Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame @CSHOFChicago

We will be proud to welcome Jerry Azumah to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! For seven seasons, Jerry Azumah gave the Chicago Bears everything he had on defense, on special teams, and in the community he still calls home. A record-setting college running back who won the Walter Payton Award at New Hampshire, Azumah reinvented himself in the NFL as a shutdown cornerback and dynamic return specialist for the Bears. He earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in 2003, scored the final touchdown ever at old Soldier Field, and was recently enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. Off the field, he has become a pillar of Chicago as president of Bears Care and a dedicated advocate for students and families. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

Congratulations to Big Ten Commissioner, and Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026 inductee, Tony Petitti on a five-year contract extension that will keep him leading the conference through 2033! Since becoming the Big Ten's seventh commissioner in 2023, Petitti has guided the league through a transformative era, overseeing three straight college football national champions, titles in men's and women's basketball, and expansion to 18 schools. We're proud to celebrate a leader shaping the game from right here in Chicagoland. Congratulations, Commissioner, we can't wait to welcome you to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! We hope you will join us. Get tickets now chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to welcome Ben Zobrist to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! From a small-town field in Eureka, Illinois to the biggest stage in baseball, Ben Zobrist delivered Chicago a championship generations had been waiting for. A switch-hitting "super utility" star and three-time All-Star, Zobrist was the ultimate winning player, a back-to-back World Series champion who took home World Series MVP honors in 2016, driving in the go-ahead run in Game 7 to bring the Cubs their first title in 108 years. Born and raised downstate, he carried Illinois with him to the very top of the sport. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to welcome Tony Petitti to the Class of 2026 on October 15th in Rosemont! From the commissioner's office right here in Rosemont, Tony Petitti leads one of the most powerful conferences in college sports, and helps shape the future of the game from the heart of Chicagoland. A graduate of Haverford College and Harvard Law School, Petitti built a remarkable career across sports and media, serving as the launch president of MLB Network, chief operating officer of Major League Baseball, and a top executive at both CBS Sports and ABC Sports. In 2023, he was named the seventh commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, where he has guided the league through a transformative era of expansion and growth. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to welcome Steve Smith to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! A rock on the blue line who brought his championship pedigree to the Chicago Blackhawks, Steve Smith helped define an era of gritty, winning hockey in the Windy City. A three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Edmonton Oilers, Smith arrived in Chicago in 1991 and spent six seasons anchoring the Blackhawks' defense — playing in the 1991 NHL All-Star Game at Chicago Stadium and helping lead the team on a deep run to the Stanley Cup Final. Over a 16-year NHL career, the towering defenseman appeared in more than 800 games and represented Canada in the 1991 Canada Cup. He later returned to the game as an NHL assistant coach for more than a decade. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at the link in our bio.

We will be proud to welcome Ron Rivera to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! A cornerstone of the most dominant defense in NFL history, Ron Rivera helped the 1985 Chicago Bears bulldoze their way to a Super Bowl title, and made history doing it. A linebacker drafted by the Bears in 1984, Rivera spent all nine of his playing seasons in Chicago and became the first player of Puerto Rican descent to win a Super Bowl when the Bears captured Super Bowl XX. He returned to the city as the Bears' defensive coordinator, earning Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2005 and helping develop Brian Urlacher into a Defensive Player of the Year en route to Super Bowl XLI. Rivera went on to become a two-time NFL Coach of the Year as a head coach, leading Carolina to Super Bowl 50. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

On what would have been her 107th birthday, Loyola University Chicago unveiled a bronze statue of Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM, seated on a bench on the Lake Shore Campus, letter jacket on, Loyola basketball in hand, ready to welcome the next generation of Ramblers. For more than six decades, Sister Jean was a fixture at Loyola: an educator, a chaplain, and a source of joy who reminded everyone that the heart of sport is the people in it. The world came to know her during the Ramblers' 2018 Final Four run, but her impact was always about far more than basketball. We were honored to induct Sister Jean into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. Her legacy endures in every student who sits beside her bench and is reminded to chase their dreams with purpose.

We will be proud to present George Rogers with the Gale Sayers Award at our Class of 2026 ceremony on October 15th in Rosemont! Get tickets here: tinyurl.com/2s373vhf Named for one of the greatest to ever wear a Bears uniform, the Gale Sayers Award honors the finest running backs the game has produced and George Rogers earned his place among them. A 1980 Heisman Trophy winner at South Carolina, Rogers entered the NFL as the first overall pick in 1981 and immediately made history, leading the league in rushing and earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors with a record-setting 1,674-yard debut season. Over seven seasons with the Saints and Washington, he rushed for more than 7,000 yards and 54 touchdowns, capping his career as a Super Bowl XXII champion before earning his place in the College Football Hall of Fame. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

Early bird tickets are here for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on October 15th! Get your discounted seats now for the 29th Annual Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Dinner before prices go up. 🎟️ Single tickets and tables available at a special rate. Don’t miss out! Buy now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com or contact [email protected]

We will be proud to welcome Brad Guzan to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! From Evergreen Park to the world's biggest stages, Brad Guzan represented Chicago between the posts at the highest levels soccer has to offer. A Providence Catholic student, Guzan became one of the most accomplished American goalkeepers of his generation, earning 64 caps for the U.S. Men's National Team, competing in two FIFA World Cups, and winning three CONCACAF Gold Cups. He spent eight seasons in the Premier League with Aston Villa before returning home to MLS, where he helped Atlanta United win an MLS Cup title and became the club's all-time appearance leader. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to welcome Jordan Lynch to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! From Mt. Greenwood to the Heisman ceremony in New York, Jordan Lynch has carried Chicago with him every step of the way. A @MountCarmelHS student and Northern Illinois legend, Lynch was a 2013 Heisman Trophy finalist and first-team All-American who shattered the NCAA single-season rushing record for a quarterback. He went on to win a Grey Cup with Edmonton, scoring the game-winning touchdown, before returning home to coach Mount Carmel to five state championships and earning a place in the College Football Hall of Fame. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at https:// chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction

We will be proud to welcome Mark Giangreco to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! For decades, @mark_giangreco brought Chicago sports fans the stories, highlights, and moments that defined generations. A three-time Emmy Award winner and one of the most recognizable voices in Chicago broadcasting history, Giangreco was sports director and lead sports anchor at ABC7, becoming a fixture in homes across the city. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to welcome Glen Grunwald to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! From East Leyden High School standout to one of basketball's most respected executives, Glen Grunwald has left his mark on the game at every level. The only four-time All-Chicago Area selection in history, Grunwald went on to captain Indiana University's 1981 national championship team before building a distinguished NBA executive career with the Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks, and beyond. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

Only 59 days until the Class of 2026 Induction Ceremony! As we count down to this year’s celebration, relive the excitement of the Class of 2025 Induction Ceremony. It was an unforgettable night that brought together remarkable athletes, officials, media figures, and other Chicago greats to celebrate what makes this the greatest sports city in the world. We look forward to doing it all again with the Class of 2026! Will we see you at the Induction Ceremony? Get your tickets now: chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

This past weekend in Canton, one of our own stood on football's biggest stage. Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame inductee Sean Payton, Class of 2022 and a proud Naperville native, was there to present his longtime quarterback Drew Brees for enshrinement into the @ProFootballHOF, standing beside him as his bust was unveiled on August 8. Congratulations to @drewbrees on this incredible honor! A first-ballot Hall of Famer, two-time AP Offensive Player of the Year, and one of the most prolific passers the game has ever seen, Brees rewrote the record books and delivered New Orleans its first Super Bowl title. None of it happened alone. Together, @SeanPayton and Brees built one of the greatest coach-quarterback partnerships in NFL history, and as Payton put it, "we were a better team with him as a leader." To watch a Naperville native help shape a Hall of Fame career, lift up a city, and now hand off the game to its next generation? That makes all of Chicagoland proud. Congratulations, Coach Payton and Drew Brees.

Thank you to the Chicago Tribune for spotlighting the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. For decades, our mission has been to honor the full spectrum of Chicago sports, not just the household names, but the high school and college standouts, coaches, executives, and contributors who've shaped this city's athletic legacy. We carry that mission forward on October 15th in Rosemont as we induct the Class of 2026: Ben Zobrist Jerry Azumah @JerryAzumah George Rogers Steve Smith Ron Rivera @RonRivera80 Tony Petitti Jordan Lynch @Jordanlynch06 Brad Guzan Mark Giangreco @mark_giangreco Glen Grunwald Norman “Bobie” Cahn Dick Barwegen Will we see you at the ceremony? Get your tickets here: chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction… See full article: chicagotribune.com/sponsor-conten…

We will be proud to welcome Jerry Azumah to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! For seven seasons, Jerry Azumah gave the @ChicagoBears everything he had on defense, on special teams, and in the community he still calls home. A record-setting college running back who won the Walter Payton Award at New Hampshire, Azumah reinvented himself in the NFL as a shutdown cornerback and dynamic return specialist for the Bears. He earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in 2003, scored the final touchdown ever at old Soldier Field, and was recently enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. Off the field, he has become a pillar of Chicago as president of Bears Care and a dedicated advocate for students and families. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to welcome Dick Barwegen to the Class of 2026 on October 15 in Rosemont! A true son of the South Side, Dick Barwegen went from the fields of Chicago to becoming one of the finest offensive linemen of his era, including a standout run with his hometown Bears. Born in Chicago and a graduate of Fenger Academy, Barwegen starred at Purdue before embarking on a decorated pro career. A four-time Pro Bowler and four-time First-team All-Pro, he anchored the line for the Chicago Bears from 1950 to 1952 and earned a place on the NFL's 1950s All-Decade Team. Widely regarded as one of the 100 greatest Bears of all time, Barwegen remains one of the most accomplished linemen of his generation. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…

We will be proud to induct Bobie Cahn into the hall of fame on October 15 in Rosemont! A familiar face on Chicago's earliest gridirons, Bobie Cahn was there for some of the most historic moments in the birth of professional football. For more than two decades, the diminutive Cahn was one of the NFL's most respected officials, working primarily as a referee through the league's formative years. He was on the field for the NFL's very first indoor postseason game, the 1932 playoff between the Chicago Bears and Portsmouth Spartans at Chicago Stadium, as well as the first NFL Championship Games, including the legendary 1934 "Sneakers Game," which he called the most exciting contest he ever worked. A character as memorable as the stars he officiated, Cahn helped shape the early identity of the game before retiring in 1943. Will we see you at the induction ceremony? Tickets are available now at chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/2026-induction…