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'He would be proud': FAMU pays homage to 'The Rattler' prior to win over West Florida

Gerald Thomas III, Tallahassee Democrat
·3 min read

Ken Riley is forever revered in Florida A&M University history.

Prior to Saturday's kickoff, where the Rattlers (2-1, 1-0 SWAC) defeated the West Florida Argonauts (2-1), 31-10, FAMU officially named its football field Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

Additionally, Riley's name is graced on FAMU's upgraded video board at the stadium's north end zone.

Tallahassee mayor John Dailey also delivered a halftime proclamation, stating that Saturday was Ken Riley Day.

Riley, nicknamed 'The Rattler,' played quarterback for FAMU in the 1960's, served as the team's head coach (1986-1993), and the school's athletic director (1994-2003).

He was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August after a 15-year career playing cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals (1969-1983).

Riley, from Bartow, passed away from a heart attack in 2020.

The FAMU Sports Hall of Famer (1982), family, friends, and teammates watched him be honored at the school where he won three Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championships as a player under head coach Jake Gaither.

"It's hard to put it into words. This is where it all started," son Ken Riley II said.

"We'd like to thank FAMU President [Larry] Robinson and [Vice President and Director of Athletics Tiffani-Dawn Sykes] for putting this together. It's like icing on the cake.

"Finally was able to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And now, just to be honored by the school he loved ― it's been a great year for him."

Florida A&M President Larry Robinson, Rattler head football coach Willie Simmons, as well as family and friends of Ken Riley are recognized before kickoff as FAMU announces the naming of the football field as the “Ken Riley Field” on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023.
Florida A&M President Larry Robinson, Rattler head football coach Willie Simmons, as well as family and friends of Ken Riley are recognized before kickoff as FAMU announces the naming of the football field as the “Ken Riley Field” on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023.

Standing alongside Ken Riley II was his mother, Ken Riley's widow, Barbara Riley.

She explained Ken Riley was reserved but knew he would be elated about his alma mater's tribute.

“The welcome that we’ve received at FAMU is heartwarming to know that the school cares that much about him to place his name on something is part of his school," Riley said.

“He would be proud to know his name is up there.”

Sykes recommended the football field change to pay homage to Riley earlier this year.

FAMU’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved it in June alongside other athletic facility name changes to honor FAMU Sports Hall of Famers (softball field, Veronica Wiggins; football locker room, George ‘The Godfather’ Thompson).

Furthermore, Sykes spent time with the Riley family in Canton, Ohio, as the Rattler legend got enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“The big deal of today is naming the field after our very own Ken Riley,” Sykes said.

“In my role, I had the opportunity to find something to acknowledge his body of work at FAMU. I thought it appropriate to do something grand for someone with that resume.”

FAMU President Robinson was also on hand at the field-naming ceremony and last month's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. He called Riley one of the many heroes that are products of FAMU.

“It’s amazing for us to honor Ken Riley, who deserves this,” President Robinson said.

“What a wonderful institution this is. It’s so many great heroes. And Ken Riley is high at the top of the list.”

After securing his 35th win as FAMU's head football coach, Willie Simmons said this week was emotional.

Simmons, the program’s 18th head coach, said that it was essential to win the game versus UWF — not just to extend FAMU’s 16-game home winning streak, which is the second-longest in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), but also to introduce Ken Riley Field properly.

"Very exciting time here to win a game at home. But more importantly, win our first game ever on Ken Riley Field," Simmons said at Saturday’s postgame press conference.

“This week of emotions was a lot for me as a head coach trying to honor Ken for what he meant to this program.”

Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@gannett.com or on Twitter @3peatgee.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU Football: Bragg Memorial Stadium officially bears Ken Riley's name