The Pro Football Hall of Fame announces the Class of 2023

For us, this is as big as the Super Bowl

Tonight, at the NFL Honors, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the nine new members of the Canton based institution.

The Class of 2023 is:

Joe Thomas, Offensive Tackle, Cleveland Browns 2007-17:  Thomas was expected to be a first ballot inductee, and that is what transpired for the former Outland Trophy winner.  The runner-up for the 2007 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Thomas played a record-breaking 10,363 Snaps and allowed only 30 Sacks.  Charting new territory as the first Offensive Lineman to make the Pro Bowl in his first ten years, Thomas was a six-time First Team All-Pro and 2010’s All-Decade player.  

Darrelle Revis, Cornerback, New York Jets 2007-12 & 2015-16, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2013, New England Patriots 2014, Kansas City Chiefs 2017:  Along with Joe Thomas, Revis is a first ballot inductee, and the Super Bowl Champion with the Pats went to seven Pro Bowls with four First Team All-Pros and was a 2010s All-Decade player.  The proprietor of Revis Island had 29 Interceptions and was second in 2009 Defensive Player of the Year voting.

DeMarcus Ware, Linebacker, Dallas Cowboys 2005-13, Denver Broncos 2014-16:  Many expected Ware to enter on year one, but here he is on his second go.  Amassing 138.5 Sacks and twice leading the league, the Linebacker was a nine-time Pro Bowl and four-time First Team All-Pro and a Super Bowl Champion late in his career with the Broncos.

Zach Thomas, Linebacker, Miami Dolphins 1995-2007, Dallas Cowboys 2008:  Thomas was a Finalist the last four years, and is now a Hall of Famer on his tenth year on the ballot.  The Linebacker had eleven years where he broke at least 100 Tackles, and he was a five-time First Team All-Pro as well as a seven-time Pro Bowler.

Ronde Barber, Cornerback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1997-2012:  With all due respect to Barber, this was a slight surprise, as his selection gave us three Corners (including Revis and Riley) in the 2023 Class.  A Super Bowl Champion, Barber is the only player in history with at least 45 Interceptions and 25 Sacks.  A 2000’s All-Decade Selection, Barber went to five Pro Bowls.

Chuck Howley, Linebacker, Chicago Bears 1958-59, Dallas Cowboys 1961-73:  This was a long time coming for Howley, who has been eligible for 45 years, and had never been a Finalist.  The first, and only player to win the Super Bowl MVP on a losing team, Howley got the Super Bowl Ring later, and also had six Pro Bowls and five First Team All-Pros on his docket.

Ken Riley, Cornerback, Cincinnati Bengals 1969-83:  Riley was never a Finalist before this year, and the career Bengal was used to being snubbed, having only one First Team All-Pro despite 65 career Interceptions.  This gives the Bengals their second Hall of Famer, behind Offensive Lineman, Anthony Munoz.

Joe Klecko, Defensive Tackle, New York Jets, 1977-87, Indianapolis Colts 1988.  Klecko enters the Hall of Fame after 30 years of eligibility and now the “New York Sack Exchange” has a Hall of Fame inductee.  He was the second player (after Frank Gifford) to earn Pro Bowl honors at three different positions and he was named by UPI as their Defensive Player of the Year in 1981.

Don Coryell, Head Coach, St. Louis Cardinals 1973-77, San Diego Chargers 1978-86:  Coyell was one of the most influential minds in football, revolutionizing the passing game with his “Air Coryell” offense.  A Finalist six previous times, Coryell finally receives his due, albeit 12 years after his death.

As per Clark Judge, the first five Finalists cut were Devin Hester, Willie Anderson, Darren Woodson, Dwight Freeney and Patrick Willis.  Hester, is a bit of a surprise, as he made it to the final ten last year.  

The three Wide Receivers on the ballot, Andre Johnson, Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne made it to the top ten, but none advanced, meaning that the logjam at Wide Receiver remains clogged.  Jared Allen, who has been a Finalist every year since eligible, also made it to the final cut.  The biggest disappointment was for Albert Lewis, who had to wait until his final year of modern eligibility to make it as a Finalist (or even a Semi-Finalist) was also in the final ten and now is in the very deep Seniors pool.

We will be revising our Notinhalloffame.com list next month, where we will remove those inducted, add those now eligible, and alter the list based on your votes and comments.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023.