Super Bowl 50 took place 2,089 miles from EHS. Though no EHS alumni took the field on Sunday, alumnus Morris Bradshaw’s work in Super Bowls XI and XV brought the spirit of the NFL’s golden game to Edwardsville.

In an “initiative to recognizing schools and communities that contributed to Super Bowl history and positively impacted the game of football,” as stated in an NFL press release, the NFL sent a golden Wilson football to the nearly 2,000 high schools around the country that an athlete or head coach who has competed in a Super Bowl has graduated from.

Nearly 3,000 players and head coaches were recognized by the NFL as part of the its newly – formed Super Bowl High School Honor Roll, and Bradshaw holds membership in this elite fraternity.

Bradshaw graduated from EHS in 1969 and continued his career at Ohio State University. He was then picked 93rd overall by the Oakland Raiders as a wide receiver in the 1974 NFL draft. Bradshaw went on to play for the Raiders from 1974-1981 during which time the Raiders cap-tured two Super Bowl titles against the Minnesota Vikings in 1977 and then against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1981.

“One of the things that I think is important is to recognize our history and anything you do you should always look back and look at the great things that have happened and recognize those people who have lead the way,” Dr. Dennis Cramsey said.

The arrival of the golden football came as a surprise to many since much of the student body did not know of Bradshaw’s success or ties to EHS.

“I actually didn’t realize we had an NFL player come out of this school, let alone a two time Super Bowl winner until I read about the golden ball,” senior football player Desmond Chapple said. “It’s pretty cool and honorable and is always refreshing to see all the great alumni before you and their accomplishments.”

However Dr. Cramsey is one that remembers very well the days Bradshaw took the field for the Raiders, long before he knew about his future with EHS. Dr. Cramsey grew up a fan of football, cheering on teams from all over long before he cheered for the Tigers.

“When I was in high school I was a big Oakland Raiders fan,” Dr. Cramsey said. “I remember Morris Bradshaw was one of my favorite players and I watched him as a high school kid. Little did I know the 35-45 years later I would receive something recognizing him and his accom-plishments and be at the high school where he attended.”

EHS received the golden football and a letter from the NFL Commissioner Rodger Goodell, which is displayed currently in the main office with a picture of Bradshaw. Each golden football was made by Wilson, the official ball of the NFL, and is marked with the high school’s name, the honoree’s name and the Super Bowl(s) he appeared on the roster for in according to the NFL.

“It was a really nice surprise receiving the football,” Dr. Cramsey said. “I know that different schools in the area received their footballs at different times, but we just received ours last week.”

EHS is among four schools in the Metro East area that received a golden football and one of three in the SWC. Other schools that received the recognition were Marquette Catholic, Alton, East St. Louis and Belleville West.

The NFL Foundation gave $1 million for the honor roll campaign and will also give school the opportunity to apply for $5,000 grants to better their football program as well as a new character education curriculum, the NFL said.

The Super Bowl High School Honor Roll was formed as part of the NFL’s “On the Fifty” cam-paign an effort to commemorate Super Bowl 50 the NFL said.

Though Super Bowl 50 has passed, the tradition of the golden football will remain. Each year the high schools of the head coaches and players of both teams competing in the Super Bowl will be added to the honor roll and will receive a football for that alumnus leaving the possibility for EHS’s golden football collection to only grow golder.

“[A golden football in my honor] would honestly be the coolest thing ever,” Chapple said. “I want someone to look up to me someday like I’ve looked up to others before me and to have your name always remembered in your high school is an honor.”