates down and making the right choices along the way that will “get you down the road and give you that opportunity.”

“Surround yourself with good people that also help you have that same dream, that same goal that you want to get to. Make sure they are people looking out for your best interest.”

McDaniel shared experiences of asking for help to improve academically and professionally and encouraged the players to seek assistance when needed.

“I’m not afraid to ask for help,” McDaniel told the players.

McDaniel, who played 14 seasons in the NFL, said accountability was a primary lesson he learned as a professional athlete, and he carried that lesson into his post-playing career as a teacher.

After retiring from the NFL, McDaniel taught elementary school for 20 years and believes his off-field legacy is defined when former students inform him of the difference he made in their lives.

“I told the students, ‘I am not going to let you down’.”

McDaniel, now 60, played college football for Arizona State and was selected as the 19th overall pick of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He played 14 years as an offensive guard in the league, with his first 12 with the Vikings before finishing his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was named to the Pro Bowl team 12 times and started 220 of a possible 222 games in his career, playing all 16 regular-season games in all but one of his seasons (the only difference was him playing 14 in his second season). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the 2009 Class.

Jackson, in his third season at the helm of the Rough Riders program, believed the on-campus visit was “extremely impactful as the players were actively listening and engaged. They heard lessons from a Hall of Famer; from a different perspective.”

Local high school football teams interested in attending the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 enshrinement can email Jacob Ray, Youth, Education and Leadership Manager, at Jacob.Ray@profootballhof.com while schools interested in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Museum’s educational programing, for levels ranging from Kindergarten through college, can learn more about those programs here.