The Pro Football Hall of Fame Centennial Class has finally been announced. The reveals actually started this past weekend when Hall of Fame president David Baker surprised a couple of former head coaches on their respective pregame broadcasts.
Bill Cowher
Jimmy Johnson
Their inclusion in the Centennial Class left 10 players and three contributors. The final 13 members of this special Class were revealed this morning on NFL Network's Good Morning Football.
Players
Jim Covert
Winston Hill
Harold Carmichael
Duke Slater
Ed Sprinkle
Alex Karras
Bobby Dillon
Donnie Shell
Cliff Harris
Mac Speedie
Contributors
Steve Sabol
George Young
Paul Tagliabue
The “blue-ribbon” panel that was tasked with the selection of the Centennial Class came up with a 50:50 split of Super Bowl era and pre-Super Bowl era.
pre-Super Bowl:
Duke Slater
Ed Sprinkle
Alex Karras
Bobby Dillon
Mac Speedie
Super Bowl:
Jim Covert
Winston Hill
Harold Carmichael
Donnie Shell
Cliff Harris
It was my understanding that this Centennial Class was intended to a) celebrate the league’s 100 years and b) clean up as many of the missed “old-timers” as possible. With an emphasis on the latter. I don’t think that a 50:50 split does the “old-timers” proper justice. I felt that the “old-timers” deserved a numbers edge because for a couple reasons. First, there were enough that deserved it. Second, the Super Bowl era players are still in the running for future inductions. This was probably the last shot for the pre-1950 players. I’m thrilled for Slater, Sprinkle, Karras, Dillon, and Speedie. I’m also stunned that Al Wistert and LaVern Dilweg didn’t make it. Both should’ve made it to Canton long ago. This was their chance, probably last chance, and both were more deserving than anyone not named Slater. Wow. I assumed that Wistert making it was a certainty.
Other than Dilweg and Wistert not making it, the biggest surprise to me was probably Harold Carmichael and Jim Covert making it. It’s not that they don’t deserve induction. I just had Randy Gradishar, Cliff Branch, and Drew Pearson slightly above them.
While the 10 players had a few surprises, the three contributors had none. I’m especially thrilled that Steve Sabol made it. I’ve wanted to see him get this deserved honor for a while but it feels so appropriate that he goes in with a Class that specifically honors the league’s 100 years. One of the best things that I can say about Paul Tagliabue is that I felt that the NFL was in great hands when he was overseeing it. I haven’t felt that way for far too long.
Congratulations to all 15 members of Pro Football Hall of Fame Centennial Class.
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