A celebration was held last Saturday night in Atlanta when eight NFL alums were honored at the Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) induction ceremony sponsored by the Atlanta Falcons.
The eight new BCFHOF members are:
- Leslie Frazier (who played at Alcorn State from 1978-80)
- Henry Lawrence (Florida A&M, 1971-73)
- Albert Lewis (Grambling State, 1979-82)
- Jim Marsalis (Tennessee State, 1965-68)
- The late Tyrone McGriff (Florida A&M, 1976-79)
- The late Elijah Pitts (Philander Smith College, 1958-61)
- Johnnie Walton (Elizabeth City State, 1965-68)
In addition, former Bills defensive back Pete Richardson was inducted in the coaching category. He had a 169-76-1 record as head coach at Winston-Salem State and Southern University during a 20-year career at those two schools.
“This class is another representation of the immense football talent that has played at historically black colleges and universities,” says BCFHOF co-founder Doug Williams. “Several of these players were college All-Americans, high NFL draft picks and Pro Bowlers.”
Other honorees at the Hall of Fame ceremony last Saturday were Saints owner Gayle Benson, who received a BCFHOF Founders Award for her support of the inaugural BCFHOF Legacy Bowl in New Orleans in 2021. Former Pro Football Hall of Fame President and Executive Director David Baker attended the event and also received a Founders Award for being a strong BCFHOF ally for many years and providing a permanent home for the BCFHOF in Canton in 2016.
We at NFL Alumni Association congratulate all the above individuals and thank them for their significant contributions in making football the fans’ favorite sport.
