New Jackets

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015 received their beautiful gold jackets last night. For many new inductees this is the biggest night of the weekend. It's not the induction ceremony. It's the Gold Jacket Ceremony. This is the night that they are finally embraced into a very special fraternity. This is the night that will forever tag them as "Gold Jackets."

Junior Seau
Jerome Bettis
Tim Brown
Will Shields
Charles Haley
Mick Tingelhoff
Ron Wolf
Bill Polian

Eight new members. Eight new Gold Jackets.


I forget when NFL Network started televising the Gold Jacket Ceremony. It hasn't been that long. I was at the 2013 Hall of Fame inductions to witness Cris Carter's long deserved honor. I made it to the parade through downtown Canton, the inductions, the Hall of Fame game, and a few visits to the museum. It was a fantastic weekend. In hindsight I erred in not arriving a day earlier and attending the Gold Jacket Ceremony. I won't make the same mistake when Adrian Peterson is honored five years after his retirement at as late a date as possible. The Gold Jacket Ceremony is a wonderful event and I'm glad that NFL Network has brought it to our living rooms. I loved seeing the inductees introduced and travel a gauntlet of football greats. I loved seeing the hugs and congratulations. Cris Carter is still so jacked to be there that he's at the front of the greeting line sporting a smile that never ends. I hope that his enthusiasm for this weekend never fades. I loved seeing Vikings Hall of Famers Carl Eller, Chris Doleman, and Randall McDaniel grouped together in the line. John Randle wasn't far behind them. Paul Krause was a little further down. It was especially special to see Mick Tingelhoff receive congratulations from former teammates Eller and Krause.

Where was Fran Tarkenton?

Tingelhoff tapped Tarkenton to be his presenter. The Hall of Fame quarterback hasn't been back to the induction festivities since his own induction in 1986. He wasn't in attendance last night. Tingelhoff's son Mike was there to put the jacket on his father. Tarkenton is expected to arrive in Canton today but it was disappointing to not see him on the stage with his old center and friend.

Every Hall of Fame class seems to have one. An inductee that is a little more excited than the rest. Charles Haley might have been the most boisterous of the new class. He was a riot. Happily engaged with all of his classmates. His opposite was Will Shields. Steve Wyche's interview with the emotional opposites was hilarious. Haley's embrace with Ronnie Lott in the gauntlet was probably the second most emotional of the night. The most emotional embrace of the night went to the one between Pittsburgh Steelers running backs Jerome Bettis and Franco Harris.

It's always sad to not see an inductee survive to experience his big day. Junior Seau's induction is more difficult than the rest. Great football player. Great man. I wish that he was here.

Congratulations to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015.

Nice Jackets!