National Hometown Hall of Famer Program Presented by Ford Kicks Off in Detroit as Jerome Bettis Visits Renaissance High

Ford presents the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Hometown Hall of Famer^™ program, honoring Hall of Famers’ hometown roots
Program kicks off Tuesday, when Jerome Bettis will be honored at Renaissance High School in Detroit
Bettis’ football career went full circle, from his start on youth fields in Detroit to winning Super Bowl XL in his final game at Ford Field in downtown Detroit

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 25, 2015 – Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015 inductee Jerome Bettis will be honored in his hometown of Detroit on Tuesday, Sept. 29 – kicking off the fall schedule of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Hometown Hall of Famer^™ program presented by Ford.

Bettis grew up in Detroit and attended Mackenize High School but that school has closed and replaced by Mackenzie Middle School. Tuesday’s community tribute will take place at Renaissance High School.

Hometown Hall of Famer^™ is a national program that honors the hometown roots of the greatest heroes of the game with special ceremonies and plaque dedication events in local communities.

“This terrific program aligns perfectly with the Hall of Fame’s mission to honor the heroes of the game, preserve its history, promote its values and celebrate excellence everywhere,” said David Baker, Pro Football Hall of Fame president. “Through Ford’s support of this program, Gold Jackets will be able to return home to thank and recognize the communities that gave them the foundation to achieve the highest level of excellence.”

Bettis’ football career went full circle, from his start on youth fields in Detroit to playing the last game of his Hall of Fame career in the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl XL victory at Ford Field in downtown Detroit.

“I am so honored to have the Pro Football Hall of Fame present this Hometown honor to the Detroit Public Schools,” Bettis shared. “Even though the school I played for – Mackenzie High – is no longer open, this honor belongs to the city of Detroit and all the proud Detroiters that embrace me every time I return home in the same way that they supported me when I played here.”

Bettis was a star player at Notre Dame before the Los Angeles Rams selected him in the first round of the 1993 NFL draft. After three seasons with the Rams, during which the franchise relocated to St. Louis, Bettis was traded to the Steelers, where he played until his retirement after the 2005 NFL season.

In all, “The Bus” gained 13,662 yards rushing, ranking fifth all-time through eight seasons in which he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark. He led the Rams in rushing all three seasons he played for the team and was the top rusher eight times for the Steelers.

“Ford is proud to partner with the Pro Football Hall of Fame on this great initiative,” said Mark LaNeve, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “Ford is dedicated to building strong communities everywhere our employees live and work, and we are excited to help reconnect players with the communities where they began their journeys – starting right here in Detroit.”

The Hometown Hall of Famer program originally ran from 2011 to 2013. Through the partnership with Ford, the program relaunches with the ceremony for Bettis.

“As part of our three-year renewal for the hall’s national sponsorship with Ford, this Hometown Hall of Famer returns,” said George Veras, Pro Football Hall of Fame executive vice president, chief revenue officer and executive producer. “When high schools stage the ceremony and house the plaque, they become an official high school of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Renaissance becomes only the 91st high school in the country to earn this distinction, as it kicks off the start of the next 44 Hometown Hall of Famer^™ programs.”

Following each presentation, the plaques live permanently at a designated local venue in the Hall of Famer’s hometown community. In addition to the plaque, each community will receive two commemorative Hometown Hall of Famer^™ road signs to proudly display.

Media information for Hometown Hall of Famer presentation to Jerome Bettis

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015

Time: 1:45-2:30 p.m., including 10 minutes for Jerome Bettis interviews

Location: Renaissance High School

6565 West Outer Drive

Detroit, Mich., 48235

Parking: Visitor parking

Media RSVP: Sam Schembari, 313.323.8199, sschemba@ford.com

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

About the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the National Football League, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Mission is to Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values, & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE.

Hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe travel to Canton annually to experience the exciting museum that chronicles America’s most popular sport. Millions more are reached through the Hall of Fame’s 100-plus special events held annually outside Canton and through the multiple nationally broadcast programs focused on the selection of the newest Class of Enshrinees and the Enshrinement Weekend. This year, the NFL’s Road to Super Bowl 50 began in Canton during the 2015 Enshrinement Weekend and will continue through the election of the Hall’s new class of enshrinees on the eve of the Super Bowl in San Francisco. Added to the Hall of Fame’s outreach schedule is a new traveling tour, “Honor the Heroes” a family-oriented interactive experience that will visit numerous cities across the country. Now in its third year of traveling, Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a large-scale traveling exhibition that presents a panoramic view of pro football’s story and includes hundreds of artifacts from the Hall’s expansive collection. Gridiron Glory will be at the Bullock Texas State History Museum from Sept. 26, 2015-Jan. 3, 2016 and is scheduled for three-month stays at various museums and cultural institutions through 2019. Enshrinees from the Class of 2015 along with numerous other Hall of Fame members will receive the spectacular Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence by Kay^® Jewelers during ceremonies held in NFL stadiums during 13 of the 17 weeks of the 2015 NFL regular season. The Hometown Hall of Famer^™ program presented by Ford honors Hall of Fame heroes with a program and permanent plaque to honor the Hall of Famer’s hometown support. Now in its 4th year, the US Army-Pro Football Hall of Fame Award for Excellence honors 20 high school students nationally for excellence in community service, academics and athletics. Construction on HOF Village, a $476 million development project, is under way in Canton to transform the Hall of Fame’s campus.

For more information about the Pro Football Hall of Fame, please visit ProFootballHOF.com; @ProFootballHOF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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