The 2014 NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame class was announced on Saturday night as former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks, former Oakland Raiders punter Ray Guy, former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Andre Reed, former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, former Seattle Seahawks left tackle Walter Jones, former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Aeneas Williams and former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Claude Humphrey making it in.
Brooks was known to be one of the best linebackers in the game when he was playing, notching over 130 tackles for several consecutive. He was a key part of leading the Bucs to their Super Bowl victory over a decade ago.
Guy is known to be the best punter in NFL history, hence being the reason why he will be the very first punter inducted into the Hall of Fame. Another guy who has been waiting so long to get in was Andre Reed, who was a key part of the high-powered offenses the Bills ran in the 1990s.
Humphrey and Guy were taken in as senior inductees. Humphrey was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1968 and was credited with 122 sacks for his career.
Seahawks' Walter Jones is known as one of the best left tackles in the game during the 2000s, or maybe even the best over the likes of Jonathan Ogden and Walter Pace in that era. He helped pave the way for several great offensive seasons in Seattle, such as Shaun Alexander's MVP year in 2005.
Michael Strahan is the Giants' all-time leader in sacks. Strahan still holds the NFL single-season record for most sacks, having 22.5. Strahan played with New York for all of his career, ending it with a Super Bowl victory over the then-undefeated New England Patriots.
Aeneas Williams was able to make it in on his third try. He deserved it, being one of the most physical corners in the game while also being an eight-time Pro Bowl selection. He had 55 career interceptions, with nine of them being touchdown returns.
Some key snubs in this year's class had to be Marvin Harrison and Jerome Bettis. This is yet another year for the Pittsburgh Steelers running back that he doesn't get in. As for Harrison, this was his first try, but his credentials show, along with Tim Brown, that he deserved it over Reed.
Time will come for Harrison and Brown. Harrison likely gets in next year, but the same may not be said for Brown and/or Bettis. We'll just have to see.
Nonetheless, congrats to this year's class, it was well-deserved!
