CANTON, Ohio — Four decades after he became eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Jerry Kramer will join an elite club on Saturday.
The 82-year-old University of Idaho and Green Bay Packers great will join seven other former NFL players as they are inducted into the sport's most prestigious shrine.
Raised in Sandpoint, Kramer was drafted after his senior year at the University of Idaho by the Green Bay Packers in 1958 and went on to play 11 years as an offensive guard.
He won two Super Bowl titles, five NFL championships, and was named to the NFL’s 50th Anniversary Team.
But, his journey to the Pro Football Hall of Fame was arduous.
Kramer was passed over in 10 Hall of Fame ballots over the past four decades. The 11th time was the charm.
Kramer’s daughter Alicia approached him three years ago about a campaign she wanted to launch that would solicit letters from dozens of hall of famers advocating for his induction. He reluctantly agreed to the idea, and Saturday night it will finally come to pass with his daughter presenting him on national television.
“It’s been quite a journey,” Kramer said in an interview with KTVB back in February. “My emotions have run the gamut over the years from anger and sadness to, eventually a point, where I just said, football has given me so many gifts that I can’t let one snub make me angry. So, this is the cherry on top of a pretty amazing journey.”
Kramer’s family and many close friends from Idaho and around the country have accompanied him to Canton for the honor which includes the annual Hall of Fame Parade Saturday morning in Canton.
KTVB's Mark Johnson is also in Canton for all of the festivities. Watch his live coverage of the parade on Facebook Live beginning at 6 a.m. MDT and on the Saturday Morning News beginning at 8 a.m.
The induction ceremony gets underway at 5 p.m. MDT on Saturday. It will air live on ESPN.