Trustee John Paci Inducted into Football Hall of Fame
Nearly two decades after he passed his way into the hearts of Blue Devil fans, John P. Paci III has been enshrined in the National Football Foundation’s Long Island Football Hall of Fame for his remarkable career on the field and in the community.
The former Huntington football great and current School Board member was inducted last week during a reception at The Woodlands in Woodbury. “It’s certainly an honor,” Mr. Paci said about his induction. “To be included among the best players ever on Long Island is something that is very special to me.”
Mr. Paci awed crowds and drew the attention of scouts from the biggest college programs in the country by showing a penchant for laser-like passes en route to shattering a slew of Huntington football records. Known for his strong arm and exceptional footwork at quarterback, he won the 1989 Hansen Award, presented annually to Suffolk’s best player by Newsday.
Indiana University gave Mr. Paci a full scholarship out of high school and he responded with four great years in Bloomington. He established an NCAA Division I record in 1993 when he threw a 99 yard touchdown pass before 91,000 fans in a wild 38-31 loss to Penn State. He completed 262 of 494 passes (53%) for 3,119 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Hoosiers.
Mr. Paci was chosen for the Hall of Fame “in recognition for his outstanding playing ability as demonstrated in scholastic competition, his sportsmanship, integrity, character and contribution to the sport of football,” according to a certificate issued by the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana.
Legendary East Islip head coach Sal Ciampi and Steven Boyd, a Valley Stream Central High School linebacker who won the 1989 Thorp Award, presented to Nassau’s best player joined Mr. Paci as Hall of Fame inductees. The National Football Foundation also honored the First Team All-Long Island football players from this past season.
Former Huntington football head coaches John Paci, Jr. and Joe Lucey were on hand for the induction ceremony in the same room that earlier this year played host to the Huntington Foundation for Excellence in Education’s Reach for the Stars gala.
Mr. Paci obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in business at Indiana in 1994 and later completed graduate level coursework in public affairs. He played professional football in the World League of American Football with the Barcelona Dragons and the Frankfurt Galaxy and in the National Football League with the New York Jets and the Washington Redskins. He was nominated for the NFL Man of the Year Award in 1997.
Following his retirement from pro football in 1999, Mr. Paci embarked on what has become a successful Wall Street investment banking career. He still delivers motivational speeches in schools, continuing a practice he began while playing for the Jets. Mr. Paci and his wife Kelly are the parents of three young children.
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