Four EIU Players On College Football Hall Of Fame Ballot

IRVING, Texas – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today the names on the 2020 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, including 81 players and coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks.
 
Three of the players from the Divisional Ranks are former Eastern Illinois standouts from the 1970's and 1980's, while a fourth Panther is making his first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot this year.  Listed on this year's ballot to be considered for College Football Hall of Fame Voting are Pete Catan, John Jurkovic, Ted Petersen and Tony Romo.
 
Pete Catan was a two-time first team All-American selection at defensive end during both the 1979 and 1980 seasons.   He was a member of the 1978 NCAA Division II National Championship team and finished his career in 1980 as the Panthers were the national runners-up in Division II.  He held the school records for sacks in a game (6), season (21) and career (47).   Following his playing days at EIU, Catan went on to star in both the Canadian Football League and USFL where he earned All-League honors for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL) and Houston Gamblers (USFL).
 
John Jurkovic was a two-time first team All-American at defensive end for Eastern Illinois in both 1988 and 1989.  He twice was named the Gateway Conference Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in league history to accomplish that feat.  He led the Panthers to the 1986 conference title and twice helped EIU advance to the NCAA I-AA playoff quarterfinal round.  He set the conference record with six sacks in a game and finished his career as the league leader in career sacks (27).  Following his playing days at EIU, Jurkovic went on to have a nine year career in the NFL earning second team All-League honors with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1996.
 
Ted Petersen was one of Eastern Illinois first All-American selections when he earned first team All-American honors in 1976 at center.  During his EIU career he would serve as a team captain and helped block for Nate Anderson, the school's first 1,000 year rusher.  He was selected in the fourth round of the 1977 NFL Draft with the 93rd overall pick becoming the Panthers highest-ever draft pick at that time.   Following his playing days at EIU, Petersen went on to play in the NFL for ten seasons including winning two Super Bowl Championships as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the late 1970s.

Tony Romo was a first-team All-American in 2002 as he became the school’s first winner of the Walter Payton Award.  He was a three-time Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year who led EIU to OVC titles in 2001 and 2002 with the Panthers making three straight FCS playoff appearances (2000-02).  During his time under center for the Panthers Romo set numerous then school and conference records including passing yards (8,212) and touchdowns (85).  Romo would sign as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys playing 14 seasons with the franchise and retiring as the team’s career leader in touchdown passes and passing yards.  He was a four-time NFL Pro Bowl selection.  He is currently a color analyst for NFL games on CBS including serving on the broadcast team for this past year’s Super Bowl.
 
The announcement of the 2020 Class will be made in January 2020 in the days leading up to the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship in New Orleans.

The 2019 class will officially be inducted during the 62nd NFF Annual Awards Dinner Dec. 10, 2019, at the New York Hilton Midtown. The inductees will be permanently enshrined at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta later that December.