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Pro Football Hall of Fame Weekend comes to Canton

He had the feet to pass protect.

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Will Shields will be one of eight members joining the Hall during inductions ceremonies for the class of 2015.

But even as Los Angeles lost its grasp on the NFL at the dawn of their careers, Bettis and Brown still managed to rise to football stardom in a city that venerated its stars.

He went on to become a third round pick of the Chiefs in the 1993 draft. Dent was inducted into the hall of the fame as part of the 2011 class. His final season was 1996 and he ended his career with 100.5 sacks. It’s no wonder he rushed for 13,662 rushing yards and 91 rushing touchdowns in his career.

Jerome Bettis deserves the Hall of Fame just like he deserved that Super Bowl win.

At Nebraska, Shields blossomed in to the best offensive lineman in college football, winning the Outland Trophy in 1992.

For Shields, the origin of understanding what his platform as an athlete could do for those in his community went back to high school, where he remembered a speech given by former NFL player Hollywood Henderson to his team.

He entered the action in the first half against the Buccaneers, replacing an injured Szott at left guard. Hopefully, McMichael gets his call in the near future.

That’s when Gladys sat him down and put him back on the right path, a path that included dedication to football. “So we want to see everybody and enjoy the moment”.

“He was just a bigger, faster guy than most of the people he played with in his era”, recalled Art Rooney. He was always prepared mentally and he did not lose many one-on-one battles physically.

Shields said things really changed with the Chiefs hired Dick Vermeil as their head coach.

When asked for a favorite memory of Shields, perhaps a notable play or game, Hunt steers the conversation in another direction. Not only physically but in terms of his skill level.

Selected by Raiders in first round (sixth overall) of 1988 draft. Sydney Seau and her brothers will represent their father Saturday night.

“Strong points: tough, competitive and pulls well. You taught me not just football lessons, but life lessons…in the most unconventional ways”. Is he smart enough? He was good. Didn’t make mistakes. How far is a guess?

Most New England Patriots fans today, know Gino Cappelletti as the now-retired color analyst for the team on radio. “I had the best time in the world”. We played against Green Bay and Reggie White on a Monday night my rookie season. “I love it with all my heart”, Haley said. “He was effusive in his praise”. And Davis played a position where long-term brilliance like Adrian Peterson’s is now a rare exception rather than the rule. Badly. So while Haley and Brown did their best to remain politically correct every time they were passed over, the Pittsburgh Steelers running back went the other way. “An early 2nd-round pick”.

Chiefs mainstay Will Shields visited Hawaii so often for the Pro Bowl – 12 times – he should have bought a time share. The Wolverines, behind a strong running game, rolled to the state championship. He paid tribute to the late Junior Seau before thanking his wife, kids, parents and other family members with the honesty and sense of humor that helped make him popular during his playing days. He blocked for 4,000-yard passers for four seasons. In the sideline celebration that followed, that same veteran found Brown on the sideline, telling him, “You can bring that Porsche around here now”.

“Candidly, we spent a lot on Joe Montana and we wanted to protect him”, Peterson said. “He also admitted that he was wrong”.

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“Coach Dozier, he came to my house and said Jerome was about to get himself into trouble”, Gladys Bettis said.

Pittsburgh Steelers Jerome Bettis Enters The Hall Of Fame