Penn State honors Hall of Famer Paul Posluszny during UCLA Game

Paul Posluszny, the former Penn State linebacker and member of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame induction class, receives an on-campus salute during the Penn State-UCLA game at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. Penn State and the National Football Foundation announced Wednesday that they will recognize Posluszny with a plaque and ceremony commemorating his induction into the Hall of Fame in December.

“Paul Posluszny, an All-American on the field and in the classroom, is the only defensive player ever to win National Defensive Player of the Year and Academic All-American of the Year honors in the same season,” said the president and National Football Foundation CEO Steve Hatchell said in a statement. “We are thrilled to honor him at Beaver Stadium as a member of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class.”

Posluszny was a two-time first-team All-American for the Nittany Lions in the 2000s, when he became a two-time Bednarik Award winner as the nation’s top defensive player. He also won the Butkus Award in 2005 as the nation’s best linebacker. Posluszny made 372 career tackles in four seasons at Penn State, ranking second on the program’s career list. Posluszny started 37 consecutive games and became the first Penn State player to record three seasons with 100 tackles. He played 11 NFL seasons after being selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft.

Posluszny becomes the 27th Penn State representative to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He is also the 20th player and second straight linebacker, joining LaVar Arrington, who was inducted in 2022.

“I am very excited that Paul Posluszny deserves this well-deserved honor of being elected to the College Football Hall of Fame,” Penn State coach James Franklin said in a January statement announcing Posluszny’s induction. “Paul is a great example of what Penn State Football is all about. He was elite on the field as a player, leader and teammate, but he was also a great role model for this program off the field. He is too.” one of the all-time greats to ever wear this uniform and is just another stellar example of Linebacker U.”

Posluszny will join the following Penn State players in the College Football Hall of Fame: Pete Mauthe (1909-12), Dexter Very (1909-12), Shorty Miller (1910-13), Glenn Killinger (1918-21) , Steve Suhey (1942; 46-47), Richie Lucas (1957-59), Dave Robinson (1960-62), Glenn Ressler 1962-64), Mike Reid (1966; 68-69), Ted Kwalick (1966-68) ), Dennis Onkotz (1967-69), Lydell Mitchell (1969-71), Jack Ham (1968-70), John Cappelletti (1971-73), Keith Dorney (1975-78), Curt Warner (1979-82), Shane Conlan (1983-1986), Kerry Collins (1991-1994) and LaVar Arrington (1997-1999).

Penn State hosts UCLA on Saturday for a noon ET kickoff at Beaver Stadium. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff airs on television.

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