Professional Football Hall of Fame Inductions

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TOWNSHIP, Ohio – The 2021 Professional Football Hall of Fame class, led by three players in their first year of eligibility, wrapped up the Hall’s biggest dedication weekend on Sunday night at Tom Benson Stadium.

Seven members of the class were scheduled to step onto the podium during the evening, including Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson and Charles Woodson – all three were selected for consecration in their first year of eligibility. This is the ninth consecutive year that at least one former player has been registered in their first year of eligibility.

The celebration follows Saturday’s dedication ceremony, which featured Troy Polamalu, Edgerrin James and former Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson.

Here are some of the highlights from the seven new Hall of Fame members who spoke from the podium on Sunday in the order they appeared, along with social media posts and congratulations from their former teammates and teams:

Sunday speakers

Drew Pearson, wide receiver (Dallas Cowboys, 1973–1983)

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Former Cowboys wide receiver Drew Pearson thanks Roger Staubach for their time together in Dallas.

The summary: A former college quarterback who made the Cowboys an undrafted rookie wide receiver, he was the only first-team selection on the 1970s All-Decade squad who had not made it into the Hall of Fame. Like many senior finalists, his career had to be seen in the context of his time, given that his 58 catches in 1976 and 870 yards in 1977 led the league. Three-time All-Pro, he’s averaged at least 17 yards per catch over five seasons, including four of his first five years in the league.

He said it : “I had the biggest afro in NFL history [pointed to bust]. … This confirms it, the wait is over, is over. The original # 88 is presented for entry into the Professional Football Hall of Fame. … Guess what, strong hearts continue and that is why I am standing here on the steps of the Professional Football Hall of Fame. … It has been a journey, a long, hard journey on the road less traveled. … I did it my way and I did it the hard way. … Let me show you those legs, those legs made it to the Professional Football Hall of Fame [pulled up trouser legs for crowd]. “

Tom Flores (Oakland Raiders / Los Angeles 1979-87; Seattle Seahawks 1992-94)

The summary: As a player, assistant coach and head coach of professional football, Flores has four Super Bowl rings and an AFL championship under his belt. Flores and Hall of Fame member Mike Ditka are the only people in NFL history to have won the Super Bowl as players, assistant coaches and head coaches. His time with the Raiders included two Super Bowl wins and an 8-3 playoff record for a 0.727 winning percentage that places him behind Vince Lombardi.

He said it : “The reason I’m here and the reason I’m second on the show tonight is that I’m 84, I have to go to bed at 9 o’clock. Where’s my pillow? … Our first one house had dirt floors and no interior plumbing. … [In 1960] we were just a bunch of guys with no home stadium and most of the guys didn’t know where Oakland was I had to tell them. … This is what brought me to this point tonight, the passion. … Your passion sustains you in professional football. … Today, on this stage, we are all in one team, a team of gold jackets. “

Peyton Manning, quarterback (Indianapolis Colts, 1998-2011; Denver Broncos, 2012-15)

The summary: One of the league’s most decorated players, Manning has been a five-time MVP, a 14-time Pro Bowl selection, a seven-time All-Pro first-team selection and won two Super Bowls. At the time of his retirement, he held NFL records for passing touchdowns (539), passing yards (71,940) and quarterback starts won by his team (186, tied with Brett Favre) . His single-season records of 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdowns, set in 2013 with the Broncos, still stand.

He said it : “Tonight’s speech is the ultimate hurry up, hurry up. … Ray [Lewis] just finished his speech and he started in 2018.… I think it’s pretty cool to be on the same team as Johnny Unitas and Slingin ‘Sammy Baugh. … Dad, there is no one I would have preferred or more appropriate to present here. … To Jim Irsay and the Indianapolis Colts, my gratitude to you is off the charts. … To Pat Bowlen and the Denver Broncos, you took a chance on me at an important point in my life. … The future of this game is ours to shape, we just have to take tomorrow on our shoulders as easily as we put on our pads for the games. … God bless you and God bless football. “

John Lynch, security (Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1993-2003; Denver Broncos, 2004-07)

The summary: The San Francisco 49ers general manager has been selected nine times to the Pro Bowl as a player, twice selected to the first team All-Pro and winner of the Super Bowl. A much-vaunted baseball prospect who was once a second-round pick for the Marlins, he has become one of the NFL’s top safeties. He had eight seasons of 80 tackles, including 84 tackles in 2006 at age 35, and three with over 100 tackles.

He said it : “What a humbling honor … Nothing in my Hall of Fame journey has been easy, I waited eight years and then (Hall of Fame President) David Baker tells me I’m Peyton Manning, thank you David … One day I got a call from the late Bill Walsh and he said to me ‘John, I looked at our defense from last year and you were our best defending player, you can be a safety of the Pro Bowl … Herm (Edwards), you were also the first person who told me that I could have a bust someday in Canton, but only if I believed it … In football, you quickly discover that we are as strong as our weakest link… Each of us comes from a different world. life, but when we come together, we come together as a team. “

Class of 2021 member honored posthumously, with her bust unveiled on stage and a video tribute broadcast on the stadium’s video panels:

Scout / personnel manager Bill Nunn (Pittsburgh Steelers, 1970-2014).

The summary: Nunn started his career with the Steelers as a part-time scout while also working for the Pittsburgh Courier, where he was sports editor and then editor. He was the first evaluator in league history to show an NFL franchise the long-term value of recruiting players to historically black colleges and universities. The Steelers’ 1974 Draft alone and Nunn’s role in it was probably more than enough to get him into the Hall of Fame. In that draft, the Steelers selected four future Hall of Fame members – Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Jack Lambert and Mike Webster. They then signed a fifth future Hall of Fame – security Donnie Shell – as an undrafted rookie. In total, the Steelers drafted 11 future Hall of Fame members in Nunn’s tenure, and Shell was a 12th.

Canton photos and videos

Learn more about these NFL legends

• Peyton manning changed QB’ing forever
• Inside Calvin johnson329 yard game
• Troy Polamaluthe link with Bill Cowher
• Edgerrin jameslegacy linked to HBCUs
• J. Johnson: ‘What about those Cowboys?’
• Charles woodsonthe legendary NFL course
• Winston Hill, the friendship of Joe Namath
• Get to know this year’s HOF courses
• Videos: Watch those HOF moments



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