The legend of Joe Burrow continues to grow by the week, and the Heisman Trophy winner will soon be given one of the biggest honors a player could receive.
Burrow’s alma mater, Athens High School in Ohio, has decided to name its football stadium after Burrow beginning next season. As The Advocate noted, the board met on Thursday and unanimously approved naming their football stadium “Joe Burrow Stadium.” The full name of the venue will be R. Basil Rutter Field at Joe Burrow Stadium.
The ACSD School Board unanimously decided to rename the Athens High School Football Stadium to "The Joe Burrow Stadium"
A ceremony to commemorate this occasion will be established after LSU season. Congrats to Joe and the entire Burrow family! #AthensBulldogs pic.twitter.com/wA0A61Ev1l
— Athens City School District (@AthensCitySD) December 20, 2019
Burrow attended Athens High School from 2011-2014, where he led the football team to three consecutive postseason appearances. He threw for 11,416 yards and 157 passing touchdowns and added another 2,067 yards and 27 rushing touchdowns during his high school career. As a senior in 2014, he was named Ohio Mr. Football and the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year.
During his Heisman Trophy speech, Burrow talked about his Southeast Ohio roots and the poverty in the area. His speech (you can watch it here) was one of the best we have seen in the award’s history, and it sparked hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to the Athens County Food Pantry. Athens High School also says donations have poured in to the schools booster program in addition to other non-profit support agencies.
Burrow will likely be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, but his immediate focus is on trying to lead LSU to a national title. If he does that, he’ll immediately become a legend in the Bayou in addition to his hometown.
