Eight figures were elected on Saturday to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Bret Favre, the quarterback who took the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl XXXI title, won the NFL's Most Valuable Player award on three occasions. Mr. Favre set the league's Ironman streak. In his 20 seasons, Bret became the league's all-time leading passer with 6300 completions, 10,169 attempts, 508 touchdown passes----all records. The Gunslinger also set playoff records with 481 completions, 791 attempts, 5,855 yards, and 20 consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass.
Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr., who owned the San Francisco 49ers from 1977 to 2000. During that period of time, the Niners became the first team to win five Super Bowls (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV, and XXIX). Mr. DeBartolo hired Bill Walsh as head coach in 1979 and in that same year, drafted Notre Dame quarterback Joe Montana in the third round. During Eddie's regime, the Niners made 16 playoff appearances, won 13 NFC West Division titles, and advanced to ten NFC Championship Games, and, as mentioned earlier, became the first franchise to win five Super Bowl titles.
Tony Dungy, a former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back, went on to become a successful NFL assistant coach before becoming the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1996. On Coach Dungy's watch, the Bucs made the playoffs in 1997 after an absence of 14 years from post-season play. Tony built the Bucs team that won Super Bowl XXXVII under his successor Jon Gruden. After leaving Tampa Bay, he took over as head coach at Indianapolis in 2002. After his first season as Colts' head coach, Tony's teams went on to win 12 or more games in each of his next six seasons, winning Super Bowl XLI along the way.
A linebacker and defensive end, Kevin Greene racked up 160 total sacks, third in NFL history at the time of his retirement. During Mr. Greene's 15-year NFL career, he played for the Los Angeles Rams (1985-92), Pittsburgh Steelers (1993-95), Carolina Panthers (1996, 1998-99), and San Francisco 49ers (1997). He registered single-season double-digit sack totals 10 times and won the NFL sack title twice. Kevin played in six conference championship games on one Super Bowl (XXX, with Pittsburgh).
Marvin Harrison, a wide receiver who played 13 seasons (1996-2008) with the Indianapolis Colts, had eight straight seasons of 1,000 or more receiving yards and ten or more touchdowns. Mr. Harrison's best season may have been 2002, when he set the single-season record for receptions (143), while racking up 1,722 yards and eleven touchdowns. An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Marvin finished second only to Jerry Rice in the league record book in career receptions, most consecutive games with at least one catch (190), and most career 100-yard receiving games with 58.
A mainstay on the St. Louis Rams offensive line for 12 years (1997-2008), tackle Orlando Pace was the first offensive lineman selected as the first overall pick since 1968. Mr. Pace was a key cog in the Rams' Super Bowl XXXVI championship squad. Known for originating the pancake block, Orlando was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and five-time All-Pro.
Ken Stabler, the first southpaw passer to win a Super Bowl (XI) and the face of Oakland's 1970s outlaw Raiders, led Oakland to winning records in each of his nine seasons (which included five AFC West Division titles, five straight AFC title game appearances from 1973 to 1977, and the Super Bowl XI title) as starting quarterback. Mr. Stabler's Raiders teams won 66.1% of their games and he twice led the league in touchdown passes (in 1974 and 1976, both seasons which saw Kenny being made a Pro Bowl selection and NFL MVP). The Snake, who threw for 27,938 yards and 194 touchdowns, passed away last July at age 69.
Offensive guard Dick Stanfel was an anchor on dominant Detroit Lions teams during the 1950s. In his first three years, the Lions advanced to the NFL Championship Game, in all cases, against the Cleveland Browns, which the Lions won in 1952 and 1953. Mr. Stanfel's teammates recognized Dick's outstanding play and he was named the Lions' Most Valuable Player in 1953. After four years in Detroit, he was traded to Washington in 1956 and was reunited with his old college coach Joe Kuharich. While still being regarded as one of the league's elite players, Dick retired from the Redskins after three years there at age 31 to pursue a coaching career. He passed away last June at age 87.
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