Russell Maryland Featured Speaker for NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter’s Charity Golf Tournament

2011 College Football Hall of Fame Member to speak in support of fundraising efforts to benefit aspiring scholar-athletes in the Dallas-Fort Worth community

DALLAS, Texas (Apr. 3, 2025) – The NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas, the north Texas chapter of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, is thrilled to welcome the 2001 inductee of the College Football Hall of Fame and three-time Super Bowl champion Russell Maryland as a featured speaker at its 3rd annual charity golf tournament. The event serves as a crucial fundraiser to provide college scholarships to deserving high school senior football players who exhibit academic excellence and service involvement in their local communities. The tournament will take place at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, Texas, on Monday, April 21st.

Rusell Maryland (Miami) was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame at the 54th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the New York Hilton Hotel in New York City on December 11, 2011.

A legendary defensive lineman, Maryland’s football journey is one of perseverance and triumph. Lightly recruited out of Chicago, he went on to become one of the most dominant players in Miami Hurricanes history. After redshirting his freshman year and undergoing a rigorous physical transformation, Maryland burst onto the national scene with a standout performance against Michigan in 1988. By the time he completed his collegiate career, he had racked up 279 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, and 20.5 sacks, helping the Hurricanes secure two national championships and a remarkable 44-4 record.

In 1990, he became the first Miami player to win the prestigious Outland Trophy as the nation’s top interior lineman. A consensus All-American that year, Maryland earned first-team All-America honors from the Associated Press, United Press International, Kodak, the Walter Camp Football Foundation, The Football News, and The Sporting News. He was also selected by UPI as the 1990 College Football Lineman of the Year. In 2001, Maryland was inducted into both the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame and the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame. Prior to his graduation with a degree in business administration from Miami, Russell was inducted into the Iron Arrow Honor Society, the highest honor bestowed by the university. In 2016, he received the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award, which recognizes six distinguished former student-athletes on the 25th anniversary of their graduation. 

“It’s always an honor to give back and support the next generation of athletes and leaders,” said Maryland. “Football has given me so much, and I’m excited to share my journey and inspire others through this incredible event.”

Maryland’s success continued in the professional ranks when the Dallas Cowboys selected him as the first overall pick in the 1991 NFL Draft. Over the next decade, he became a key contributor to a dominant Cowboys defense, earning Pro Bowl honors in 1993 and helping the team capture three Super Bowl titles. After five years with the Cowboys, Maryland played for four years at the Oakland Raiders and one year for the Green Bay Packers. Maryland finished his illustrious NFL career with 466 total tackles, 24.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, one interception, and six fumble recoveries including one for a touchdown.

Gary Peek, tournament director and vice president of the NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas, expressed his enthusiasm for Maryland’s participation: “Having Russell Maryland join us is a tremendous privilege. His career achievements are extraordinary, but his dedication to giving back is what truly sets him apart. Our attendees will not only get to hear from a football legend but also be inspired by someone who understands the power of leadership, perseverance, and community service.”

Beyond his accomplishments on the field, Maryland has been deeply committed to making a difference in the community. He founded the Russell Maryland Foundation in 1993, previously served on the board of the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum and has been an advocate for educational initiatives such as “Digging for Dragons”, which supports the restoration of academic programs in the Southlake Carroll Independent School District.

For more information about the event, sponsorship opportunities, or to register, please visit www.nffdallas.golf or contact Gary Peek at gpeek@nffdallas.org.

About NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas

Founded in 2008, the NFF Gridiron Club of Dallas (www.nffdallas.org) is one of 120 nationwide chapters of the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame (www.footballfoundation.org). The NFF is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people. NFF programs include Future For Football, the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, The William V. Campbell Trophy®, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future.

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Media Contact
Gary Peek
gpeek@nffdallas.org
972.465.0173