Chiefs to Visit Pro Football Hall of Fame in New Orientation Program

May 20, 2008, 8:40:55 AM

Visit To Take Place June 16

All Kansas City Chiefs rookies will visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, as an expanded element of their annual orientation program, it was announced today. The trip is designed to teach incoming players about the history of pro football and give them a greater appreciation of the NFL and the opportunities and responsibilities ahead.

The team’s tour will be headed by the team’s player development director, Lamont Winston, and will include speakers representing former NFL players, Pro Football Hall of Fame personnel and others. Chiefs Hall of Fame players Bobby Bell and Willie Lanier are expected to accompany the rookies.

The idea was inspired by 2007 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee MICHAEL IRVIN in a conversation with NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL last August in Canton.

Rookies will learn about the NFL’s history and heritage, focusing on the achievements of NFL greats who paved the way for today’s players. This experience will help prepare rookies for their own careers while stressing the importance of their role as NFL players.

“Some of the most valuable lessons for our young men can be learned from those who played before them,” said NFL Vice President of Player and Employee Development MIKE HAYNES, who was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1997. “The rookie orientation activities at the Pro Football Hall of Fame are a great way to provide a look at the rich history and tradition of our game.”

The Chiefs entourage will visit Canton on June 16.