This past Sunday night, seven players were inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. In most Hall of Fame classes, there will be a couple of players who stand out above the rest, but very few include a name like Peyton Manning. One of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, Manning was a no-brainer to be a first-ballot guy.
There were two other first-time eligible players that made it as Calvin Johnson and Charles Woodson also were voted in for 2021. The funny thing about Woodson is that he entered the NFL the same year as Manning after winning a Heisman over him the year before entering the league. Woodson was the first two-way player, and primarily defensive player, to win the award since the 1960s.
Here are the seven players who were enshrined in 2021:
Peyton Manning
One of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Manning won two Super Bowls with two different teams along with five MVP awards. When he retired he held records for most yards, touchdowns, and starts as an NFL quarterback.
Calvin Johnson
Johnson’s career was cut short because he wanted a higher quality of life as he grew older. When he played, nobody matched Johnson’s physical gifts and he was just 36 yards shy of being the only WR to record 2,000 receiving yards in a year.
Charles Woodson
Woodson was a shutdown corner and nine-time Pro Bowler. He retired with 65 career interceptions which places him in the fifth spot all-time. He was a great two-way player in college.
Alan Faneca
Faneca was a gifted athlete and a great lineman. He made six first-team all-pro selections and would have had more if he were not asked to play left tackle in 2003.
John Lynch
Lynch was a hard-hitting safety, Super Bowl winner, and nine-time Pro Bowler. He recorded over 100 tackles, as a Safety, in three different years. He was also drafted in the second round of the MLB draft.
Tom Flores
Flores has four Super Bowl rings and one AFL Championship as a player, Assistant Coach, and Head Coach in a career that spanned three decades. His .727 postseason winning percentage ranks him second only behind the great Vince Lombardi.
Drew Pearson
Pearson was a college quarterback who made the Cowboys roster as rookie WR in 1973. Prior to his enshrinement, he was the only member of the all-decade team of the 1970s to not be in Canton.