NFL Hall of Fame 2006
Written July 24, 2008 by Jack Jones
What a scene it was in the Renascence Ballroom earlier today as the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2006 was announced. For those of you that listen to the Sports Edge, you already know that it has been a good day for the “Hebrew Hammer”, as all of the players I felt worthy of going to Canton, did just that. Harry Carson and Rayfield Wright were wonderful bonuses as well. The key to this year’s class though was Warren Moon, who I feel is one of the greatest athletes to ever play the wonderful sport of football.
During Moon’s amazing 22 years professional career, he won 5 straight Grey Cups in the Canadian Football League, became the most prolific passer in NFL history, and truly paved the way for African Americans to not only play Quarterback in the NFL, but to excel at the position. Moon was a transcendental player, much like they way I feel Vince Young will be. He was always playing from behind and I don’t just mean on the football field. He was playing from behind because of the color of his skin. He was playing from behind because very few people believed in his ability to be a successful NFL QB. He was playing from behind in most people eyes except for his own, and that is what made Moon truly great, that is what made Moon a Hall of Famer.
Going in with Moon is Dallas Cowboys QB and three time Superbowl Champ Troy Aikman, Giants defensive wizard Harry Carson (after way too long of a wait), Cowboys TE Rayfield Wright who dominated his position, and also waited way too long for this honor, the late Reggie White who was one of the best to ever play his position, and former Oakland Radiers coach John Madden, who after his coaching days has become one of the most recognizable faces in all of sports. In all, this class could be looked at as one of the strongest of all-time and goes to show just how special the game of football is and just how special these men were to the game they loved. Sitting in that room with all of these legends truly sent chills down my spine and helped remind me again how lucky I am to be able to do something I love with all my heart, but more importantly how grateful I am that there are people that care and love something so much that they are the definition of inspiration, the definition of passion, and it is through these people that we can find ourselves when we feel lost and know that if we believe in ourselves and never forget were we came from, anything is possible.