The Pro Football Hall of Fame and Ford Motor Company joined Hall of Fame lineman Dan Dierdorf to recognize Michigan, his alma mater, Friday evening as part of the Hometown Hall of Famer™ program. A crowd of more than 200 alumni witnessed the ceremony that took place at the University of Michigan’s Jack Roth Stadium Club.

Hometown Hall of Famer™ is a national program that honors the hometown roots of the greatest heroes of the game with special ceremonies and plaque dedication events in local communities.

“As an alumni of the University of Michigan, I am proud to be back here representing Ford. These events give us the opportunity to plug into the community and it’s so special to be here tonight with Dan Dierdorf," Dave Perczak, Regional Manager of Ford Motor Company, said.

“I am flattered to be the conduit between the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the University of Michigan,” Dierdorf added. “I am very pleased that this is the first Hometown Hall of Famer program presented by Ford at a university, because Michigan is the greatest university on the face of the earth.”

The Canton, Ohio native was selected as a consensus first-team All-American as member of the 1970 Michigan Wolverines and a first-team All Big-Ten Conference pick in 1969 and 1970. Dierdorf was drafted in the second round of the 1971 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He anchored the Cardinals offensive line from his right tackle position during a stellar 14-year career that spanned from 1971 to 1983. He was a six-time Pro Bowler (1974-1978, 1980) and a five-time first-team All-Pro (1975-1978, 1980) and named to the NFL All-Decade Team of the 1970s. Dierdorf was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

Friday’s event was the 108th Hometown Hall of Famer™ ceremony. Past Hometown Hall of Famer™ events include: EDWARD DEBARTOLO, JR. (Youngstown, Ohio); KEVIN GREENE (Granite City HS in Granite City, Ill.); KEN STABLER (Foley HS in Foley, Ala.); BRETT FAVRE (Hancock HS in Kiln, Miss.); CHARLES HALEY (William Campbell HS in Naruna, Va.); JIM LANGER (Royalton HS in Little Falls, Minn.); LARRY LITTLE (Booker T. Washington HS in Miami, Fla); RONNIE LOTT (Eisenhower HS in Rialto, Calif.); ART MONK (White Plains HS in White Plains, NY); FRAN TARKENTON (Clarke Central HS in Athens, Ga.); and ROGER WEHRLI (King City HS in King City, Mo.).

“It is an honor to extend our Hometown Hall of Famer™ program to colleges with Dan Dierdorf at the University of Michigan. Hall of Famers know how important colleges, as well as high schools, are to their road to Canton," George Veras, Executive Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer & Executive Producer of the Pro Football Hall of Fame said.