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Joel Dreessen Moved To Tears With Colorado State Hall Of Fame Nod

DENVER (CBS4) -- On July 10, former Broncos and Colorado State University Rams tight end Joel Dreessen got a phone call that brought him to tears.

Denver Broncos v Cincinnati Bengals
Joel Dreessen #81 of the Denver Broncos runs with the ball during the NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on November 4, 2012 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

"Joe Parker called me, and I was just moved to tears," Dreessen recounted of the phone call he got from CSU's Director of Athletics.

"He said, 'Hey, we're doing a Hall of Fame this year and you're one of the members we've selected,' and I was just really touched. Just that they thought of me like that; I'm just incredibly honored. It was definitely a tearful moment."

Joel Dreessen
(credit: CBS)

Dreessen, who grew up in Fort Morgan and played his college ball at CSU is one of five members of CSU's 30th Hall of Fame class which will be honored during the weekend of Sept. 10 and 11.

"When something like this happens, you get really reflective," said Dreessen in an interview with CBS4's Michael Spencer.

"For me to be able to listen to Sonny Lubick every day and have him be my example for how to operate as man, I watched him, how he worked hard, he got up early, he stayed late how he shook hand and looked people in the eyes, how he loved his wife. He set an incredible example for how to operate as a young man, and I'm so grateful for him, he's the first thing that comes to my mind."

While at CSU, Dreessen earned first-team all-conference honors in 2002 and 2004, second team all-conference in 2003 and helped the Rams to the 2002 Mountain West Conference Championship.

Dreessen and the rest of the Hall of Fame class will be recognized on the field when Colorado State hosts Vanderbilt for Ag Day.

"It might be out there on the 50-yard line waiving my hand, but there will be so many other people that helped me along the way and that cared about me along the way. I'm honored, but there are a lot of others going in with me."

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