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The 2021 Pro Football Hall Of Fame Class Has Been Announced

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An exterior view of the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame elected eight new members to its ranks on Saturday evening, less than 24 hours before the conclusion of strenuous 2020 season at Super Bowl LV. Nonetheless, the following players and coaches will get the chance to celebrate the highest honor an NFL player or coach can receive.

The 2021 NFL Hall Of Fame Class will consist of Calvin Johnson, Charles Woodson, Tom Flores, Drew Pearson, Alan Faneca, Bill Nunn, John Lynch and Peyton Manning.

Without further ado, let’s take a deep looker at the eight newest members of the NFL’s most elite brotherhood.

Calvin Johnson, aka “Megatron”, became one of three first-ballot Hall of Famers to join the 2021 class. He played for nine years, all with the Detroit Lions before retiring in 2015. In that short stint, Johnson racked up over 1,000 yards during seven different seasons and caught 83 touchdowns. Despite the Lions lack of postseason success, at the time of his retirement, Johnson ranked 31st overall in career receiving yards.

Charles Woodson joins Johnson as another first-ballot Hall of Famer to be elected in 2021. The outstanding cornerback won Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and went on to finish his playing days tied for fifth in career interceptions (65). Woodson won a Super Bowl with the Packers during the 2010 season and is consistently regarded as one of the best defensive backs to play the game. During the latter part of his career, he transitioned to play safety again with the Raiders, rounding out an 18-year stint in the league.

Tom Flores earned the nod to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the coaching category, joining the talented group of  players in the class of 2021. The long-time NFL coach won two Super Bowls (XV, XVIII) at the helm of the Raiders, while also winning rings as a player and an assistant coach. Flores spent three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks before retiring from the NFL in 1994.

Drew Pearson waited his turn for 33 years to finally hear his selection to the Hall of Fame on Saturday night. The former Cowboys wideout was one of the most consistent pass-catchers to play the game during the 1970’s. During his 11-year career in Dallas, he caught 489 passes for 7,822 yards and 48 touchdowns, retiring as the Cowboys’ all-time leading receiver. He now receives the ultimate honor and will be enshrined in Canton.

Alan Faneca became another modern-era nominee to earn his spot in the class of 2021 on Saturday. The stellar Steelers offensive lineman made nine Pro Bowls in his 13 year career, spent primarily in Pittsburgh. Faneca became one of 12 guards in NFL history to earn six or more first-team All Pro honors, which all came during the early 2000’s. The star left guard proved to be a major part of the Steelers victory in Super Bowl XL in 2006.

Bill Nunn will be posthumously enshrined in the contributor category after spending over four decades with the Steelers as a scout. He was widely considered to be a pioneer, spending most of his time advising NFL teams on players that took the field at historically Black colleges and universities. Nunn can lay claim to six Super Bowl titles with the the Steelers. He died in 2014, but will be forever enshrined in Canton.

John Lynch, who earned nine Pro Bowl nods over 15 seasons, also punched his ticket on Saturday night. Already a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor, the talented strong safety made over 1,000 total tackles over the course of his career. He also racked up 26 interceptions, 16 forced fumbles and 13 sacks. Lynch now spends his days at the general manager of the San Fransisco 49ers.

Announced last, but certainly not least, was legendary quarterback Peyton Manning. The Colts and Broncos gunslinger can lay claim as one of the best to ever line-up under center, playing 17 years at the highest level. Manning won two Super Bowls, five MVP awards, earned seven First-Team All-Pro nods and made 14 Pro Bowls. In nearly every relevant statistical passing category, he ranks among the best and still holds the record for most passing touchdowns (55) and passing yards in a single season (5,477).

Congratulations to the entire 2021 NFL Hall Of Fame Class.

The post The 2021 Pro Football Hall Of Fame Class Has Been Announced appeared first on The Spun.

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