Tom Furlong, a brother of Offaly's AllIreland winning goalkeeper Martin, came closest to kicking in the NFL back in 1966, only to pick up an injury in the Atlanta Falcons' final preseason game. Kerry legend Mick O'Connell was also close to being offered a contract by the Los Angeles Rams after he impressed assistant coach Jack Faulkner while on holiday on the West Coast. In the end his age (O'Connell was 36 at the time) proved the stumbling block..The sevenyear NFL veteran (Detroit, Miami, Atlanta, New Orleans) was the third player taken in the 2002 NFL Draft.His passion was ignited as a middle distance walkon at Oregon under legendary coach Bill Bowerman from 195559. It was re fined as a shoe designer and entrepreneur that led to the formation of Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964. But it exploded with Philip Knight's love for his alma mater that will be remembered for generations to come.

In early 2012 an ETrade commercial aired during the New York Giants vs. New England Patriot