CANTON, Ohio-On another glorious summer night at the birthplace of the National Football League, eight immortals had their busts unveiled in an emotional ceremony that raised to 303 the number of players, coaches and contributors enshrined in the hallowed Pro Football Hall of Fame. “It takes hard work to make it a reality”.
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During his 23-year ownership of the San Francisco 49ers, Eddie DeBartolo’s teams won five Super Bowls within 14 years.
“If there is one secret to the success of the 49ers, it is this: We did not see players as simply as players”. DeBartolo Jr. played an instrumental part in turning the 49ers from being one of the worst teams to one of the best teams on a regular basis. “We may be wearing the same jackets, but they have shoes I could never fill”. “This became my first goal, and here I am 27 years later standing in Canton, Ohio, accepting this incredible honor”.
Stanfel was a four-time Pro Bowler while playing with the Detroit Lions and the Washington Redskins during a career that spanned 1952-1958. “Not only did they win, but they won with class”.
On Saturday DeBartolo, who moved to Tampa in 1998, will be joined by seven other inductees entering the hall, including former Tampa Bay Buccaneer head coach Tony Dungy.
In Greene’s time with the Rams, Steelers, 49ers and Panthers he missed just a dozen games, and 10 times finished with at least 10 sacks, including 12 with Carolina at age 37. DeBartolo had no plans to bask in the innumerable accomplishments that warranted his hall of fame induction: an average of 13 wins per season from 1981-98, 13 division championships, and five Lombardi Trophies. The team also targeted a third-round quarterback named Montana out of Notre Dame, even if it was hardly love at first sight.
Despite the record-breaking 143-catch season, Harrison recalled offensive coordinator Tom Moore being upset with him at the start of the following year’s training camp.
Outside linebacker Kevin Greene, who played 15 seasons with the Rams, Steelers and Panthers, totaled 160 sacks in his career, including 97.5 when he was 30 or older. He was named All-Pro in five of those seasons, and was named to the All-Decade Team of the 1950s. In Oakland, he led the Raiders to five consecutive conference championship games and his 59.85 completion percentage was second all time at his retirement. Stabler was 12-of-19 for 180 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions in the Raiders 32-14 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI.
DeBartolo’s reach, however, goes so much farther than football.
He had been around for the legends, Steve Young, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Ronnie Lott.
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Stanfel, who died past year at age 87, also was a seniors committee selection. Favre led the Green Bay Packers to two Super Bowls. Favre, who never thought he couldn’t complete a pass, had the National Football League career record in passing yards (71,838), completions (6,300), most 3,000-yard passing seasons (18) and touchdown passes (508) when he retired following the 2010 season after spending his career with the Atlanta Falcons, Packers, Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets.
