The Pro Football Hall of Fame now has six new members. The inductees were announced live on NFL Network the day before Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis. Curtis Martin, Cortez Kennedy, Chris Doleman, Willie Roaf, Dermontti Dawson, and Jack Butler are members of the class of 2012.
Curtis Martin headlines this year’s class. Upon his retirement Martin was the NFL’s 4th ranked all-time leading rusher. He is the only player along with Barry Sanders to have rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his first ten years in the NFL.
Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown says about Martin, “You might call Curtis an old-schooler. His values are a little different than a lot of young men. The guys who carry themselves with dignity get overlooked. This kid had a great career. He should be in the Hall of Fame, no doubt about it.”
Cortez Kennedy was chosen to eight Pro Bowls as a Defensive Tackle for the Seattle Seahawks and is a member of the All-Decade team of the 1990’s as was Pittsburgh Steelers Center Dermontti Dawson.
Senior nominee Jack Butler is a defensive back and member of the All-Decade team of the 1950’s. He played nine years for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Willie Roaf was a dominating Tackle for the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs. He was chosen to 11 Pro Bowls in all and becomes the first hall of famer to play most of their career with the Saints.
Chris Doleman played 15 years in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, and Atlanta Falcons. The defensive end had his best year in 1989 when he recorded 21 sacks. He gathered up 150.5 sacks in his career.
Perhaps overshadowing this year’s Hall of Fame class are those who did not get elected. Among those who got snubbed include five time super bowl champion and sack master Charles Haley. For the second year in a row, no wide receivers were elected.
Minnesota Viking Cris Carter, Oakland Raider Tim Brown, and Buffalo Bill Andre Reed rank 4th, 5th, and 10th all-time respectively yet remain overlooked. Tim Brown also ranks 4th all-time in receiving yardage.
The Hall of Fame selection committee also passed on Senior Nomination Dick Stanfel. It was the second time Stanfel received the Senior nomination, the first coming in 1993.
The class of 2012 will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the official Enshrinement ceremony on August 4th at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
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