STATEMENT BY USA FOOTBALL CEO SCOTT HALLENBECK ON THE DEATH OF USA FOOTBALL CHAIRMAN GENERAL RAYMOND T. ODIERNO, U.S. ARMY (RET.)

General Odierno loved to share how values gained through the fun of playing football serve us throughout our lives. These were the same values that he lived: leadership, discipline, teamwork, and responsibility. He often said that the sport played an important role in his life and that if not for football, he may not have had the opportunity to attend West Point. In 2016 he selflessly accepted USA Football’s chairman role, a volunteer position, as a way to – in his words – “give back” to children and families across the game’s grassroots. He gave us more than we could ever return as a personal mentor to me, as a chairman and friend to our non-profit staff, and as a most honorable leader and soldier for our nation throughout his 39 years of dedicated military service. We miss him immensely.

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