Former Penn State All-America end Dave Robinson is set to become the only sixth member of the Penn State Football program to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“It’s very special; it means an awful lot,” said Robinson. “I have been around the Hall of Fame and involved with the Board of Directors since the 1980s. I’m getting a whole new look at the Hall of Fame. The big thrill is, every single man in the Hall of Fame, they are the elite. This is the last team you will ever be elected to. The Hall of Fame is the top; there’s nothing beyond it.”
Robinson will join Jack Ham, Franco Harris, August Michalske, Lenny Moore and Mike Munchak in the Hall of Fame located in Canton, Ohio. Munchak, head coach of the Tennessee Titans, was Penn State’s most recent inductee, in 2001.
While at Penn State, Robinson was a first-team All-American for the Nittany Lions in 1962 and a three-year letterwinner under Coach Rip Engle. He helped the Nittany Lions to a 24-8 record from 1960-62, including wins over Oregon in the 1960 Liberty Bowl and Georgia Tech in the 1961 Gator Bowl. Robinson was the MVP of the 1962 Gator Bowl, despite the Nittany Lions falling to Florida, 17-7 to complete a 9-2 season.
The Green Bay Packers and Coach Vince Lombardi selected Robinson in the first round of the 1963 NFL Draft (14th overall selection) and he played linebacker 12 years in the NFL. He played with the Packers from 1963-72 and the Washington Redskins in 1973-74.
The enshrinement ceremony for the 2013 Hall of Fame Class will take place Saturday, August 3, at 7 p.m. in Canton, Ohio. The occasion marks the 50th annual ceremony and will air live on NFL Network.
