Texas Southern ex Strahan heads group entering Hall of Fame
There won’t be any Dallas Cowboys going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday , but there’s still a prominent Texas connection.
Former Texas Southern and New York Giants great Michael Strahan will be one of seven members of the class of 2014. The others are Derrick Brooks, Ray Guy, Claude Humphrey, Walter Jones, Andre Reed and Aeneas Williams.
Strahan, who was born in Houston, was selected in the second round, 40th overall, in the 1993 draft by the New York Giants out of TSU. As a senior at TSU, Strahan earned AP All-America honors after recording 19 sacks and 62 tackles.
He continued to dominate on the NFL stage at defensive end, earning first-team All-Pro five times and being voted to seven Pro Bowls. In 2001, he set an NFL record for sacks in a season with 22.5. He helped lead the Giants to a 17-14 win over New England in Super Bowl XLII. It was his final NFL game.
Media colleague and friend Jay Glazer will be his presenter.
The charismatic Strahan is a co-host on Fox NFL Sunday and LIVE with Kelly and Michael with Kelly Ripa.
Here’s a look at the seven members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2014, who will be enshrined in Canton, Ohio:
Derrick Brooks
Position: Linebacker
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1995-2008
How acquired: Selected by Tampa Bay in the 1st round (28th player) of 1995 NFL Draft
College: Florida State
Presenter: Decalon Brooks, his father
Notable: Never missed a game during his 14-season career … Named NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year ... Was a major contributor in the Bucs’ victory in Super Bowl XXXVII where he had three tackles, one pass defensed, one interception returned 44 yards for a TD against the Oakland Raiders … 11-time Pro Bowler ... 6-time All-Pro ... 8-time All-NFC … Selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.
Ray Guy
Position: Punter
Team: Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders 1973-86
How acquired: Selected by the Raiders in the 1st round (23rd player) of 1973 NFL Draft
College: Southern Mississippi
Presenter: John Madden, former Raiders coach
Notable: First punter ever to be selected in the first round of an NFL Draft. ... Averaged under 40 yards only one season in his NFL career … Had best average (45.3 yards) as a rookie … Led NFL in punting, 1974, 1975, 1977 … Had only three of 1,049 punts blocked … 7-time Pro Bowler ... 6-time All-Pro ... 7-time All-AFC ... Three-time Super Bowl champion XI, XV, XVIII … First punter to hit Louisiana Superdome scoreboard.
Claude Humphrey
Position: Defensive end
Teams: Atlanta 1968-1978; Philadelphia Eagles 1979-81
How acquired: Selected by Atlanta in the 1st round (3rd overall) in the 1968 NFL Draft
College: Tennessee State
Presenter: Cheyenne Humphrey-Robinson, his daughter
Notable: Named Defensive Rookie of the Year ... Although not an official NFL stat until after he retired, Humphrey is credited with 122 sacks … Two career interceptions, a fumble recovery for a TD, and two safeties ... 6-time Pro Bowler ... Named first- or second-team All-Pro or All-NFL eight times. ... In 1980, had a team high 14.5 sacks that helped the Eagles advance as NFC champions to Super Bowl XV.
Walter Jones
Position: Tackle
Team: Seattle Seahawks 1997-2008
How acquired: Selected by Seattle in the 1st round (6th overall) of 1997 NFL Draft
College: Holmes Community College (MS); Florida State
Presenter: Walterius Jones, his father
Notable: After the 1999 season, Jones became the first offensive lineman in Seahawks history elected to the Pro Bowl … First of team-record nine Pro Bowl honors ... Earned All-Pro honors five times (2002, 2004-07) … Jones’ team-record 10 playoff starts included 2005 NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl XL … Named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.
Andre Reed
Position: Wide receiver
Teams: Buffalo Bills 1985-1999; Washington Redskins 2000
How acquired: Selected by Buffalo in the 4th round (86th overall) of the 1985 NFL Draft
College: Kutztown
Presenter: Marv Levy, former Buffalo coach
Notable: Known for his “yards after catch” ... His 941 career receptions is a franchise record. … His 13,095 career reception yards, 36 games with 100-plus receiving yards and 15 catches in a game are team records … His 13 seasons, including nine consecutive, with 50-plus receptions, was exceeded only by Jerry Rice at the time of Reed’s retirement … 4-time All-AFC, 3-time All-NFL second team, 7-time Pro Bowler.
Michael Strahan
Position: Defensive end
Team: New York Giants 1993-2007
How acquired: Selected by the Giants in the second round (40th overall) in the 1993 NFL Draft
College: Texas Southern
Presenter: Jay Glazer, friend and media colleague
Notable: Recorded 141.5 career sacks … Had 38 multi-sack games during his career … 5-time first-team All-Pro … 5-time All-NFC … 7-time Pro Bowler … Set NFL single-season sack record with 22.5 sacks, 2001 … Named unanimous NFL Defensive Player of the Year, 2001 … Super Bowl XLII champion, his last NFL game … Selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s.
Aeneas Williams
Position: Cornerback/safety
Teams: Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals 1991-2000; St. Louis Rams 2001-2004
How acquired: Selected by the Cardinals in the 3rd round (59th overall) in the 1991 NFL Draft
College: Southern University
Presenter: Lawrence Williams, his son
Notable: Starred at cornerback for the first 12 years of his career before moving to safety … Earned Pro Bowl nods at both positions, seven times at cornerback and once as a safety … Named NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year by the NFL Players Association … Named first-team All-NFC 1995-97 and 2001 … Selected to the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team … Recorded an interception in every season but his last. … Had 55 interceptions for 807 yards in his career.
This story was originally published August 1, 2014 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Texas Southern ex Strahan heads group entering Hall of Fame."