By MICHAEL MURRAY

AMERICUS – Americus native and Georgia Football Hall-of-Famer, Kent Hill, will be visiting Americus on August 5 for, what some might consider, an unexpected reason.
As a part of the local First Friday event, the former offensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams will be sitting down for a question-and-answer session at Café Campesino’s downtown location to discuss one of his life’s other passions: baking.
Hill’s latest business venture, Kent’s Country Cookies, was born from his love of quality food nearly 10 years ago and his burgeoning business has continued to expand ever since.
Hill is certainly no stranger to success, having been considered a standout player for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets before being drafted in by the Rams in the first round of the 1979 draft. In his rookie season, Hill helped lead his team to a Super Bowl appearance, where they faced the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hill was named a Pro Bowl selection five times during his nine-year career in the NFL.
Hill’s continuing love of football and sense of humor are evident in his new business.  According to the Kent’s Country Cookies website, variety packages of the cookies are available with names such as “The Line-Up”, and “The Play Caller”. The names of other flavors refer more to Hill’s specific experiences, with titles such as “The Panting for More Panther” (referring to Hill’s time on the gridiron at Americus High School) and “The Rambling Ravishing Ram” (hearkening back to Hill’s time at Georgia Tech, as well as his stint with the L.A. Rams).
Café Campesino began carrying three flavors of Kent’s cookies earlier this year when Hill was in Americus to present a golden football to his alma mater, Americus-Sumter High School, as part of the NFL’s High School Honor Roll initiative that recognizes schools and communities that have contributed to Super Bowl history.
Learn more from Hill’s time in the NFL during a question-and-answer session at Café Campesino that is scheduled to run from 6:05 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.  The event will be book-ended with cookie giveaways so that participants can sample Hill’s delicacies.