RAMAT HASHARON, Israel (AP) Some of the greatest NFL players of all time descended on a converted soccer field outside Tel Aviv to watch local youths scrimmage in a big boost for the burgeoning sport of American football in Israel.
Joe Montana, Jim Brown, Roger Staubach and Mike Singletary were among the 18 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who arrived for a weeklong visit to the Holy Land to meet some of the 2,000 active players in Israel’s various leagues and to learn about the growth of gridiron in the country.
Scores of young players, fans and officials erupted upon the arrival of the delegation, a group donning their signature gold Hall of Fame jackets that included Jerome Bettis, Cris Carter, Dave Casper, Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, ”Mean” Joe Greene, Willie Lanier, Andre Reed, Bruce Smith and John Stallworth.