2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class: Julius Peppers, Devin Hester, Steve McMichael lead star-studded class

The newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame were revealed Thursday night at NFL Honors. These players will join the hundreds who are already immortalized in Canton, Ohio.  

Here’s a look at the modern era and senior inductees who will receive their bronze busts and gold jackets this summer. 

• Dwight Freeney, LB  — Freeney’s devastating spin move led to 125.5 career sacks and a Super Bowl ring with the 2006 Colts. 
• Andre Johnson, WR — The greatest offensive player in Texans history, Johnson was named to seven Pro Bowls and led the NFL in receiving on two occasions. 
• Devin Hester, returner — Arguably the greatest returner in NFL history, Hester is now enshrined in Canton after returning 20 kick/punt returns for touchdowns during his 11-year career. He is also the only player to return the opening kickoff of a Super Bowl for a touchdown, as he did so for the Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
• Randy Gradishar, LB — He led the Broncos‘ famed “Orange Crush” defense that spearheaded the Broncos’ first AFC championship in 1977. A complete linebacker, Gradishar won Defensive Player of the Year the following season after recording three interceptions, three sacks and four fumble recoveries.
• Patrick Willis, LB — Willis packed a lot into an eight-year career. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro and is a member of the Hall of Fame All-2000s Team. 
• Steve McMichael, DT — He played in a whopping 227 games (including a franchise-record 191 games with the Bears) and was an integral part of a Bears defense that led Chicago to the franchise’s first Super Bowl win at the end of the 1985 season. His 95 career sacks rank fourth all-time for defensive tackles, and he led the Bears in sacks seven times. 
• Julius Peppers, DE — Peppers has the distinction of being named to two Hall of Fame All-Decade teams after terrorizing opposing quarterbacks from 2002-2018.