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TOWNSHIP, Ohio – A record 20 former players, coaches and contributors were inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in its 2020 class on Saturday night after the ceremony was postponed for more than a year due to the pandemic of COVID-19. Each member received a gold jacket, a bronze bust and a place in football immortality.
Fans from all over gathered in Tom Benson Stadium on a relatively cool evening in Northeast Ohio. It was the first of back-to-back Hall of Fame induction nights, as the 2021 class is slated for Sunday. The majority of fans were decked out in black and gold, with a large number of Steelers fans making their presence felt throughout the evening. There was also a good chunk of Colts, Broncos and Cowboys fans in the stands to cheer on their respective inductees.
Twelve of the 20 spoke: Troy Polamalu, Cliff Harris, Steve Atwater, Paul Tagliabue, Steve Hutchinson, Donne Shell, Isaac Bruce, Jimbo Covert, Edgerrin James, Harold Carmichael, Jimmy Johnson and Bill Cowher. The other eight – Bobby Dillon, Winston Hill, Alex Karras, Steve Sabol, Duke Slater, Mac Speedie, Ed Sprinkle and George Young – were elected posthumously.
Here’s a look at some of the most memorable moments from the first of two induction ceremonies this weekend.
Steelers Nation acquires Canton
Three of the Saturday night inductees were former Steelers, so Pittsburgh fans flocked to Canton to cheer on Bill Cowher, Donnie Shell and Troy Polamalu. Several other former Steelers made the trip to Canton. The list includes fellow Hall of Fame members Mel Blount, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Dermontti Dawson and Rod Woodson. It felt like the fourth quarter of a playoff game when Polamalu took the stage for his Hall of Fame speech.
Polamalu gets amazing jacket and bust, promotes Hines Ward
Ahead of the official kickoff of the festivities, former Steelers security Troy Polamalu received his gold jacket in front of a Steelers fan crowd. Polamalu was unable to receive his jacket on Friday evening after testing positive for COVID-19 last week. After arriving in Canton after obtaining medical clearance, Polamalu received the loudest standing ovation of the night. He was also keen to defend former teammate Hines Ward for the Hall of Fame induction.
Polamalu’s bust was amazing – you can read all about it here. Check it out for yourself.
The Edge brings down the house
One of the evening’s most beloved speeches came from Edgerrin James, who was humorous and insightful during his time on the podium. James explained that he is often stereotyped for his dreadlocks and gold teeth. James said he stays true to himself while embracing those who accept him. Of Manning, James said, “We couldn’t have been more different as people, but when we stepped onto the pitch we connected as brothers.”
James raised the crowd towards the end of his speech as he discussed how to bring the country closer together.
“If all you did is your job, the world would be a better place.”
Harold Carmichael’s pitch
The evening’s first speaker, former Eagles wide receiver Harold Carmichael, pleaded for Dick Vermeil to receive his Hall of Fame induction. Vermeil, who led the Eagles and Rams to Super Bowl appearances (the Eagles lost Super Bowl XV but his Rams won Super Bowl XXXIV) was on hand to see Carmichael receive his gold jacket.
Inspirational message from Cliff Harris
Former Cowboys defensive back Cliff Harris concluded his speech by explaining how a former Division II athlete who was not drafted reached the Hall of Fame. Pro Bowler in each of his last seasons, Harris played five Super Bowls with the Cowboys, winning two.
The (former) champions are here
Towards the end of his speech, former Broncos safety Steve Atwater asked his former Broncos teammates to stand up. Back-to-back Broncos Super Bowl Championship team members in the late ’90s included John Elway, Terrell Davis, Rod Smith, Bill Romanowski, Mark Schlereth and Neil Smith.
A quick story by Walter Payton
Jimbo Covert is now the second member of the 1985 Bears offense to receive a gold jacket. The first was Walter Payton, who retired as the all-time NFL race leader. Covert told a story about Payton, who tragically died in 1999. Covert said every player shared a hotel room on the road except Payton, who always found a way to stay with his former teammates. Covert said Payton would regularly sneak into Covert and back Matt Suey’s bedroom, jump on Covert’s (still asleep) bed and say in his shrill voice, “Hello, Sunshine. Time to kick some ass. . ”
Johnson’s HOF field
Jimmy Johnson has been pushing for Zach Thomas and Darren Woodson – mainstays of his defenses in Miami and Dallas – to receive their own bronze busts and gold jackets. Johnson also shared a coaching philosophy that saw the Cowboys go from 1 to 15 to Super Bowl champions in just three years.
Cow power
The last speaker of the evening, Cowher spent much of his speech thanking several deceased people: his parents, his first wife, Kaye, former Steelers president Dan Rooney, former Steelers linebacker and Temple inductee. of Fame 2016, Kevin Greene, and longtime NFL Coach Marty Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer coached and then hired Cowher on his team in Cleveland and Kansas City.
“Thank you coach for doing so much for so many people for so long,” said Cowher. “One day you will be in the Hallo of Fame.”
The best of the rest
- Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue echoed James’ feelings about listening to and learning from today’s athletes. “Like Edge [Edgerrin James] Put it on, don’t talk until you learn, ”he said, via NBC Sports. “Don’t act until you know. The voices of the players must be heard. They need to be debated. And, and, and they must be criticized if their views are not well founded. But listen to the players, because they have a lot to teach us all. ”
- Perhaps the most emotional moment of the night came when Steve Hutchinson spoke about his six children. While he showed his softer side on Saturday night, Hutchinson’s treatment of defensive linemen for a dozen seasons earned him his golden jacket.
- Isaac Bruce must have watched “The Last Dance” while writing his speech. The former Rams wide-out channeled his inner Michael Jordan by recalling his previous skeptics.
If you’d like to learn more about each of the 2020 inductees, check out our live blog below to relive the ceremony:
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