CANTON, Ohio — The most emotional moment of Saturday's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place about 344 miles west of Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
Surrounded by his wife, daughter and members of the famed 1985 Chicago Bears defense, the bust of Hall of Famer Steve McMichael was unveiled inside his home in Homer Glen, Illinois. McMichael, 66, is bedridden after battling ALS for the past three years and has lost the ability to speak for himself. His sister, Kathy, delivered McMichael’s enshrinement speech on his behalf in a pre-recorded video.
A live video feed from McMichael's bedside was broadcast to the crowd in Canton as ESPN's Chris Berman, who served as emcee for the Hall of Fame, relayed the message he received from the defensive tackle about the impact of his career.
“I don't want ALS to be my legacy,” Berman said. “What I did on the field, that's my legacy. Pushing myself to the limit… more than anyone else could ever do.”
On hand to celebrate McMichael’s induction were former teammates Richard Dent, Ron Rivera, Mike Singletary, Jimbo Covert and Gary Fencik, among others. Dent spoke with McMichael about his place in football history, coming as one of two members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2024 selected as senior finalists.
“Steve, we're here with all your world champion brothers,” Dent said. “In Canton, we have 378 brothers looking for you. You're on a team that you can never be taken off of, you can never be freed from. When you die on this team, you're still on it.”
McMichael, a two-time All-Pro selection, retired in 1994 and ranks fourth in NFL history among defensive tackles with 95 sacks. He was one of three Chicago Bears inducted into the Class of 2024 and was honored Saturday along with defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers, linebackers Randy Gradishar and Patrick Willis, wide receiver Andre Johnson and Devin Hester, who is the first kick and punt returner to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Freeney, a three-time All-Pro defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts, was playing football in high school when his football coach pulled him off the field. It was a life-changing decision.
“My parents are Jamaican, so football was in my blood,” Freeney said. “If it wasn't for my high school coach, Jack Cochran, who pulled me off that football field and convinced me to play this great game, I wouldn't be on this stage today. Your invaluable lessons in work ethic have stuck with me throughout my life. You also taught me what it takes to be a champion.”
Colts owner Jim Irsay, who is recovering from a fall, introduced Freeney in a video message. Irsay then rode onstage in a wheelchair to help unveil Freeney's bronze bust.
“He was arguably the best Colt defensive player in our 60-plus year history,” Irsay said.
Freeney played 11 seasons in Indianapolis and 16 seasons overall, recording 125½ sacks, many of them using his signature spin move. He forced 47 fumbles, played in seven Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl ring.
Gradishar, 72, was the longest-serving player of the new generation, becoming the first member of the Denver Broncos' famed “Orange Crush” defense to be inducted into the Hall of Fame 41 years after his last NFL appearance. The seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker was named AP Defensive Player of the Year in 1978.
“Do not work for status, power, wealth, materialism or recognition from people; all of that is temporary, but in everything you are and do, work for the glory of God, for He will give you an inheritance as a reward,” Gradishar said.
Hester, whose combined 20 return touchdowns over his 11-year career are the most in NFL history, devoted a portion of his speech to lobbying for return specialists like Brian Mitchell and Josh Cribbs because, “I'm not the only return specialist who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, I'm just the first.”
“When I first exploded onto the pro scene, there was a lot of negativity because people didn't respect the return game,” Hester said. “But eventually, they put this new rule in place, which is called, as you all know, the Devin Hester rule. The rule moved the kickoff upfield and made it easier for kickers to kick it out of the end zone, which kept me from doing a lot of returns. So I guess you could say the NFL started taking the return game seriously.”
It was a big day for another former Miami Hurricanes player as Andre Johnson, who gave the last of seven speeches Saturday afternoon, became the first player in Houston Texans history to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“I am truly honored to be the first inductee into the National Football League Hall of Fame,” Johnson said. “This achievement is not just for me. It's for everyone.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
