Brian Rothrock, of Lewistown, (right) waits in line to get an autograph of Penn State football players Cam Miller (front left) and Anthony Donkoh in September 2024, in State College.

LEWISTOWN – It started with a blank helmet purchased almost a decade ago, a canvas for displaying Penn State gridiron greatness.

A lifelong Nittany Lion football fan and avid sports memorabilia collector with an appreciation for history, there isn’t much Brian Rothrock hasn’t seen since 1999 when he started his massive collection.

With more than 100,000 Penn State game-day booster buttons, 300 programs, five full-sized football helmets, 4 1/2 cases of Penn State-themed Coca-Cola collectible bottles, life-sized cardboard cutout standup of legendary coach Joe Paterno and nearly a dozen footballs, 22 mini helmets and seven jerseys, all of which are autographed. To top it off, he has amazing stories to complement each collectible that would turn any Nittany Lion fan green (or blue) with envy.

But Rothrock’s pride and joy might be a project he just completed this past summer: Gathering the autographs for the Nittany Lion players who are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

“I just thought it would be neat to have,” the Lewistown man said. “I’d never seen another one. I would be a rare collectible to add to my stuff.”

Currently, there are six Penn State enshrined in Canton; however, Mike Michalske, sometimes known as “Iron Mike” and who was part of the second induction class in 1964, died in 1983 at age 80.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Michalske played guard and fullback for the Nittany Lions from 1923 to 1925 then suited up in the NFL for the New York Yankees (yes, that was an NFL team) and the Green Bay packers from 1926 to 1937.

Rothrock managed to get autographs for the remaining five: Mike Munchak, Lenny Moore, Jack Ham, Franco Harris and Dave Robinson.

Mike Munchak

A guard, Munchak played for Penn State from 1978 to 1981 then played for the Houston Oilers from 1982 to 1993, retiring as a nine-time selection to the Pro Bowl. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

After his retirement, Munchak continued his association with football by serving as an assistant coach for five different NFL teams and was the head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2011 to 2013. He also was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line coach from 2014 to 2018.

In 2018, while Munchak was coaching in Pittsburgh, Rothrock attended the team’s training camp in Latrobe with the hopes of gaining an autograph.

“I was standing in line waiting for probably 45 minutes,” Rothrock recalled. “This guy cut in front of me and gave his (Munchak’s) autograph twice.”

Rothrock called to the NFL great, who stuck around a few minutes to sign the Penn State helmet. “I’d been really upset not to get it,” Rothrock said of his autograph.”

Lenny Moore

Leonard “Lenny” Moore was a halfback and flanker for the Nittany Lions from 1952 to 1955. Moore, nicknamed “Lightning Lenny” for his unmatched speed, played for the NFL’s Baltimore Colts from 1956 to 1967.

Moore was named the NFL Rookie of the Year in 1956 and was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times. Moore was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975.

Rothrock drove to Maryland and got his autograph during a dinner event.

Jack Ham

Jack Ham, the current color commentator for Penn State football, was autograph No. 3. A little scouting reconnaissance enabled Rothrock to get Ham’s signature on his prized helmet.

“I knew the media gate he would go in, so I just waited until he came out and got him to sign,” Rothrock recalled of Ham, who played in Happy Valley from 1968 to 1970.

Ham is considered one of the greatest outside linebackers in the history of the NFL. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990. In 1999, he was ranked number 47 on The Sporting News’ list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

Ham was selected 34th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second-round of the 1971 NFL draft. He won the starting left linebacker job as a rookie. He was first-team All-Pro six years and was named to eight straight Pro Bowls.

Franco Harris

While Rothrock had a game plan for Ham’s autograph, he needed some unexpected help to land Penn State icon Franco Harris, who passed away at age 72 in December 2022.

“I actually didn’t get him,” Rothrock quipped. “His wife got him for me.”

Rothrock was attending a pep rally for a broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Fans were able to snap a selfie with Harris, who was a fullback for 13 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

I took this helmet, hoping he would sign it for me,” Rothrock added. “Right away, security was like ‘no autographs.’ I asked him if I hung around and I saw you, ‘Would you sign this for me?’ He said, ‘If you find me and see me, I will sign.'”

Rothrock and stepson, Max Tate, were waiting off to the side of the staging area when they ran into Harris’ wife, Dana. She grabbed the helmet and a Sharpie and came back with the helmet signed – with his latest prized possession.

Rothrock was overcome with gratitude. “I was like, ‘I’ve been working on this helmet for several years’ at that point,” he said. “I asked her if I could give her a big hug, I was beside myself.”

It wasn’t until later, Rothrock learned her identity. Three months after that event, Harris passed away. “I’m just so glad I got him,” Rothrock said.

Harris played college football for Penn State from 1968 to 1971 and was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft. Harris spent his first 12 seasons with Pittsburgh, earning nine Pro Bowl selections, and was a member of the Seattle Seahawks in his last.

A four-time Super Bowl winner with the Steelers, Harris was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl IX. He also scored the “Immaculate Reception” touchdown, one of professional football’s most famous plays, which gave the Steelers their first playoff win. Harris was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

Dave Robinson

The last of the five Lions he has was Dave Robinson, who played end on both offense and defense for Penn State from 1960 to 1962. He was drafted by both the NFL and American Football League in 1963 but opted to play professionally for the NFL’s Green Bay Packers and the Washington Redskins. Robinson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

“He was one of the hardest ones to get because he had some health issues and coming out of COVID, he wasn’t signing autographs,” Rothrock said.

Periodically, Rothrock would search the Internet to see if Robinson, now 84, was scheduled to appear at any signings. “It was like three to four years, and he didn’t sign anything,” he added.

Over the summer, Rothrock discovered Robinson was scheduled to appear at a collectibles show in Chicago.

Rothrock couldn’t attend the show but found a service that would take his helmet to get it autographed. It was an offer to good to pass up.

“I shipped the helmet to Chicago, and I was a nervous wreck,” Rothrock said. “If something happened to it, there was no replacing it. With sports memorabilia, there’s really no way to say what it’s worth, so I really shipped it uninsured.”

He sent it to an individual who he paid to take his helmet to the show and get Robinson to sign it.

“It was a service where the guy buys tickets, waits in line, has whatever you want signed and sends it back to you,” Rothrock explained. “I was a nervous wreck for weeks. I didn’t know if I’d ever see it again.”

It also didn’t help that the helmet was supposed to arrive within a certain window for the service, and it got to the Windy City early. Rothrock had to track it down to the hotel where it was sent and ask them to hold onto it for 24 hours until the scheduled time when the service would pick it up.

“I didn’t think the guy would accept it,” Rothrock said. “It worked out.”

About three weeks after the event, the newly-signed helmet was delivered back to Mifflin County and it now resides in his man cave with his other autographed collectibles.

“I put all of them – the autographed helmets – on top of the (foot) ball cases that I had signed,” Rothrock said.

What is his next project? Of course, he’s got one cooking. Rothrock is trying to collect as many signatures as he can from the 2025 Nittany Lions.