Heisman winner, Super Bowl champ visit the Valley

POLAND, Ohio (WKBN) – The United Way of Youngstown and The Mahoning Valley’s annual Champions Among Us dinner this year featured guests of honor Archie Griffin and Donald D’Alesio.

“I’ve been here before in the audience and I know the people that have come before me to speak and they’ve been awesome,” D’Alesio said. “It’s been a great night, and Youngstown means everything to me. So, any way I can give back, I’m all for it.”

Griffin is the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner in college football history, playing for Ohio State from 1972-1975.

“It’s a pleasure, Woody [Hayes] used to always talk to us about playing forward day,” Griffin said. “That’s just something that’s ingrained in me now, I got that from Woody, and he supported me that way. This kind of thing that’s what it’s all about.”

D’Alesio is a two-time Super Bowl champion as a coach for the Kansas City Chiefs and a graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School and Youngstown State University.

“Especially obviously a guy like Archie Griffin, you know, the player he was and getting to talk to him a little bit, just the person he is,” D’Alesio said. “But to be able to wear the rings, it’s special. I don’t do it often. So, I figured let Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley kind of see him in person for the first time.”

Attendees were also able to get an up-close look at both of D’Alesio’s Super Bowl rings.

“The championship ring didn’t look anything like what they look these days. I don’t know how you can really wear those, it makes it very, very difficult,” Griffin said. “But they are quite an honor to have two of those, my goodness, that he’s sporting today.”

It is the United Way’s biggest fundraiser of the year that raises money for local children and families in need.

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