Silver Anniversary Team  |  All-Time NFL Team

ST. LOUIS - A founding member of what was then known as the Gateway Football Conference in 1985, the league is celebrating its 25th anniversary season with four former Panther standouts being named to the Silver Anniversary team in what is now called the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The four players honored by the league include Sean Payton, Willie High, John Jurkovic and Ray McElroy.

Payton played quarterback for the Panthers from 1983-86 with only the 1985-86 seasons in the Gateway Football Conference. Payton was a two-time first team All-Conference selection and the league's Offensive Player of the Year in 1986 as he helped lead EIU to NCAA playoff quarterfinals. He is second in the MVFC record book in single season passing yardage at 3,456 set in 1986. His career passing yardage of 10,298 would lead the MVFC but only the final two year's of Payton's career were played in the conference. He earned honorable mention All-American honors in 1986.

High was a standout running back for the Panthers from 1992-95 earning first team All-Conference honors in 1993, 1994 and 1995. He was a first team All-American in 1995. High's 4,231 career rushing yards rank fifth all-time on the conference rushing list and third on the Eastern Illinois career list.

Jurkovic was the first player to earn multiple Defensive Player of the Year honors as he claimed that top honor in 1988 and 1989. He earned first team All-American honors in 1988 and 1989 and helped lead the Panthers to the NCAA playoff quarterfinals in 1989. He holds the conference single game record for sacks with six against Missouri State in 1986. He is sixth on the MVFC career sacks list with 27, a number that ranks third all-time at EIU.

McElroy was a three-time first team All-Conference selection from 1992-94 for the Panthers as a top defensive back. He earned third team All-American honors as a senior in 1994. He led the Panthers in interceptions with four in 1993.

In addition to selecting a Silver Anniversary team, the Missouri Valley Football Conference named its Silver Anniversary National Football League team. Jurkovic and McElroy were selected as members of that team representing Eastern Illinois. Jurkovic was a defensive lineman from 1991-99 with the Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns. He started 95 of 114 career games. McElroy had a six-year NFL career spanning from 1995-2001 with the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. McElroy appeared in 81 career games with nine starts. Current Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner (Northern Iowa) was named the league's Silver Anniversary Top Offensive Player while former NFL safety Rodney Harrison (Western Illinois) was named the Top Defensive Player.

Eastern Illinois was a founding member of the Gateway Football Conference in 1985 joining Illinois State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois and Western Illinois. The Panthers were members of the league from 1985-95 winning conference championships in 1986 and 1995.