2005 Hall of Fame Inductee

RICHARD J. "RICH" GANNON

Football (1983-86)
Inducted 2005

One of the most widely-recognized athletes in Delaware history, Rich Gannon followed an All-American career for the Blue Hens with a stellar 18-year tenure in the National Football League. A native of Philadelphia (St. Joseph's Prep), he was a three-year starting quarterback for coach Tubby Raymond and earned All-American honors in 1986 when he was the Yankee Conference Player of the Year while leading the team to the NCAA quarterfinals. He established 21 school records, including career marks for passing yards (5,927), total offense (7,436), and rushing yards by a quarterback (1,509), and was named UD's Outstanding Senior Male Athlete of the Year in 1986-87. He was a fourth round pick in the 1987 NFL draft by New England - the highest drafted player in Blue Hen history - and went on to an outstanding NFL career with Minnesota, Washington, Kansas City, and Oakland in 1987-2004. He was a three-time All-Pro, was named Most Valuable Player of the Pro Bowl twice, was the NFL Most Valuable Player in 2002, led the Raiders to the 2003 Super Bowl, and set several NFL passing records. A 1987 graduate of Delaware with a degree in criminal justice, Gannon is currently is a football analyst for CBS Television.

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