LINCOLN, NE – Former Maryland center Kevin Glover has been tabbed as the Gerald R. Ford Legends Award winner by the Rimington Trophy committee. He will be presented the award as part of the 26th annual Rimington Trophy ceremony on January 24 at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The Gerald R. Ford Award is presented to former collegiate or professional centers who, in addition to standout football careers, have also made significant contributions to the football and/or business communities, or through philanthropic endeavors.

A first-team All-American at Maryland in 1984 and a member of the school's Athletics Hall of Fame, Glover helped lead the Terps to two ACC Championships. He was also inducted to the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.

Glover was a second-round selection by the Detroit Lions in the 1985 NFL Draft and went on to play 15 years in the league. He anchored an offensive line that helped Barry Sanders rush for 2,053 yards in 1997 and ultimately earned three trips to the Pro Bowl. Glover is also a member of the Detroit Lions all-75th Anniversary team, which comprises the greatest Lions of all-time. 

After his playing days concluded, Glover spent over two decades working with Maryland Athletics in a variety of roles, including Director of Character Development, Executive Director of the M Club and Director of Player Development. As the Director of Played Development from 2017-24, Glover oversaw the student-athletes' involvement in community service efforts and assisted with internship opportunities. He also helped maintain strong connections with Maryland's alumni base.

The Rimington Trophy, which is presented annually to the most outstanding center in Division I Football, is partnered with Maryland all-time great Boomer Esiason and his foundation. Since its inception, the award has raised over $5 million for the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

More about the Boomer Esiason Foundation:
In 1993, NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason learned that his son Gunnar was diagnosed with the incurable, genetic disease cystic fibrosis (CF). Never one to back down from a fight, he and his wife Cheryl founded BEF and decided right then and there to fight to find a cure for CF. The Boomer Esiason Foundation is a partnership of leaders in the medical and business communities joining with a committed core of volunteers to provide financial support to research aimed at finding a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Foundation works to heighten education and awareness of cystic fibrosis and to provide a better quality of life for those affected by cystic fibrosis.

More about the Ford Award:
In the summer of 2005 The Rimington Trophy and the office of President Gerald R. Ford announced the creation of the Gerald R. Ford Legends Award. President Ford, who played center at the University of Michigan, was the first recipient of the annual award. The award is presented to former collegiate or professional centers who, in addition to standout football careers, have also made significant contributions to the football and/or business communities, or through philanthropic endeavors.