Story by Charita M. Goshay (CantonRep.com)
CANTON The NFL’s chief executive officer celebrated the league’s 100th birthday on Thursday in the city where it all began.
Roger Goodell toured Centennial Plaza, a joint project sponsored by the city and the ProFootball Hall of Fame. He was accompanied by Hall of President/Executive Director David Baker, Mayor Thomas Bernabei, Deputy Mayor Fonda Williams and several others.
During the Cleveland Browns-Cincinnati Bengals Thursday Night Football halftime show, theHall planned to unveil 11 illuminated pylons in Centennial Plaza that bear the names of 25,488 men known to have played in the NFL.
George Veras, the Hall’s chief operating officer and executive producer, said vetting the list was a three-year project led by Jon Kendle, director of archives and football information, and a team of volunteers.