Kelly honors Butler native, 2025 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Terry Hanratty on U.S. House floor
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) recognized Butler, Pa. native and former University of Notre Dame Quarterback Terry Hanratty during a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Hanratty was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Las Vegas earlier this month.
"I’ve known Terry for years. We played high school football together in Butler, and we later played football at Notre Dame together. Terry set the standard for college quarterbacks in the 1960s and quickly cemented his legacy as one of Notre Dame’s all-time greats. Most importantly, I’m proud to call him a friend. I want to congratulate Terry Hanratty for his induction in the College Football Hall of Fame, an honor that was long overdue and very much deserved," said Rep. Kelly. "Terry has spent his entire life helping other people. More than being a tremendous athlete, I think it's more important to note he is a tremendous person. Young people have to have somebody to look up to. Terry Hanratty is one of those people."
You can WATCH and DOWNLOAD Rep. Kelly's full floor speech using the YouTube link here.
Rep. Kelly also recognized former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher and World Series champion Vernon Law, who Kelly joined during Mr. Law's induction into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame in August.
BACKGROUND
Terry Hanratty set the standard as a precision quarterback in the 1960s, helping usher in an era of high-powered passing under Hall of Fame Coach Ara Parseghian and cementing his legacy as one of Notre Dame's all-time greats. The Butler, Pennsylvania, native now becomes the 50th Fighting Irish player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A consensus First Team All-American in 1968, Hanratty led Notre Dame to a 24-4-2 record during his three years under center in South Bend, including a share of the national title in 1966. The Irish finished the 1966 season 9-0-1, tying Michigan State in the "Game of the Century" with Hanratty sidelined with an injury.
The Irish won 83.3 percent of their games with Hanratty as the starting signal caller, and the Irish boasted a final ranking of No. 5 or better during all three years of his tenure. Hanratty finished third in the Heisman voting in 1968, ninth in 1967, and sixth in 1966.
Hanratty was later drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft by Pittsburgh, where he played seven years with the Steelers and one year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
You can read more about Hanratty's career here.