Just as Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rocky Bleier was about to wrap up his rookie season in 1968, a teammate called him over to the table the team reserved for fan mail. The former Notre Dame standout was surprised. He was not a high NFL draft pick or a well-known player and, in a few months with the team, had yet to receive any letters of support. When he opened the envelope, though, he realized that was still the case: In his hand was a notification that he had been drafted by the U.S. Army, which was immersed in the Vietnam War. He was due to report the next day. In combat the next year, he suffered grisly injuries that would reshape his life, but improbably, not nudge him off course.

The football player turned soldier turned injured veteran fought his way back to a professional football career that spanned more than a decade. In turn, he has used that story to inspire countless others not to yield in the most difficult circumstances, and he has donated time and energy to helping veterans like him reacclimate to the jarringly different lives they faced when they returned home.

Rocky is a member of the Congressional Committee for the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War and the Purple Heart Foundation. He is an active board member of the Warriors to Citizens Foundation which is devoted to helping soldiers, police, fire, EMTs and their families recover from the psychological harm caused by career induced stress. Rocky also serves on the board of The National Flag Foundation that was founded to honor and respect our nation’s greatest symbol, the Flag of the United States of America. Rocky started the Rocky Bleier Golf Tournament to support Veterans Village in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Rocky was born in Appleton, Wisconsin and currently lives in Pittsburgh, PA, with his wife Jan.

Thurman Thomas attended Oklahoma State University where he rushed for 4,595 yards, 43 touchdowns, 5,146 total yards, and 21 100-yard rushing games. He was a Heisman Trophy candidate in his senior year and a first team selection on the College Football All-America Team in 1985 and 1987.

Thurman Thomas was drafted in the 2nd round of the 1988 NFL Draft. In 1989, after an impressive rookie season that included a division title for the Bills, the multi-dimensional Thomas rushed for 1,000 yards, caught 60 passes, and scored 12 touchdowns in his second season.

His ability to catch the ball as well as run with it was a key ingredient to the Bills’ “No Huddle” offensive attack. The team improved to 13-3 in 1990 as Thomas led the NFL in all-purpose yards. He rushed for 1,297 yards and scored 11 touchdowns while catching 49 passes for 532 yards and two touchdowns. With the versatile back leading the way, the Bills marched through the playoffs to the first of their unprecedented four straight Super Bowl berths.

In 1991, Thomas amassed more than 2,000 all-purpose yards, just the 11th player ever to do so. His league-leading yardage output included 1,407 yards on the ground and an additional 631 yards on a career-high 62 receptions. He scored 12 touchdowns. He reached the 2,000-yard total again the following season which marked a record fourth straight season of leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage.

Named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s, Thomas was selected first or second team All-Pro and All-AFC five times, and was voted to the Pro Bowl five straight years. Thomas retired as the NFL’s ninth ranked rusher with 12,074 yards and added another 4,458 yards on 472 catches. He scored 65 rushing and 23 receiving touchdowns in his 13-season career. He is a member of both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. He had his jersey retired for the Buffalo Bills in 2018. Thurman is the owner of a General Contracting Firm, 34 Group, partner in Prosperitus Energy, founder of The Thurman Thomas Family Foundation. Thurman and his wife Patti have four children and 5 grandchildren.