Mayor Taveras Presents Super Bowl Champion and Providence Native Will Blackmon with Key to the City; Proclaims 'Will Blackmon Day in the City of Providence'

In a ceremony today at Providence City Hall, Mayor Angel Taveras presented XLVI Super Bowl Champion Will Blackmon with a Key to the City and proclaimed February 16, 2012, "Will Blackmon Day in the City of Providence."

Blackmon, a cornerback and special-teams player for the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, signed autographs and greeted fans following the ceremony.

"Even though he beat our beloved Patriots, we are very proud of Will and everything he's accomplished over the years," said Mayor Taveras. "I'm very pleased that Will has come back to his native Providence, so we can honor him for his accomplishments and thank him for his generous efforts off the field."

To the chagrin of many across New England, Will Blackmon played an important role in the New York Giants' championship NFL season. Presenting Blackmon with a Key to the City, Mayor Taveras warmly welcomed him back to Providence, congratulated him on his achievements and wished him continued success in the NFL.

Mayor Taveras commended Blackmon for generously giving his time and attention to such local efforts as the Pop Warner Providence Packers - which his father manages - and in food drives, high school football field refurbishing, the Salvation Army, families of children with cancer and a ministry created for professional athletes, among many other worthy causes.

"I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to the entire City of Providence and Mayor Taveras for making this homecoming so special for me. There have been lots of ups and downs in my career, but I have never given up," said Blackmon. "With this homecoming of sorts, I hope I at least inspired one other young athlete to never give up and always reach for the goal. I will forever represent this city and all the values it taught me and wisdom and encouragement I was given along the way by the people of this community!"

Blackmon attracted attention early on at Bishop Henricken High School in Warwick, where he earned 2001 All-America first-team honors from USA Today, ESPN and others. He went on to playing for Boston College and was drafted in the fourth Round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.