It took nearly half a century, but former Idaho football player Jerry Kramer was finally inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame and enjoyed the aftermath of the selection with his hometown fans during the Inland Empire Vandal Celebration Aug. 23.
“It still feels a little bit surreal,” Kramer said in an interview with The Argonaut. “So many aspects of the Hall and functions and wonderful dinners like this. Old friends, family, good friends, best friends. It’s wonderful to be here and wonderful to be a part of it.”
Kramer became eligible for the Hall of Fame five years after he retired after the 1968 season. He was then inducted into the Green Bay Hall of Fame and the Idaho Hall of Fame, but had to sit through 11 nominations before he finally donned the gold jacket.
Friends, Idaho alumni, and current Idaho coaches and athletes gathered at the Hagadone Event Center in Coeur d’Alene Thursday for the annual preseason football celebration, honoring Kramer’s recent induction into the Hall.
Kramer spent the event catching up with former Sandpoint High School teammates, as well as offering countless anecdotes on his time with the Vandals and his relationship with former Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi.
Interim Athletic Director Pete Isakson said it was an honor to celebrate the former Vandal athlete’s accomplishment. Kramer was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1958, winning two Super Bowls alongside notable players like Bart Starr.
“We have a Hall of Famer that’s a Vandal,” Isakson said. “I would say for us to have a chance to honor him and gain the wisdom he will be able to share with us tonight it tremendous.”
Vandals past and present attended the night’s festivities, including Idaho Head Football Coach Paul Petrino, along with senior linebacker Kaden Ellis and redshirt sophomore kicker Cade Coffey.
Before the event began, Kramer took a moment to pull aside Petrino and his players. Coffey said that moment was one he wouldn’t soon forget.
“I was kind of nervous, I’m not going to lie. He told us a couple stories, he told us his path, the steps he took to get to where he was, kind of something to look forward to, if I make it to the next level,” Coffey said. “It was a little bit (surreal).”
Petrino, who came to Idaho in 1994 as an assistant coach, said he shared a special connection with the Kramer family. On his first recruitment trip for the Vandals, Petrino was sent to convince Kramer’s son to attend the university and play for the Silver and Gold.
Both of Kramer’s sons eventually attended Idaho.
“I have always been a big fan of Jerry Kramer,” Petrino said. “The first time I met him was pretty awesome and to have him go into the Hall of Fame was just well deserved. It probably should have happened a long time ago, but it’s pretty awesome for him, for the University of Idaho, for everyone.”
Kramer said he held nothing but fond memories for his alma mater and his Vandal teammates.
“The University of Idaho has been awful good to me. I had a wonderful time there, wonderful pals there. The coaching staff was very good to me. Idaho has been good to me over the years,” Kramer said. “So, it’s really been wonderful to be back.”
Meredith Spelbring and Brandon Hill can be reached at [email protected]