The weather was ideal in Canton last Saturday when the four new members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame viewed their busts for the first time and delivered their acceptance speeches before admiring family members and fans at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
The new Hall of Famers—Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates and Sterling Sharpe—all have different backgrounds but, on this one day, they ended in the same place in Canton. Each inductee had a common theme in their acceptance speeches. They all thanked former NFL teammates and coaches for helping them develop as players and eventual Hall of Famers.
Antonio Gates was elected to Canton in his second year of eligibility after not playing college football. He was an undrafted free agent who played 16 years as an outstanding tight end for the Chargers.
“I want to thank the legendary tight ends who paved the way for me,” Gates told the Canton crowd. “Tight ends like Mike Ditka, Charlie Sanders, John Mackey, Kellen Winslow, Sr, and Ozzie Newsome. I thank you, legends, for pushing the position and giving me a lane that I was fortunate enough to walk on.”
Jared Allen recalled a specific message that he received while still playing that helped spur him onto greater heights on the field.
“I will never forget the day I got an email from (Hall of Famer) Jack Youngblood telling me that he thought I played the game the right way,” Alen said on Saturday. “That email to me was worth more than any All-Pro honors I’ve ever received.”
Allen also singled out Vikings teammates, including two of his fellow defensive linemen—Pat Williams and Kevin Williams—in his remarks.
“You guys pushed me to new levels “ Allen said. “Kevin, I cannot wait to sit in these stands or on this stage when we celebrate you one day. You are a true, amazing player, my friend.”
Allen also thanked teammates Chad Greenway, E.J. Henderson, Ben Leber and Antoine Winfield, Sr. for raising his level of play.
Eric Allen had to wait 24 years before his name was called as a Hall of Fame inductee. He thanked in his remarks the man and team who drafted him in 1988.
“Thank you to the legend, Buddy Ryan, for drafting me,” he said in praise of the late Eagles head coach. “It was an honor to wear those Kelly Green uniforms and represent the city of Brotherly Love. We had an outstanding defensive football team. Whether it was Seth (Joyner), the late departed Reggie White, Clyde Simmons, or Byron Evans…we just had a tremendous team in Philly.”
Finally, Sterling Sharpe was the lone Senior Member in this year’s class. He was the first player to have 100-plus receptions in one season. He and his brother Shannon, a 2011 Hall of Famer, now are the first siblings with busts in Canton. Sterling gave credit not only to his brother but also to his former Packers assistant coach Sherm Lewis for having a profound influence on his development as a professional.
“Sherm (who also played for the Jets in the 60s) also coached the greatest wide receiver in history,” Sharpe said. “However, he never mentioned Jerry Rice and me in the same sentence, so I never felt I was playing in Jerry’s shadow. I appreciated that.”
It was another blue ribbon weekend in Canton with more than 100 Hall of Famers returning to the birthplace of the league to honor the new inductees.
We at NFL Alumni also want to recognize this new class and their families. It was a weekend you alumni will never forget.
