A capsule look at those elected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
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Jerome Bettis
Running Back
5-11, 243
1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers. … 13 seasons, 192 games.
Selected by Rams in first round (10th overall) of 1993 draft. … Earned Rookie of Year honors. … Finished rookie season with seventh best rookie rushing total in league history… As rookie finished second in rushing yards and third in total yards from scrimmage. … First Rams rookie to rush for 1,000 yards since Eric Dickerson, 1983. … Rams leading rusher 1993-95. … Steelers leading rusher 1996-2001, 2003-04. … Steelers leader in total yards from scrimmage, 1996-2001. … His fifty 100-plus yard games ranks first in Steelers history. … At time of retirement, his eight 1,000-plus yard seasons was tied for third-best in NFL history. … His 13,662 ranks fifth all-time in career rushing yards. … Ranked 19th all-time in combined net yards at time of retirement. … Voted to Pro Bowl six times: 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2005.
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Tim Brown
Wide Receiver-Kick Returner
6-0, 195
1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. … 17 seasons, 255 games.
Selected by Raiders in first round (sixth overall) of 1988 draft. … As rookie led NFL in kickoff returns, return yards, and yards per return average. … Led NFL in receptions, 1997. … Set Raiders franchise records for receptions, receiving yards, and punt return yards. … At time of retirement his 14,934 receiving yards were second-highest total in NFL history; 1,094 receptions were third; and 100 touchdown catches were tied for third. … Also gained 190 rushing yards; 3,320 punt return yards, 3 fumble return yards; 1,235 kickoff return yards. … Total of 19,682 combined net yards, fifth all-time at time of retirement. … Scored 105 total touchdowns (100 receiving, 1 rushing, 3 punt returns, 1 kickoff return). … Voted to Pro Bowl nine times, 1989 and 1992 as kick returner, 1994-98, 2000 and 2002 as a receiver. … All-Pro choice as a kick returner, 1988. … All-Pro wide receiver, 1997.
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Charles Haley
Defensive End/Linebacker
6-5, 242
1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys. … 12 seasons, 169 games.
Selected by 49ers in fourth round (96th overall) of 1986 draft. … Only player in NFL history to play on five winning Super Bowl teams. … Began career at linebacker and led 49ers in sacks in each of first six seasons. … Recorded four double-digit sack totals with 49ers including 12 as rookie and career-high 16 in 1990. … Moved to defensive end after trade to Dallas. … Added two more double-digit sack seasons, 1994, 1995. … Suffered serious back injury, limited to just five games, 1996. … Retired after undergoing surgery. … After a two-year hiatus, signed with 49ers as backup defensive end for two playoff games in 1998. … In 1999 came back for final season, added three sacks to finish career with 100.5. … Twice named NFC Defensive Player of the Year (1990, 1994), voted to five Pro Bowls, named All-Pro twice, once as linebacker, once as defensive end. … Played in six NFC championship games over seven seasons. … Starting at left outside linebacker in 49ers 1988, 1989, 1990 championship games; at right defensive end in Cowboys’ 1992, 1993, 1994 conference championships. … Member of 10 division championship teams during his 12-seasons.
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Bill Polian
Contributor
1978-1982 Kansas City Chiefs, 1984-1992 Buffalo Bills, 1993-94 National Football League, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers, 1998-2011 Indianapolis Colts.
Most noted for turning fortunes of three different teams that resulted in combined five Super Bowls, Buffalo (3) Indianapolis (2). … Began as a scout for Kansas City. … Took over as general manager of Bills in 1984. … Built team into powerhouse, winning four straight AFC Eastern Division titles (1988 to 1991) including back-to-back 13-3 records in 1990 and 1991. … Bills earned three straight Super Bowl berths after winning AFC championships, 1990-92. … Worked in NFL office, 1993-94 as Vice President of Football Development before becoming general manager of expansion Carolina Panthers. … Led Carolina to NFC championship in just second season. … The 1996 Panthers lost to Green Bay in NFC championship. … In 1998, moved on to Indianapolis as President/General Manager. … During his tenure, the Colts won eight division titles and had two Super Bowl appearances highlighted by victory in 2007 Super Bowl. … With Polian at helm, Colts advanced to postseason 11 times during 12-season span and posted 10 or more wins in each of those playoff years. … Led teams to eight championship games, Bills (4), Panthers (1) and Colts (3). … First administrator to be named NFL’s Executive of the Year by The Sporting News six times.
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Junior Seau
Linebacker
1990-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-05 Miami Dolphins, 2006-09 New England Patriots. … 20 seasons, 268 games.
First year eligible. … Selected by San Diego in first round (fifth player overall) of 1990 draft. … Started 15 of 16 games he played as a rookie, finished as team’s second-leading tackler. … First-team All-Pro selection eight times. … Selected to play in 12 Pro Bowls. … Recorded 56.5 sacks during career. … Intercepted 18 passes for 238 yards. … Exemplified perseverance, leadership and a level of excellence that earned him national recognition as a premier linebacker. … Recorded 10 or more tackles in a game 64 times. … In 1994 helped lead Chargers to first and only Super Bowl appearance. … Recorded 10 or more tackles in a game 10 times that year (eight in regular season and twice in playoffs), and recorded 155 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, forced a fumble and had three passes defensed. … Was Chargers leading tackler eight times and led team in sacks twice (1996 and 1997). … Played in 2008 Super Bowl with New England Patriots. … Was Chargers MVP six times, NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1992. … Named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s.
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Will Shields
Guard
6-3, 320
1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs. … 14 seasons, 224 games.
Selected by Chiefs in third round (74th overall) of 1993 draft. … Inserted into lineup in first NFL game, never missed a game in career. … His 224 games played, with 223 starts, are franchise records. … As rookie, helped Chiefs to first division title since 1971. … Earned 12 straight Pro Bowls. … First-Team All-Pro in 1999, 2002, 2003. … Second-team All-Pro four times. … Named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of 2000s.
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Mick Tinglehoff
Center
1962-1978 Minnesota Vikings. … 17 seasons, 240 games.
Senior nomineee. … Signed by Minnesota Vikings as a free agent. … Earned starting nod at center as rookie and never relinquished role for remainder of stellar 17-season career. … Known for his durability, toughness, and perseverance he never missed a game or practice and started all 240 regular season games of career that ended after 1978 season. … Also played in 19 playoff games during his career. … Anchored an offensive line that helped Vikings claim 10 divisional titles in an 11-season span from 1968 to 1978. … Minnesota also won in four of five NFL/NFC championships in which they played and advanced to Super Bowl four times. … Excelled in era and a division in which middle linebackers like Hall of Famers Joe Schmidt, Ray Nitschke and Dick Butkus dominated – and center often had to get out and block them in space. … Tingelhoff also played at an All-Pro level when defensive tackles like Merlin Olsen and Bob Lilly were dominating. … Received national accolades by third season (1964) with first of seven consecutive seasons in which he was named first-team All-Pro. … Elected to Pro Bowl six straight times (1965-1970). … Was All-NFL or All-Pro choice seven times (1964-70).
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Ron Wolf
Contributor
1963-1974, 1979-1989 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1966 American Football League, 1976-78 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1990-91 New York Jets, 1991-2001 Green Bay Packers.
Made lasting mark as longtime player personnel director for Raiders and later as the Executive Vice President/General Manager of the Green Bay Packers. … Wolf spent 23 seasons helping build a Raiders franchise that posted winning seasons in all but six years during that span. … Raiders claimed nine division titles, played in eight AFL/AFC championship games and three Super Bowls. … In 1966 when Raiders owner Al Davis was named Commissioner of American Football League, Wolf joined AFL as Coordinator of Talent. … Returned with Davis to Raiders prior to start of 1966 season, remaining through 1974 coordinating club’s personnel operations. … At age 37 named general manager of expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and built foundation that earned team trip to NFC championship by fourth season. … Rejoined Raiders in 1979 heading up personnel operations until 1990 when he briefly joined the New York Jets. … During 11 seasons as Green Bay’s Executive VP/General Manager, claimed three straight NFC Central Division titles and back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. … The 1996 Packers posted first 16-win season in franchise history that included thrilling 35-21 win over New England in 1997 Super Bowl.
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Source: Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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