Alabama Roots: 16 Pro Football Hall of Fame members

Alabama Roots: 16 Pro Football Hall of Fame members

The Pro Football Hall of Fame added a 16th player from an Alabama high school or college during the Class of 2023 enshrinement ceremony on Saturday in Canton, Ohio.

From Auburn High School and Troy, DeMarcus Ware joined the lineup of Pro Football Hall of Famers with Alabama roots as one of the nine new members inducted at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

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Ware became the fourth of the 16 state players whose primary position was outside linebacker, joining Robert Brazile, Kevin Greene and Derrick Thomas.

The Alabama-roots roster also includes three quarterbacks, three wide receivers, two centers, one defensive tackle, one guard, one offensive tackle and one tight end. No running back or defensive back from an Alabama high school or college has been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

ALABAMA ROOTS: WHO’S NEXT FOR THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME?

With Ware’s enshrinement, the Hall of Famers with Alabama football roots are:

Robert Brazile, Vigor High School: Class of 2018

Linebacker, 1975-1984 Houston Oilers: Brazile played right outside linebacker for 10 seasons without missing a game – and starting all 147 of them for Houston. After entering the NFL from Jackson State as the sixth player picked in the 1975 draft, Brazile won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, earned a Pro Bowl invitation annually from 1976 through 1982 and received AP first-team All-Pro recognition in 1978 and 1979.

Brazile was a nominee of the Seniors Committee.

Buck Buchanan, A.H. Parker High School: Class of 1990

Defensive tackle, 1963-1975 Kansas City Chiefs: Buchanan became a College Football Hall of Famer for Grambling State and a Pro Football Hall of Famer for the Chiefs. He went to six AFL All-Star games and, after the merger, two Pro Bowls, and he played in two of the first four Super Bowls.

Buchanan was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his 10th year of eligibility and fifth year as a finalist.

Frank Gatski, Auburn: Class of 1985

Center, 1946-1956 Cleveland Browns, 1957 Detroit Lions: Gatski played in a league championship game in 11 of his 12 pro seasons. The first former Auburn player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is said to have never missed a practice, let alone a game, during his pro football career. He was a first-team All-Pro selection in 1952, 1953 and 1955.

Gatski was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as an old-timer candidate, as it was called at the time.

Kevin Greene, Auburn: Class of 2016

Outside linebacker, 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-1995 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-1999 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers: The former Auburn walk-on’s 160 career sacks are the most for any player who was primarily a linebacker and rank third in NFL history. Greene went to five Pro Bowls, earned first-team All-Pro selection in 1994 and 1996 and is a linebacker on the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s all-decade team for the 1990s.

Greene was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his 12th year of eligibility and fifth year as a finalist.

John Hannah, Albertville High School, Alabama: Class of 1991

Guard, 1973-1985 New England Patriots: While Hannah was playing for the Patriots, Sports Illustrated called him “the best offensive lineman of all-time.” He was first-team All-Pro seven times and went to nine Pro Bowls. The NFL Players Association gave him its Offensive Lineman of the Year Award four times.

Hannah was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Don Hutson, Alabama: Class of 1963

End, 1935-1945 Green Bay Packers: Hutson was the NFL’s first superstar receiver and the league MVP in 1941 and 1942. He retired with 18 major NFL records and was a first-team All-Pro eight times.

Hutson was a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s inaugural class.

Walter Jones, Aliceville High School: Class of 2014

Offensive tackle, 1997-2008 Seattle Seahawks: Jones started all 180 of his NFL games at left offensive tackle for Seattle. A first-team All-Pro pick four times, Jones went to nine Pro Bowls and helped the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl for the 2005 season.

Jones was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Joe Namath, Alabama: Class of 1985

Quarterback, 1965-1976 New York Jets, 1977 Los Angeles Rams: Namath is most famous for guaranteeing that the AFL champion Jets would beat the NFL’s Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, then backing it up in a stunning 16-7 victory in which he was the MVP. Namath was the first player to pass for more than 4,000 yards in a season in 1967, but it was in 1968 that he won the AFL Player of the Year Award.

Namath was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his third year of eligibility and third year as a finalist.

Ozzie Newsome, Colbert County High School, Alabama: Class of 1999

Tight end, 1978-1990 Cleveland Browns: A three-sport star at Colbert County High School, Newsome went from Alabama All-American to NFL star. When Newsome retired, he had caught more passes than any tight end in NFL history, and only three wide receivers had more receptions. He remains the Browns’ all-time leading receiver. Newsome also is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Newsome was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his fourth year of eligibility and third year as a finalist.

Terrell Owens, Benjamin Russell High School: Class of 2018

Wide receiver, 1996-2003 San Francisco 49ers, 2004-2005 Philadelphia Eagles, 2006-2008 Dallas Cowboys, 2009 Buffalo Bills, 2010 Cincinnati Bengals: Owens caught 1,078 passes for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns. In NFL history, he ranks eighth in receptions, third in receiving yards and third in TD receptions. Owens holds the NFL record for single-game receptions with 20, had nine 1,000-yard seasons and caught at least 10 touchdown passes in eight seasons. He earned six Pro Bowl invitations and made first-team All-Pro five times.

Owens was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his third year of eligibility and his third year as a finalist.

Ken Stabler, Foley High School, Alabama: Class of 2016

Quarterback, 1970-1979 Oakland Raiders, 1980-1981 Houston Oilers, 1982-1984 New Orleans Saints: Stabler became Oakland’s starting quarterback in 1973, and for the next five seasons, the Raiders reached at least the AFC Championship Game, winning the Super Bowl for the 1976 season. Stabler received The Associated Press’ NFL MVP Award in 1974 and the 1976 Bert Bell Award as the NFL’s Player of the Year. He went to four Pro Bowls and was the All-Pro QB in 1974.

Stabler was a nominee of the Seniors Committee.

John Stallworth, Tuscaloosa High School, Alabama A&M: Class of 2002

Wide receiver, 1974-1987 Pittsburgh Steelers: Stallworth played on four Super Bowl-winning teams in Pittsburgh, catching three TD passes in NFL championship games. A first-team All-Pro in 1979, Stallworth was a three-time Pro Bowler and recorded three 1,000-yard receiving seasons for the Steelers.

Stallworth was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his 10th year of eligibility and eighth year as a finalist.

Bart Starr, Sidney Lanier High School, Alabama: Class of 1977

Quarterback, 1956-1971 Green Bay Packers: Starr was a 17th-round draft pick who helped turn Green Bay into Titletown. With Starr under center, the Packers won five NFL championships, including the first two Super Bowls. Starr was the MVP of both those Super Bowls and the league MVP in 1966, when he was the All-Pro quarterback.

Starr was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Dwight Stephenson, Alabama: Class of 1998

Center, 1980-1987 Miami Dolphins: Called by Bear Bryant “the best player I ever coached,” Stephenson had his playing days cut short by a knee injury. But in eight NFL seasons, he made first-team All-Pro four times, was All-AFC five straight seasons, played in two Super Bowls and won the 1985 NFL Man of the Year Award.

Stephenson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his sixth year of eligibility and his fifth year as a finalist.

Derrick Thomas, Alabama: Class of 2009

Outside linebacker, 1989-1999 Kansas City Chiefs: Thomas went from Alabama and the SEC sack record to the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. In his second season, he led the NFL with 20 sacks, including a record seven in one game. The nine-time Pro Bowler and the sack leader of the 1990s also was the 1993 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year. He’s in the College Football Hall of Fame, too.

Thomas was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his fifth year of eligibility and fifth year as a finalist.

DeMarcus Ware, Auburn High School, Troy: Class of 2023

Outside linebacker, 2005-2013 Dallas Cowboys, 2014-2016 Denver Broncos: The 11th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, Ware went on to record 138.5 sacks, the ninth-most in league history. He received nine Pro Bowl invitations and was first-team All-Pro four times. In the 2015 season, Ware became an NFL champion when the Broncos won Super Bowl 50.

Ware was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his second year of eligibility and his second year as a finalist.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.