The career of former UNI Panther tight end Ryan Hannam took him a long way from his small Iowa hometown of St. Ansgar. Ryan went all the way to the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. He and his wife, April, and their one-year-old daughter Grace are now back home in Cedar Falls. Cedar Valley Athlete recently visited with the former NFL star.
 Ryan Hannam Stats:
Played tight end at UNI
Drafted in 2002 by Seattle 5th round, 169 pick
Signed with Dallas Cowboys in 2006
CVA: How was it for you on draft day?
RH: It was a long day. You sit there for hours on end waiting to hear your name called, and when it happens, it’s exciting. It was a relief to have the whole draft process over with, though. A lot of the unknowns were answered. But I had never been to Seattle and didn’t know much about the Seahawks, so I wasn’t totally sure what to expect.
CVA: What was it like playing in the Super Bowl?
RH: It was an unbelievable experience. You dream about it from the time you’re a little kid, and all of a sudden it’s coming true. I wish that all fans could know what it feels like to be on the field for the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl, with thousands of camera flashes going off at the same time. It’s the kind of thing that gives you goosebumps.
CVA: What was the biggest adjustment for you coming from a small school to eventually playing in the NFL?
RH: For me, the biggest difference from high school to college to the NFL was the size and speed of the players, as well as the overall speed of the game.
CVA: How does it feel to be a “hometown hero” in St. Ansgar?
RH: It makes me feel good that people enjoyed following my career and took an interest in what I was doing, but I really don’t feel differently or think of myself any differently than I used to just because I played football.
CVA: What lessons did you learn from the NFL?
RH: I learned that if you’re willing to work hard enough, and make the necessary sacrifices, anything is possible.
CVA: Was it difficult to change cities/teams, to pick up your life and play for a rival team?
RH: We really loved Seattle-both the city and the team-so it was hard to say goodbye and move to Dallas, especially since we had a good team and had just been to the Super Bowl. But one of the first things you learn in the NFL is that it is a business, and like any other job, sometimes you have to make some tough career decisions.
CVA: What are your best memories of UNI? Why did you choose UNI?
RH: The best memory I have of UNI is my senior year in 2001 when we won the conference championship and made the playoffs for the first time in several years. All the hard work that the players put into the program for 4 or 5 years finally paid off and it was satisfying to feel like we were part of getting UNI back to the level of success that Panther fans have grown accustomed to.
I chose UNI because I wanted to play football at a good school that was close to home. Academically and athletically it was the perfect fit for me.
CVA: What was it like having your brother follow your footsteps at UNI?
RH:It was a lot of fun for me to follow Ross’s career at UNI, especially with the success that the team had, and the success that he had personally. To play in all the playoff games that they did, as well as the National Championship Game, is something all those guys should feel proud of.
CVA: What now?
RH: We moved back to Cedar Falls last fall, and we’re excited to be back in the area and see where the next chapter in our life leads us.
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