NFL to present Corbin High School with golden football in honor of Rodger Bird

On Tuesday, January 19 Corbin High School will be receiving a golden football from the National Football League in honor of former Redhound and Oakland Raider Rodger Bird.

Bird will present the football next Tuesday evening inside Gilliam Gymnasium in between the Lady Hounds’ basketball game against Boyle County and the boys’ game against Jackson County. He will also speak to CHS students in a school-wide assembly at 11:00 a.m. that day.

Corbin is among thousands of high schools from across the nation that will be receiving a golden football this year for having a graduate that went on to participate in a Super Bowl. This is being done in celebration of the championship game’s 50th anniversary in 2016.

Bird, who graduated from Corbin in 1962, played for the Raiders in Super Bowl II (1968). He was a first-round draft pick in 1965, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. Prior to entering the NFL, he played collegiate ball as a member of the Kentucky Wildcats.

Bird was a first team All-American at UK, as well as earning All-SEC and SEC Legend honors. As a Redhound, he was twice named to the All-State list, and he helped lead the team to an undefeated season in 1960.

Following Tuesday morning’s assembly, culinary students will provide a special lunch for Bird, school staff and Redhound Varsity Club members inside the school’s media center. Bird is also planning to meet with Redhound student-athletes later that afternoon.

In addition to the school assembly and special presentation in between the girls’ and boys’ basketball games, it has also been announced that Corbin Mayor Willard McBurney and the Corbin city commissioners will officially designate and sign a proclamation making next week “Rodger Bird Week.”

As part of the festivities, a Rodger Bird collage will be unveiled and go on permanent display at the high school.

Also, News Journal Publisher Emeritus and former longtime radio broadcaster of Redhound sports, Mr. Don Estep, will be on hand to serve as emcee for the event.