The Pro Football Hall of Fame has elected its Class of 2013. The Class includes two senior selections Curly Culp, David Robinson along with 5 Modern-Era selections of Bill Parcells, Warren Sapp, Cris Carter, Jonathan Ogden and Larry Allen.
The finalist candidates who did not make it were Art Modell, Eddie Debartolo Jr., Jerome Bettis, Charles Haley, Andre Reed, Tim Brown, Aeneas Williams, Kevin Greene, Will Shields and Michael Strahan.
Coach Bill Parcells candidacy was debated for almost an hour, 55 minutes to be exact. Bill Parcells coached the New York Giants from 1981-1990, winning two Super Bowls in 86’ and 90’ while making another Super Bowl appearance with the New England Patriots in 96’ when he coached them from 1993-1996. Parcells also turned around the franchises of the New York Jets 1997-1999, Dallas Cowboys 2003-2006 and the Miami Dolphins 2008-2010 as an Executive VP of Football Operations.
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and Oakland Raider Warren Sapp made the Hall in his first year of eligibility. Sapp won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2002, was a seven-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro selection, two-time second team All-Pro selection, named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1999. Sapp was also named to the All-Pro Decades team in the 1990’s and 2000’s and is the Buccaneer All-Time Sack Leader.
Wide Receiver great Cris Carter finally breaks the logjam at wide receiver after a long five year process. After being released by the Philadelphia Eagles, Carter began a new life both on and off the field with the Minnesota Vikings. Carter made the Pro Bowl eight times, made the 1990’s All-Decades Team, two-time First-Team All-Pro in 1994, 1999, second team All-Pro in 1995. Off the field Carter was named the Bart Starr’s Man of the Year in 1994, the “Whizzer” White NFL Man of the Year in 1998 and Walter Payton Man of the Year in 1999. Carter, who had his number #80 retired in Minnesota, has 1,101 receptions, 13,899 receiving yards and 130 touchdowns.
Jonathan Ogden was the first ever draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 1996. Ogden was the anchor of the offensive line for eleven straight years, starting 176 out of 177 games. Ogden won Super Bowl XXXV with the Ravens. Ogden made eleven straight Pro Bowls, was an All-Pro nine times, NFL’s Offensive Linemen of the Year in 2002 and was named the NFL’s 2000’s All-Decade Team.
Larry Allen, who is one of the greatest offensive linemen of his era, was the rock for the Dallas Cowboys, blocking for Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, and winning Super Bowl XXV. Allen was an eleven-time Pro Bowler, seven-time All-Pro and named to the NFL’s All-Decades Team for the 1990’s and 2000’s.
Senior selection defensive tackle Curly Culp, who played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1968-1974, Houston Oilers 1974-1980 and Detroit Lions 1980-1981. Culp was named an AFL All-Star in 1969, the last year of the AFL before the merger. Culp made the Pro Bowl with the Chiefs in 1971 before being traded to the Houston Oilers in the middle of the 1974 season. It turned out to be one of the best trades in Oiler history. Culp was named All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year in 1975 and became the star of the 3-4 defense under Head Coach Bum Phillips and Defensive Coordinator Sid Gillman. Culp was then selected to the Pro Bowl again in 1976, 1977 and 1978 while being named second team All-Pro in 1978 and 1979.
Other Senior selection was Green Bay Packer and Washington Redskins linebacker Dave Robinson. Robinson was named to the Pro Bowl in 1966, 1967 and 1969 while being named Pro Bowl MVP in 1967. Robinson was named First-Team All-Pro in 1967, 1968, 1969 and was named to the NFL 1960’s All-Decades Team. Robinson was one of the leaders on Vince Lombardi’s defense who helped win the NFL Championship and Super Bowls in 1965, 1966 and 1967. Robinson becomes the 11th player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame from the Vince Lombardi era.
