Norval Eugene "Norv" Turner (born May 17, 1952 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina) is the head coach for the National Football League's San Diego Chargers. He also has served as head coach of the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders, and as offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers.

Brandon Matthew Lloyd (born July 5, 1981 in Kansas City, Missouri) is an American football wide receiver in the NFL for the Washington Redskins. Lloyd graduated from Blue Springs High School in Blue Springs, Missouri. He attended the University of Illinois. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 4th round (124th overall) in the 2003 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Redskins on March 11, 2006 for a 3rd round draft pick in 2006, and a 4th round draft pick in 2007.

Eugene W. Wilson II (born August 17, 1980 in Merrillville, Indiana) is an American football safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He attended the University of Illinois and was drafted in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Patriots, with the fourth pick of the second round. He has helped the Patriots win Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2003 and Super Bowl XXXIX in 2004.

Jeffrey Scott George (born December 8, 1967 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American football quarterback, currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick of the 1990 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts. Jeff played for the Atlanta Falcons, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears.

Kelvin Darnell Hayden, Jr. (born July 28 1983 in Chicago, Illinois, USA) is a NFL cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts. He was originally selected in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft out of the University of Illinois. He returned a Rex Grossman interception for a touchdown in Super Bowl XLI. It was the first interception of his NFL career.

Danny Clark IV (born May 9, 1977 in Blue Island, Illinois) is an American football player and a middle linebacker with the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was released by the Oakland Raiders prior to the 2006 season and signed with the Saints, whom he played for one year before signing with Houston in 2007. Clark was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft, with the 245th overall selection.

Aaron Matthew Moorehead (born November 5, 1980 in Aurora, Colorado) is an American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Illinois.

Howard Griffith (born November 17, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois) is a retired American football fullback who spent 8 seasons in the NFL (1993-2000). While at the University of Illinois, Howard set the NCAA record for touchdowns in a game with eight. It occurred on September 8, 1990 against Southern Illinois University. Griffith was drafted in the ninth round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, but never played for the Colts.

Kurt Kittner (born January 23, 1980 in Schaumburg, Illinois) is an American football player who most recently played quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Prior to playing professional football, he was a record-setting quarterback for the University of Illinois, leading them to the 2001 Big Ten Championship.

Jerome Vincent Collins (born August 18 1982 in Columbus, Georgia, USA) is an American football player for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. He was the 144th pick of the 2005 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams from the University of Notre Dame. He played for the Rams and the Dallas Cowboys practice squads before coming to the Colts on October 4 2006. He was placed on injured reserve after injuring his achilles tendon during practice in December 2006.

Steve Weatherford (born December 17, 1982) is an American football punter who currently plays for the National Football League's New Orleans Saints. He was signed as an undrafted free agent on April 20, 2006 by New Orleans. Weatherford was released by New Orleans on September 2 only to be re-signed on September 5, 2006. He played college football for the University of Illinois.

Trenton James Jackson (born February 28, 1943 in Cordele, Georgia) was an American football wide receiver in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the University of Illinois.

Eric Scott Turner (born February 26, 1972 in Richardson, Texas) is a retired American football cornerback and a politician. As a football player, Turner played defensive back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos between 1995 and 2004. Turner played college football at the University of Illinois, and graduated from Illinois with a degree in speech communications.

Raymond Preston III (born June 12, 1982, in San Diego, California) is an American football offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. Preston graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in San Diego and played college football at the University of Illinois. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Bills where he played in all 16 games last season, starting one game for the injured Chris Villarrial and playing in special teams.

Claude "Buddy" Young (January 5, 1926 to October 19, 1983) was a football player. A native of Chicago, the 5'5" Claude "Buddy" Young also known as the "Bronze Bullet," had exceptional quickness and acceleration. As a track star at the University of Illinois, he won the National Collegiate Championships in the 100 and a 220-yard dash, tied the world record for the 45 and 60-yard dashes, and was the Amateur Athletic Union's 100-meter champion.

John Mackovic is the head coach of the U.S.'s first American Football World Cup team. The former college and professional American football head coach, is preparing the U.S. team to compete in the 3rd American Football World Cup tournament. Previously, Mackovic had served as the head coach in college football for Wake Forest University (1978-1980), the University of Illinois (1988-1991), the University of Texas (1992-1998), and the University of Arizona (2001-2003).

Dana Howard (born February 27, 1972 in East St. Louis, Illinois) is a former American football player. At the University of Illinois, Howard won the 1994 Dick Butkus Award, presented annually to the best linebacker in college football. Howard's teammates at Illinois included fellow standout linebackers Kevin Hardy and Simeon Rice. Howard's career spanned the 1991 through 1994 college football seasons. Howard was a consensus all-American in 1993 and 1994, …

Lou Tepper (born in Keystone, Pennsylvania) is an American football coach. Tepper has been the head coach at the University of Illinois (1991-1997), Edinboro University (2000-2005), and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2006-present). Tepper also served as the defensive coordinator at Louisiana State University from 1997 to 1999. Tepper was named the head coach at the University of Illinois in the 1991 season. Hired by John Mackovic as defensive coordinator in 1988, …

Keith Gerard Taylor (born December 21, 1964 in Pennsauken, New Jersey) was an American football safety in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts, the New Orleans Saints, and the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the University of Illinois.

Frederick Douglas Wakefield (born September 17 1978 in Tuscola, Illinois) is a tight end currently playing for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. In 2005 he started his 5th season. He played his entire career with Arizona, before signing with Oakland on March 9, 2007. He attended college at the University of Illinois.

Lucas J. Butkus (born June 26, 1979 in Steger, Illinois) is the current assistant offensive line coach of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Prior to joining the Bears, he spent the last two years as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Oregon. He attended training camp with the Bears in 2002 and the San Diego Chargers in 2003. Butkus also played center for the Rhein Fire of NFL Europa in 2003. He attended the University of Illinois.

James C. "J.C." Caroline (born January 17, 1933 in Warrenton, Georgia) is a former American football player. Caroline was a collegiate All-American, and played professionally for ten seasons in the National Football League, and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Caroline played college football at the University of Illinois, lettering in 1953 and 1954. A running back, Caroline led the nation in rushing with 1256 yards in 1953 as a sophomore, …

Sean Bubin (born January 26, 1981 in Houston, Texas) is a former American football offensive lineman of the National Football League. Originally a fifth-round pick out of the University of Illinois in 2004 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bubin has spent time with the Jaguars, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings. He has also played for the Hamburg Sea Devils of NFL Europe.

Darrick Dewayne Brownlow (born December 28, 1968 in Indianapolis, Indiana) was an American football linebacker in the NFL for the Washington Redskins, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football for the University of Illinois.

Edward Sternaman, better known as Dutch, was an American player, coach, and owner in professional football for the NFL's Chicago Bears. Sternaman and George Halas took over management of the Decatur Staleys (as the Bears were then known) in 1920 when both were working for the A. E. Staley Co., a corn products firm in Decatur, Illinois. Sternaman and Halas both starred in football at the University of Illinois under the coaching of Bob Zuppke.

Ed John Brady (born June 17, 1960 in Morris, Illinois) is a former American football player. Brady was raised in Morris, Illinois and attended Morris Community High School, where he led the Morris Redskins football team to a state championship. Brady played for the University of Illinois and was a member of the 1983 team which lost to UCLA 45-9 in the Rose Bowl. Brady spent 12 seasons in the National Football League.

Ernest Charles McMillan (born February 21, 1938 in Chicago Heights, Illinois) was a offensive tackle who played 15 seasons in the National Football League for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers. McMillan attended the University of Illinois. He is the father of former Pro Bowl safety Erik McMillan.

Lonnie Perrin (born February 3, 1952 in Norfolk, Virginia) was an American football running back in the NFL for the Denver Broncos, the Chicago Bears, and the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the University of Illinois.

Jerry Sturm (born December 31, 1936 in English, Indiana) is a former American college and professional football player. A center, he played college football at the University of Illinois, and played professionally in the American Football League for the Denver Broncos from 1961 through 1966, and later for several National Football League teams. He was an American Football League All-Star in 1964 and 1966.

Chuck Dickerson was a former position coach in the National Football League and Canadian Football League and sports radio host in Buffalo, New York. Currently, he is a regular featured commentator during the Buffalo Bills season. Dickerson earned All-American honors during his high school and college career as a defensive tackle for the University of Illinois. Personally, he married and has several adult children.

Joseph Andrew Krakoski (born December 18, 1937 in Danville, Illinois) was an American football defensive back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, as well as the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League. He played college football for the University of Illinois.

Edward Joseph Kawal (October 13, 1909 - September 1960) was an American football offensive lineman in the NFL for the Chicago Bears and the Washington Redskins. He attended the University of Illinois and Widener College.

Alec Raymond Gibson (born December 9, 1963 in Columbus, Ohio) was an American football defensive end in the NFL for the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the University of Illinois.

Julius A. Rykovich (April 6, 1923 - December 1974) was an American football running back in the NFL for the Washington Redskins and the Chicago Bears. Rykovich also played in the All-America Football Conference for the Buffalo Bills and the Chicago Rockets. He attended the University of Illinois and the University of Notre Dame.

Marvin Walter Berschet (born December 28, 1929 in Arlington Heights, Illinois) was an American football offensive lineman in the NFL for the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the University of Illinois.

Hugh (Shorty) L. Ray (September 21, 1884 - September 16, 1956) was the Supervisor of Officials for the National Football League from 1938 to 1952. Ray was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966 for his contributions to the quality of the game of football. Ray was born in Highland Park, Illinois, and attended the University of Illinois.