Tonight’s festivities will get started with “NFL Opening Kickoff 2009 Presented by EA Sports,” a free concert open to the public in Pittsburgh’s Point State Park that will feature three-time Grammy Award-winning artists Tim McGraw and The Black Eyed Peas. There will be simulcast coverage of the 30-minute pregame show which will air from 8-8:30 p.m. ET on NBC and NFL Network.

Also, on the eve of the eighth anniversary of 9/11, the NFL and Steelers will pay tribute to the men and women who lost their lives on that tragic day. Members of 40 families who lost loved ones on Flight 93, which crashed in nearby western Pennsylvania, will be on the field for the tribute. They will wear number 93 Steelers jerseys with the name of their loved ones on the back. In addition, the Steelers will salute their Super Bowl XLIII team with a special on-field moment. Steelers great and recent Hall of Fame inductee Rod Woodson will participate in the coin toss ceremony. And Harry Connick Jr. will sing the national anthem from Heinz Field.

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Steelers, Titans Kickoff 2009 NFL Season

Rod Woodson, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2009 / Photo: Newscom

Then-Steelers head coach Chuck Noll acknowledged Rod’s versatility by playing him at cornerback and as a kick returner, but Rod was too valuable to risk playing on both offense and defense. Rod responded by earning Pro Bowl honors in just his third season. It wasn’t, however, until coach Noll’s successor, Bill Cowher, took over that Rod really blossomed. In 1992 Rod was second on the team with 100 tackles and six sacks. The next season he had eight interceptions, 28 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, two quarterback sacks, blocked a field goal attempt and recorded a team high 79 solo tackles. For his effort he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Rod is a member of the 1990s All-Decade Team and was named to the Pro Bowl 11 times, an NFL record for a defensive back. In 1994, he was one of only five active players to be named to the NFL’ s 75th Anniversary Team.

Rod spoke boldly of his faith in God and spent the better part of his enshrinement speech thanking all the individuals who sacrificed themselves to put him in the Hall of Fame. And he wasn’t kidding. Rod’s would end up being the longest of all the acceptance speeches this night.

Interestingly, Rod also spoke about biracial relationships and about being “judged by the color of your skin and not the content of your character” based on his own experiences:

“Society wants us to choose what we are so many times. Are you black? Are you white? Are you democrat? Are you republican? But remember one thing: God made us all of one blood and one spirit. You people who have mixed marriages, tell your kids they do not have to choose what side they’re on. We always want to choose but we don’t have to. God made you what you are. Remember that.”

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Pro Football Hall of Fame: Rod Woodson

Pro Football Hall of Fame, August 8, 2009 / Photo: Newscom

Pre-enshrinement introductions begin at 6:45 p.m. and the Class of 2009 Enshrinement Ceremony starts at 7. The Class of 2009 (and their presenters) are as follows. This is also the order of enshrinement tonight:

• Ralph Wilson, Jr. (presented by Chris Berman)
• Randall McDaniel (presented by O.K. Fulton)
• Bob Hayes (Roger Staubach will speak on behalf of the family. Bob’s son Bob Hayes, Jr. will represent his late father during the weekend’s festivities)
• Rod Woodson (presented by Tracy Foster)
• Derrick Thomas (Carl Peterson will speak on behalf of the family. Derrick’s son Derrion Hayes will represent his late father during the weekend’s festivities)
• Bruce Smith (presented by Ted Cottrell)

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Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2009

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced their Class of 2009 today in Tampa (site of tomorrow’s Super Bowl XLIII, of course). Wide receiver Bob Hayes, guard Randall McDaniel, defensive end Bruce Smith, linebacker Derrick Thomas, owner Ralph Wilson Jr., and defensive back Rod Woodson make up the Class of 2009 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinees.

The six-man class was elected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee. The newest members of the Hall were selected from a list of 17 finalists that had been determined earlier by the committee. I was somewhat surprised to see that Cris Carter came up short again. I was also kind of surprised to see that Shannon Sharpe, Andre Reed and former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue didn’t make this year’s class despite being among the finalists. But as always, there are so many deserving names and only so many spots, so it’s really just a matter of time for these gentlemen.

• Bob Hayes, a gold medalist track star in the 1964 Summer Olympics, combined his world class speed with great hands. “Bullet Bob,” a three-time All-Pro pick, caught 371 career passes for 7,414 yards and 71 touchdowns. Because Bob passed away back in 2002 at the age of 59, his sister read a letter at today’s presser that he had previously written for just this occasion — if it ever happened. It was a tearful moment. Bob sure seemed like a great person. I wish I had been able to see him play more (he retired when I was eight-years-old) because his highlight reel is something to see.
• Randall McDaniel was named All-Pro nine straight seasons and voted to a record 12 consecutive AFC-NFC Pro Bowls during his 14-season career with the Minnesota Vikings (1988-1999) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2000-01). I remember him as a monument on the Vikings offensive line (and what an ugly stance he had) and truly one of the best to ever play his position.
• Bruce Smith, the first overall pick in the 1985 draft by the Buffalo Bills, is the NFL’s all-time sack leader with 200 career sacks. A member of both the NFL’s All-Decade Teams of the 1980s and 1990s, Bruce was named first-team All-Pro nine times and voted to 11 Pro Bowls. Enough said right there. Bruce was a no-brainer, first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer. And a true gentleman.
• It’s going to be a big year for the Buffalo Bills at the Pro Football Hall of Fame because owner Ralph Wilson Jr. was also elected. Mr. Wilson founded the Bills in 1959 and watched his team win back-to-back AFL titles in the mid-1960s and become the only team ever to advance to four consecutive Super Bowls. He was an integral part of the AFL’s success and has also served on a number of important NFL committees over the years. Despite economic hardships here in Western New York, Mr. Wilson has managed to keep the Bills in Buffalo.
• Derrick Thomas amassed more sacks during the 1990s than any other player. He was selected to nine Pro Bowls, named All-NFL three times, and was All-AFC seven times in an eight-year stretch. He was relentless. I remember a game against Seattle where he had eight sacks. Yes, in one game! What is even more impressive was his work off the field. Did you know Derrick was the first NFL player to ever start his own charitable foundation, something that’s rather commonplace these days? Sadly, Derrick is also no longer with us. He died nine years ago from severe injuries sustained in an auto accident.
• Rod Woodson, a member of the NFL’s 75th Anniversary Team in 1994 and selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s, intercepted 71 passes which he returned for an NFL record 1,483 yards and a record 12 touchdowns. He was named All-Pro six times and voted to 11 Pro Bowls. As good as Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed is today, he hasn’t reached the level of play of Rod Woodson, one of the best safeties of all-time. Rod is a class act.

The 2009 class will increase to 253 the number of all-time greats permanently honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Enshrinement of the Class of 2009 will take place at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, on Saturday, August 8, 2009 at 7 p.m. ET. The Enshrinement Ceremony will be televised live by both ESPN and the NFL Network. I’m very impressed with this year’s class and I plan to attend and cover the ceremony for my 6th straight season.

Source: NFL Media, Photo: Newscom

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Pro Football HOF Class of 2009

And then there were 17. There are four first-year eligible players — John Randle, Shannon Sharpe, Bruce Smith, and Rod Woodson — among the 17 finalists who will be considered for election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The HOF’s Board of Selectors meets in Tampa on Saturday, January 31, the day before Super Bowl XLIII. There are nine modern-era players, two contributors and two players nominated earlier by the Hall of Fame’s Senior Committee. The nine modern-era players are Cris Carter; Dermontti Dawson; Richard Dent; Russ Grimm; Cortez Kennedy; Bob Kuechenberg; Randall McDaniel; Andre Reed; and Derrick Thomas. The contributors are former National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and Buffalo Bills founder/owner Ralph Wilson, Jr. And the Senior Committee nominees are former Dallas Cowboys receiver Bob Hayes and former Atlanta Falcons defensive end Claude Humphrey.

This is a very interesting and diverse group. The first-year eligibility players alone are impressive enough to have a spot in the Hall. Rod Woodson is the NFL’s all-time leader in interceptions returned for touchdowns. Bruce Smith is the NFL’s all-time leader in sacks with 200. When Shannon Sharpe retired he was the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions for tight ends. He also went to eight Pro Bowls. And John Randle had 137.5 sacks and was a seven-time All-Pro. I can’t wait for the announcement. The Class of 2009 can be no more than seven and no fewer than four.

Source: ProFootballHOF.com

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17 Finalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

Four first-year eligible players — John Randle, Shannon Sharpe, Bruce Smith, and Rod Woodson — are among the 25 semifinalists being considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2009. The Hall of Fame’s Board of Selectors announced the 25 semifinalists today from the recently revealed list of 133 preliminary nominees. Even though he has been eligible since 1999, this is first time that Roger Craig has been a semifinalist. Each of the remaining 20 nominees has been on the semifinalist list at least once prior to this year. And while no coaches are among the semifinalists, the list includes three contributors — Art Modell, Paul Tagliabue and Ralph Wilson.

The complete list of 25 modern-era semifinalists is as follows:

• Cris Carter, WR
• Roger Craig, RB
• Terrell Davis, RB
• Dermontti Dawson, C
• Richard Dent, DE
• Chris Doleman, DE/LB
• Kevin Greene, LB/DE
• Russ Grimm, G
• Ray Guy, P
• Charles Haley, DE/LB
• Lester Hayes, CB
• Cortez Kennedy, DT
• Bob Kuechenberg, G
• Randall McDaniel, G
• Art Modell, Owner
• John Randle, DT
• Andre Reed, WR
• Shannon Sharpe, TE
• Bruce Smith, DE
• Ken Stabler, QB
• Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner
• Steve Tasker, Special Teams/WR
• Derrick Thomas, LB
• Ralph Wilson, Owner
• Rod Woodson, CB/S

The list of 25 semifinalists will be reduced by mail ballot to 15 modern-era candidates. That list increases to 17 finalist nominees with the inclusion of the two recommended candidates of the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee. The Seniors Committee nominees, who were announced in August, are Bob Hayes and Claude Humphrey. Bob Hayes is a three-time All-NFL pick spent 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (1965-1974) and one season with the San Francisco 49ers (1975). Claude Humphrey is a five-time, first-team All-Pro defensive end who played with the Atlanta Falcons (1968-1978) and Philadelphia Eagles (1979-1981). The results of the modern-era reduction vote to 15 finalists will be announced in early January.

To be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a nominated player or coach must have been retired at least five years. A contributor, who is a nominee who has made outstanding contributions to pro football in capacities other than playing and coaching, may still be active in his career.

Although there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s current ground rules do stipulate that between four and seven new members will be selected each year. No more than five modern-era nominees can be elected in a given year and a class of seven enshrinees can only be achieved if both senior nominees are elected.

The Class of 2009 will be determined at the Selection Committee’s annual meeting on Saturday, January 31, 2009, in Tampa, Florida the day before Super Bowl XLIII. The election results are announced immediately following the meeting at a press conference at the Super Bowl media headquarters.

Source: NFL Media, Photo: Newscom

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Pro Football HOF Modern-Era Semifinalists

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

Defensive end Bruce Smith, defensive back Rod Woodson and tight end Shannon Sharpe are among the first-year eligible candidates on a list of 133 players, coaches and contributors who make up the preliminary list of modern-era nominees for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2009. From this preliminary list of modern-era nominees, Hall of Fame selectors will choose 25 candidates who will advance as semifinalist nominees. The list of 25 modern-era semifinalists will be announced later next month. The 25 modern-era semifinalists list will be reduced by a mail ballot to 15 modern-era finalists. The final list of nominees that will be considered for election will consist of the 15 modern-era finalists and the two previously announced senior nominees, Bob Hayes and Claude Humphrey.

Hayes and Humphrey were selected this past August by the Hall of Fame’s Senior Selection Committee. Hayes, a three-time All-NFL pick, amassed 371 career receptions for 7,414 yards and 71 touchdowns during his 11-season career with the Dallas Cowboys (1965-1974) and the San Francisco 49ers (1975). He also returned 104 punts for 1,158 yards and three touchdowns and had 23 kickoff returns for 581 yards. Humphrey, a defensive end, was selected third overall in the 1968 draft by the Atlanta Falcons. The NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year he earned first team All-Pro honors in 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1977 and was named to six Pro Bowls during his career with the Falcons (1968-1978) and Philadelphia Eagles (1979-1981).

The Class of 2009 will be selected from the list of 17 finalists (15 modern-era and two senior nominees). The actual voting will be conducted at the Hall of Fame Selection Committee’s annual meeting, which will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2009, in Tampa, Florida the day before Super Bowl XLIII. The election results will be announced immediately after the meeting at a press conference in the media headquarters. While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the ground rules provide that between four and seven new members will be selected.

The preliminary list includes 110 players, seven coaches and 16 contributors, including former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and longtime team owners Bud Adams, Jerry Jones, Art Modell and Ralph Wilson. To be considered for Hall of Fame election, a nominated player or coach must have been retired at least five years. A contributor, who is a nominee who has made outstanding career contributions to pro football in capacities other than playing or coaching, may still be active in his pro football career.

PRELIMINARY LIST OF NOMINEES FOR THE CLASS OF 2009

First-Year Eligible Nominees

RUNNING BACKS – Larry Centers, Brian Mitchell (also KR/PR)

TIGHT ENDS – Shannon Sharpe, Frank Wycheck

OFFENSIVE TACKLE – Lincoln Kennedy

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN – John Randle (DE/DT), Bruce Smith (DE), Dana Stubblefield (DT)

LINEBACKER – Jessie Armstead

DEFENSIVE BACKS –Darren Woodson (S), Rod Woodson (CB/S)

Additional Nominees

QUARTERBACKS – Ken Anderson, Boomer Esiason, Jim Plunkett, Phil Simms, Ken Stabler, Joe Theismann, Doug Williams

RUNNING BACKS – Ottis Anderson, Roger Craig, Terrell Davis, Greg Pruitt (also KR/PR), Herschel Walker, Ricky Watters

WIDE RECEIVERS – Cliff Branch, Harold Carmichael, *Cris Carter, Wes Chandler, Gary Clark, Isaac Curtis, Henry Ellard, Irving Fryar, Roy Green, Harold Jackson, Herman Moore, Stanley Morgan, *Andre Reed, Sterling Sharpe

TIGHT ENDS – Mark Bavaro, Todd Christensen, Ben Coates, Russ Francis, Brent Jones, Steve Jordan

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN – Tony Boselli (T), Lomas Brown (T), Jim Covert (T), Randy Cross (G/C), Dave Dalby (C), Dermontti Dawson (C), Ray Donaldson (C), *Russ Grimm (G), Jay Hilgenberg (C), Kent Hill (G/T), Chris Hinton (G/T), Kent Hull (C), Joe Jacoby (T), Mike Kenn (T), *Bob Kuechenberg (G), Jim Lachey (T), Henry Lawrence (G/T), Mark May (G/T/C), *Randall McDaniel (G), Max Montoya (G), Marvin Powell (T), Steve Wisniewski (G)

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN – Ray Childress (DT/DE), *Richard Dent (DE), Chris Doleman (DE/LB), Carl “Big Daddy” Hairston (DE/DT), Charles Haley (DE/LB), Ed “Too Tall” Jones (DE), Cortez Kennedy (DT), Joe Klecko (DE/DT/NT), Steve McMichael (DT/NT), Leslie O’Neal (DE), Fred Smerlas (NT), Art Still (DE)

LINEBACKERS – Cornelius Bennett, Robert Brazile, Kevin Greene (LB/DE), Ken Harvey, Rickey Jackson, Tom Jackson, Clay Matthews, Karl Mecklenburg, Sam Mills, Hardy Nickerson, Chris Spielman, Pat Swilling, Darryl Talley, *Derrick Thomas

DEFENSIVE BACKS – Eric Allen (CB), Steve Atwater (S), Joey Browner (S), LeRoy Butler (S), Deron Cherry (S), Raymond Clayborn (CB), Kenny Easley (S), Lester Hayes (CB), Albert Lewis (CB), Ken Riley (CB), Eugene Robinson (S), Donnie Shell (S), Louis Wright (CB)

PUNTERS/KICKERS – Rich Camarillo (P), *Ray Guy (P), Nick Lowery (K), Reggie Roby (P)

SPECIAL TEAMS/WIDE RECEIVER – Steve Tasker

COACHES – Don Coryell, Tom Flores, Jimmy Johnson, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Dan Reeves, Clark Shaughnessy

CONTRIBUTORS – Bud Adams, Gil Brandt, C.O. Brocato, Leo Carlin, Ed DeBartolo, Jr., Ben Dreith, Bob Harlan, Jerry Jones, Art Modell, Art Rooney, Jr., Ed Sabol, Steve Sabol, *Paul Tagliabue, Ralph Wilson, Jr., Ron Wolf, George Young

*On 2008 17 finalists list

Source: NFL Media, Photo: Newscom

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Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2009 Nomination List Features 133 Former Players