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Legend of the Sun Bowl Announced – Former Texas Western Player Joins Historic Group December 2, 2015

EL PASO, Texas – The Sun Bowl Association and Hyundai have announced Don Maynard as the 2015 Legend of the Sun Bowl for the 2015 Hyundai Sun Bowl, Wednesday, Dec. 2.

Maynard, a 1987 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee and 1957 Sun Bowl game participant, will be inducted during pregame festivities of the 82nd Hyundai Sun Bowl, Saturday, Dec. 26 at noon.

“It’s great to see someone who is in the Football Hall of Fame and someone that played for our local university being honored as a Legend,” said Executive Director Bernie Olivas. “Some can argue that Maynard’s amazing football career really started to take off here in El Paso. What an honor to have him join the rest of the Sun Bowl Legends.”

Maynard played one season at Rice and three at Texas Western (UTEP) before being selected in the 1958 NFL draft by the New York Giants. After one season with the Giants and a one-year stint in the Canadian Football League, Maynard became the first player to sign with the New York Titans (New York Jets) in 1960, where he garnered most of his career success. Maynard finished his NFL career with 633 receptions, 11,834 receiving yards and 88 touchdowns, while being named a four-time AFL All-Star selection (1965, 1967, 1968, 1969).

Maynard also participated in one of the most memorable moments in football history. In 1969, he was a key figure of the New York Jets’ team that defeated the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Maynard played a long side NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Nathan, as they both helped the AFL Jets defeat the NFL Colts, 16-7, in one of sport’s biggest upsets.

In the 1957 Sun Bowl, Maynard and the Miners were unfortunately shutout by the George Washington Colonials at Kidd Field in El Paso.

As a member of the Texas Western (UTEP) football team, Maynard was a dual-threat offensive player who amassed 2,283 all-purpose yards, 843 rushing yards and 525 kick return yards for the Miners.

Maynard is the 31st member of the elite fraternity of the Legends of the Sun Bowl that includes Cornelius Bennett, Tom Brookshier, Terry Donahue, Vince Dooley, Tony Dorsett, John H. Folmer, Tony Franklin, Hayden Fry, Ken Heineman, Priest Holmes, Don James, Major Harris, Charley Johnson, Harrison Kohl, Verne Lundquist, Johnny Majors, Jimmy Rogers, Jr., Gerald J. Rubin, Craig Silver, Bill Stevens, Pat Summerall, Barry Switzer, Grant Teaff, Derrick Thomas, Thurman Thomas, Pat Tillman, Alex Van Pelt, Jesse Whittenton, Blake Brockermeyer and most recently Mike Price.

Tickets for this year’s Hyundai Sun Bowl are now on sale and can be purchased at the Sun Bowl Association office (915-533-4416) or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Follow the Hyundai Sun Bowl on social media on Facebook (Hyundai Sun Bowl), Twitter (hyundaisunbowl), Instagram (hyundaisunbowl) and Snapchat (sunbowl2015).

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