TALLAHASSEE, FL – Congressman Neal Dunn, M.D. (Florida-02) and Senator Rick Scott (Florida) recently introduced a bill that would award the late Coach Bobby Bowden, a football legend and leader in Florida’s Second Congressional District who passed away in 2021, with a Congressional Gold Medal.

“Coach Bobby Bowden was a leader on the field and in his community. While his grit and determination led the Seminoles to victory on many occasions, his kindness and generosity made him one of the most highly respected individuals in Florida,” said Congressman Dunn. “We are all grateful for his contribution to the Seminole Nation and the Sunshine State.”

Senator Rick Scott said, “While Coach Bobby Bowden was a legend on the football field, it is the generations of students, athletes and countless others he led and served off the field, that will forever define his greatness as an extraordinary leader, Floridian and American. Coach Bowden will be forever a Seminole, forever a Floridian, and with this legislation forever honored and recognized by the United States Congress for his lifetime of service and leadership.”

Bobby Bowden served as head coach of the Florida State University football team from 1976 to 2009. While coaching at FSU, Bobby Bowden’s teams won two national championships (1993 and 1999) and 12 Atlantic Coast Conference titles. Bowden posted a 316-97-4 record in his 34 years at FSU.

Bobby Bowden was also widely revered for his humanitarian contributions. In 2011, he was awarded the ‘‘Children’s Champion Award for Leadership Development’’ by the Children’s Hunger Fund. In 2004, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization began presenting an annual ‘‘The National Bobby Bowden Award’’ to a football player for philanthropic work.

The Congressional Gold Medal seeks to honor those, individually or as a group, "who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement." It is Congress's highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions.

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