Ben Garland will get his moment at The Broadmoor World Arena this October when he joins the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation Hall of Fame. The former NFL center who spent 11 seasons bouncing between military duties and professional football earned his spot in the Class of 2025 ceremony set for October 21.
Garland’s story reads like something out of a movie. The Grand Junction kid who dreamed of the Air Force Academy made it there, played football, served his country, and somehow managed to play in three Super Bowls along the way. Not many people can claim that kind of resume.
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Back at the Air Force, Garland put together solid numbers from his defensive line spot. He played 39 games and started 34, putting up 115 tackles. As a senior, he made second-team All-Mountain West, which got some NFL scouts interested even though they knew about his military obligations.
The Denver Broncos took a chance on him as an undrafted free agent in 2010, then stuck him on their military reserve list while he knocked out his service time at Scott Air Force Base. Garland worked as a Public Affairs Officer there while keeping his football hopes alive. Most teams would have moved on, but Denver saw something worth waiting for.
When Garland shifted to the Colorado Air National Guard in 2012, he also made a big position change from defense to offense. Playing center turned out to be his ticket to real NFL playing time. He finally got on the field with Denver in 2014, joining a team that had just been to a Super Bowl.
Atlanta proved to be Garland’s best stop. The Falcons signed him in 2015, and he finally got regular playing time. His biggest moment came in that 2017 playoff win over Seattle when he tackled Russell Wilson for a safety. Atlanta rode that momentum to Super Bowl LI but lost to New England in overtime.
San Francisco picked him up in 2019 for another Super Bowl run that ended with a loss to Kansas City. Three Super Bowls with three teams show what kind of player he was. Through it all, he kept serving in the Air National Guard and made Major.
The awards piled up along the way. Two Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominations showed his community work mattered. The NFL handed him their Salute to Service Award in 2018 for his military support efforts. His teammates voted him for the Byron Whizzer White Award five times, which means something coming from the guys in the locker room.
Garland took his charity work seriously, visiting troops in Iraq and Kuwait with Falcons teammates. He worked with groups like Merging Vets and Players and the Children of the Fallen Patriots Foundation. Over 1,000 charity events during his career show he put action behind his words.
The Air Force Academy already put him in their Hall of Fame last year. Now, Colorado Springs gets to celebrate one of their own at the 25th annual ceremony. He’ll join Olympic volleyball star Haleigh Washington, basketball legend Valerie Johnson, and Pikes Peak racing icon Ralph Bruning in this year’s class.
The October 21 ceremony begins with a reception at 6, dinner follows, and the induction starts at 7. The Gazette and ANB Bank are sponsoring this year’s event. The silent auction returns, too; they’ve been running it every year since 2000. Tickets will be available this fall when the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation announces sales.
Garland proved you can serve your country and chase your dreams at the same time. His Colorado Springs Hall of Fame recognition caps off a remarkable journey from Air Force cadet to NFL veteran to community leader.