Portrait Unveiling For Kerry Goode At Paul Bryant Museum

The Paul Bryant Museum honors the life of a hero and a fighter tonight at 6:00pm with the unveiling of a Kerry Goode portrait created by acclaimed artist Steve R. Skipper. The museum press release described the artwork as a stirring tribute to Kerry Goode that captures the essence of a life defined by heart, perseverance, and advocacy.

During his playing days and ever since, Kerry Goode has been one of Crimson Tide fan's most favorite. The now 60-year-old brought the fight to the battle on the football field in the 1980s, now he is waging a different battle with incurable Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

ALS is a neurodegenerative condition that robs a person of all his physical abilities while leaving his mind normal. He is confined to a wheelchair and can only speak in a whisper, requiring 24/7 care by his wife Tanja.

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Town Creek was a hotbed for Crimson Tide football, especially with the Goode family. Kerry and his brothers Chris, Kerry, Pierre and Clyde, along with Cousin Antonio Langham all suited up in crimson and white.

On the field in his first season in Tuscaloosa, he was SEC Freshman of the Year in 1983 as he rushed for 693 yards and averaged 6.7 yards per attempt. Unfortunately, he battled injuries the remainder of his time at the Capstone.

Goode was drafted by his old Bama Coach Ray Perkins who had moved to the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but his injuries limited him to playing only 14 plays with Tampa Bay and one as a Miami Dolphins. A promising career as one of the greatest running backs ever ended in his mid-20s.

But his legacy did not end with his on the field exploits. His battle with ALS and his solid faith in God has Crimson Tide fans continuing to cheer him.

Tonight's, portrait unveiling honors the various stages of Kerry's life. The art by renowned artist Steve Skipper is "Celebrating Legacy, Resilience and Uniting Community."

With tongue firmly in cheek, the often-humorous Goode reacted to the honor in a Facebook post, "So, my portrait unveiling is this Friday at the Bryant Museum. Sounds like a great honor, right? Legendary stuff. Alabama royalty. But here’s the thing—every time I walk into a museum, I can’t help but notice one small detail: everybody on the wall is dead. Not “thinking about retiring” dead. Not “gone fishing” dead. Nope—certified, embalmed, and gone-to-Glory dead." Goode is far from it!

The impact of contracting ALS has made Goode a role-model, "I never knew how hard it is to just sit and listen until I became unable to speak. Before, I thought listening was easy—you nod, you smile, maybe throw in a comment to show you’re paying attention. But when the ability to join the conversation is taken away—when you can’t agree, can’t disagree, can’t add your piece—it changes everything. It feels like part of you is left on the sidelines.

But in the silence, I’ve learned something profound: listening is more than waiting for your turn to talk. It’s a discipline. It’s a gift. And sometimes, it’s the most powerful ministry of all."

Tonight's unveiling runs from 6:00pm until 8:00pm at the Bryant Conference Center (300 Paul W. Bryant Drive). The free event will include: