The National Football Foundation Distinguished American Award is among the highest offered by the National Football Foundation (NFF). Every year, the NFF & College Football Hall of Fame pays tribute to a select few with awards of excellence for exhibiting superior qualities of scholarship, citizenship and leadership. Additionally, the Foundation also recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding support for the NFF and its mission of promoting the game of amateur football. The Distinguished American Award is presented on special occasions when a truly deserving individual emerges, the award honors someone who has applied the character building attributes learned from amateur sport in their business and personal life, exhibiting superior leadership qualities in education, amateur athletics, business and in the community. The recipient is not limited to a former college player or coach, must be an outstanding person who has maintained a lifetime of interest in the game and who, over a long period of time, has exhibited enviable leadership qualities and made a significant contribution to the betterment of amateur football in the United States.

Selection process

Various individuals associated with The National Football Foundation, such as former recipients, board members corporate leaders, chapter presidents and friends send nominations and suggestions to the NFF Chairman. Selection of the recipient is made by the Awards Committee and ratified by the Board of Directors.

Recipients

1966 - Bill Carpenter 1969 - Archibald MacLeish 1970 - Vince Lombardi 1971 - Frank Boyden 1972 - Jerome H. Holland 1973 - (no award) 1974 - Bob Hope 1975 - Theodore Hesburgh 1976 - James Van Fleet 1977 - Rev. Edmund P. Joyce 1978 - (no award) 1979 - John W. Galbreath 1980 - Fred Russell 1981 - Sonny Werblin 1982 - Silver Anniversary (all honored) Jim Brown, Willie Davis, Jack Kemp, Ron Kramer, Jim Swink 1983 - Leon Hess & James Stewart 1984 - David M. Nelson 1985 - William J. Flynn 1986 - John Toner 1987 - Ike Sewell 1988 - Joe M. Rodgers 1989 - Moose Krause 1990 - Pete Rozelle 1991 - Joe Paterno 1992 - Wellington Mara 1993 - Dick Kazmaier 1994 - Charles F. Bolden, Jr. 1995 - Tom Osborne 1996 - J. Donald Monan, S.J 1997 - (no award) 1998 - Roy Kramer 1999 - (no award) 2000 - Arthur J. Decio 2001 - Dr. James Frank 2002 - George B. Young 2003 - Robert Khayat 2004 - Robert Casciola 2005 - Alan Page 2006 - Pat Tillman 2007 - Rocky Bleier 2008 - T. Boone Pickens 2009 - Billy Payne 2010 - Tom Brokaw 2011 - Archie Roberts 2012 - George Bodenheimer 2013 - Gen. Ray Odierno 2014 - (no award) 2015 - Rear Adm. Bill Byrne, USN (2015) - Capt. Jared Tew, USAF (2015) - Maj. Graham White, USA 2016 - Adm. William McRaven