Racer Great Swinton Inducted To Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former Murray State wide receiver Reggie Swinton was honored as part of the 2022 class inducted into the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at the Hilton Downtown

Hotel in Lexington.

Swinton is the first Murray State player to be inducted into the organization in the 19 classes of the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Swinton competed for the Racers from 1994-97 for Coach Houston Nutt and Coach Denver Johnson where he was part of Ohio Valley Conference championships in 1995 and 1996 and a big part of two of Murray State's most successful seasons under Nutt with a 22-3 overall record and a 16-0 mark in OVC play. In 1996 Swinton was an All-America selection and was named All-OVC.

Signed as a free agent first by the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, Swinton went on to a pro career that spanned five seasons from 2001-05 for a total of 69 games played. He also spent time on the rosters of the Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals.

In 69 games, Swinton was known as one of the top kick returners in the game. He fielded 132 career punt returns for a total of 1,311 yards and two touchdowns and in kick off returns, he had 208 returns for 4,919 yards and two touchdowns. In 2002 with the Cowboys, Swinton had the rare 100-yard kick-off return (Sept. 22, 2002) in front of more than 65,000 fans against the Philadelphia Eagles at Veterans Stadium in Philly. In 2003 at Soldier Field (Oct. 26, 2003) against the Chicago Bears, Swinton took a kick off for 96 yards and another TD. In 2001 with the Lions, he had a punt return of 65-yards for a touchdown at Texas Stadium against the Denver Broncos and had another punt return for a touchdown (Dec. 21, 2003) with Detroit against the Carolina Panthers of 89 yards at Ericsson Stadium. Reggie Swinton

Additionally, Swinton caught 41 passes for 493 yards with two touchdowns in his NFL career. He had a 45-yard TD catch (Dec. 23, 2001) in a game at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona and another one (Oct. 24, 2004) against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium.

Swinton was joined in the class of six person by Randall Cobb (Green Bay Packers; University of Kentucky), Elbie Nickel (Pittsburgh Steelers; South Shore Ky.), Steve Ortmayer (Oakland Raiders & University of Kentucky), George Wilson (Buffalo Bills; University of Arkansas) and Lee Calland (Pittsburgh Steelers; University of Louisville).

About the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame
According to its website, the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame grew out of an interest, spearheaded by Frank Minnifield, to bring current and former pro football players from Kentucky together to host football clinics for underprivileged youth. In 1994 and 1995, Minnifield hosted a clinic at the Aspendale Housing Projects and Henry Clay High School, and invited other retired NFL players to join him in leading it. From there, they created a new chapter of the NFL Players' Association in Kentucky in 1996. Since its founding, the group has raised more than $1,000,000 for youth organizations. Later, the Hall of Fame was established, and a selection committee chose the first class of athletes to be inducted. The purpose of the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame is to appropriately honor persons that have brought significant recognition to the state of Kentucky, or have by their unusual successful service achieved significant accomplishment on behalf of their school, or have by a significant act or contribution distinguished themselves as an unusual former National Football League player, coach, referee, owner, management, etc. or have been a significant or unusual supporter of pro football. Kentucky is the only state to have its own Pro Football Hall of Fame that honors players, coaches and contributors connected to our state.

About Murray State Athletics
Located in Murray, Kentucky, the athletics department of Murray State University is a NCAA Division I member and plays in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Racers have 15 programs including men's teams for baseball, basketball, cross country, football and golf and women's teams for basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball, as well as a mixed gender rifle team. Currently a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, the Racers join the Missouri Valley Conference on July 1, 2022. The Racers will become a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2023.

Murray State University

Racer Great Swinton Inducted To Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame

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