5 Memorable Moments From Orlando Pace’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Speech

Influence of Mother Joyce and Cousin Keith

From family members to former coaches, Pace had quite the list of people to thank on Saturday and rightfully so when considering the type of influence these individuals had on his life. However, there’s no question the two people who stood out the most during Pace’s speech was his cousin Keith and his mother Joyce.

Keith was the first one in the family to attend college and played a key role influencing Pace to do the same at Ohio State. Unfortunately, it can be tough for young individuals who play football to find the motivation to attend college, but luckily Pace realized the importance of a good education thanks to his cousin.

As for his mother Joyce, it was tough to hold back tears when seeing Pace thank her for all of the hard work and sacrifice she made when he was a child. The fact that Joyce worked two jobs just to support her son and daughter shows just how special of a woman she is and it was great to see her in attendance for her son’s speech.

Next: Watching Pace's Son Introduce His Father