Enshrinement Week in Canton, Ohio, was highlighted Thursday by the announcement of seven players who will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

This week's festivities included the annual NFL Hall of Fame Game and welcomed its newest members.

 


Dwight Freeney, defensive end Indianapolis Colts, 2002-12; San Diego Chargers, 2013-14; Arizona Cardinals, 2015; Atlanta Falcons, 2016; Detroit Lions, 2017; Seattle Seahawks, 2017    

 

Though some initially questioned whether Freeney was too short (6-foot-1) to play defensive end, he was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection as well as a three-time first-team All Pro during his 11 years with the Colts.

Randy Gradishar, linebacker Denver Broncos, 1974-83

 


Gradishar, credited with a franchise-record 2,049 tackles, may have been the most decorated player in the Hall's seniors pool. He never missed a game and was named to seven Pro Bowls and was a first- or second-team All Pro selection four times.  

 

Devin Hester, wide receiver, kick returner, punt returner Chicago Bears, 2006-13; Atlanta Falcons, 2014-15; Baltimore Ravens, 2016; Seattle Seahawks, 2016    

 

Hester's 19 career regular-season touchdown returns (14 punt, five kickoff) are a league record, and he returned the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI for a touchdown. He is the only player in history with at least five special teams touchdowns in a season -- and he did it twice.

 

Andre Johnson, wide receiver Houston Texans, 2003-14; Indianapolis Colts, 2015; Tennessee Titans, 2016

 


Johnson had 21 games in his career with at least 10 receptions and at least 100 yards receiving -- the most all time -- and his eight career games with at least 10 receptions, 150 yards receiving and one touchdown are also a league record.   

Steve McMichael, defensive tackle New England Patriots, 1980; Chicago Bears, 1981-93; Green Bay Packers, 1994    

 

McMichael, who has ALS, didn't break out onto the NFL scene as some do on their way to Canton. He was released by the Patriots after a back injury that limited him to six games as a rookie. McMichael was a foundational player who became one of the best interior pass rushers, with 95 career sacks. He had 53 sacks in a six-season span (1983-1988) when the Bears' defense was at its peak. He was named first-team All Pro twice and second-team once, and he was selected to two Pro Bowls in those six years.

 

Julius Peppers, defensive end Carolina Panthers, 2002-09, 2017-18; Chicago Bears, 2010-13; Green Bay Packers, 2014-16

 


Peppers is fourth on the official sack list with 159.5, one of four players on the list who finished his career with more than 155. He also scored six career touchdowns: four interception returns and two fumble returns. 

Patrick Willis, linebacker San Francisco 49ers, 2007-14    

 

 

Willis packed more quality into an eight-year career than almost any player could have. He led the league in tackles his rookie season with 174 and was the Defensive Rookie of the Year, a first-team All Pro and a Pro Bowl selection. In his eight seasons, he led the league in solo tackles over that period, as well as tying for the league lead in forced fumbles and finishing second in passes knocked down.

LOOK: The story behind every NFL team name

Stacker delved into the story behind every NFL football team name. Overall team records, also included, are reflective of NFL regular-season games. There are some football teams with well-known nicknames—the Jets, for instance, are often referred to as Gang Green—but we also divulge how some teams’ official names are sparingly used (the Jets’ neighbors, the Giants, are actually known as the New York Football Giants). Sometimes a team name can tell you a lot about local history: The Vikings of Minnesota draw upon the area’s strong ties to Scandinavia, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are dripping in local legend related to Florida’s pirate past.

Let’s kick off the countdown with the folks who earned their nickname by buying boxes of used team jerseys.

Gallery Credit: Seth Berkman

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