Eight former players and one former coach will join the legends who are currently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This year’s class is comprised of five modern day, three senior inductees and one coach/contributor inductee.
The 2023 Hall of Fame induction class was unveiled during NFL Honors on Thursday night. Of the eight players selected, seven lined up on defense. There were no skill positions selected, a rarity in the 60-year history of the Hall of Fame. The Class of 2023 will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday, Aug. 5, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
** denotes first-year eligible players
Modern-day inductees
**CB Darrelle Revis (2007-17): “Revis Island” was anything but a vacation spot for NFL wideouts during his 10-year career. The seven-time Pro Bowler routinely locked down the league’s best receivers while making life miserable for quarterbacks. He helped New England snap its 10-year Super Bowl drought in 2014 after leading the Jets to consecutive AFC title games in 2009-10.
**OL Joe Thomas (2007-17): One of the greatest left tackles in NFL history, Thomas earned 10 consecutive Pro Bowl nods while being named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2010s. The NFL’s modern day “Iron Man,” Thomas played in 167 games and amassed 10,363 consecutive snaps.
LB Zach Thomas (1996-08): A tackling machine, Thomas racked up seven Pro Bowl and five All-Pro nods over a nine-year span. He tallied 1,734 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 17 interceptions (four returned for touchdowns), 16 forced fumbles and eight fumble recoveries over his 13-year career.
LB DeMarcus Ware (2005-16): Ware racked up 138.5 sacks during his 12-year career. A seven-time Pro Bowler with the Cowboys, Ware earned two more Pro Bowl nods after joining the Broncos in 2014. Ware helped the Broncos win Super Bowl 50 before retiring the following season.
CB Ronde Barber (1997-12): A key member of the Buccaneers‘ 2002 championship-winning defense. His pick-six in that years’s NFC title game win over the Eagles is arguably the greatest play in franchise history. A modern day iron man, Barber played in a whopping 251 games over his 16-year career.
Senior inductees
DL Joe Klecko (1977-88): The versatile lineman earned Pro Bowl nods at defensive end, defensive tackle and nose tackle. He led the NFL with 20.5 sacks in 1981 while serving as a valuable member of the Jets‘ “New York Sack Exchange” defense.
LB Chuck Howley (1958-73): The only Super Bowl MVP from a losing team, Howley picked off two passes in Dallas’ 16-13 loss to the Colts in Super Bowl V. He had another interception in Super Bowl VI, as the Cowboys defeated the Dolphins to win their first Super Bowl. Howley was named to six Pro Bowls and was a five-time All-Pro.
CB Ken Riley (1970-83): A career Bengal, Riley’s 65 career interceptions are tied for the fifth most in NFL history. In 1983, his final season, Riley picked off eight passes while returning a league-high two for touchdowns. Riley joins Anthony Munoz as the only Bengals enshrined in Canton, Ohio.
Coach/contributor inductee
Don Coryell: Architect of the “Air Coryell” offense, the innovative coach helped modernize the passing game. Coryell led the Cardinals to three straight 10-win seasons before guiding the Chargers to four straight playoff appearances. The Chargers’ offense remains one of the most prolific in league history, led by future Hall of Famers Dan Fouts, Kellen Winslow, and Charlie Joiner.
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Author: Bryan DeArdo
July 6, 2023 | 10:21 am
