Senior Bowl announces its Hall of Fame class for 2023

Senior Bowl announces its Hall of Fame class for 2023

Current Philadelphia Eagles right offensive tackle Lane Johnson and four retired NFL stars form the Class of 2023 for the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame.

Announced on Thursday, the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame’s latest slate of inductees also includes Chris Johnson, Clay Matthews, Brian Westbrook and Marshal Yanda.

Along with the Hall of Fame inductees, the Senior Bowl chose Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen as its 2022 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce and Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson as its 2022 NFL Co-Offensive Rookies of the Year.

The players will be honored at the annual induction ceremony on June 25 at the Grand Hotel Golf Club and Spa in Point Clear. The ceremony will be presented by Spire.

Lane Johnson represented Oklahoma in the 2013 Senior Bowl. A running back from East Carolina, Chris Johnson played in the 2008 Senior Bowl. A linebacker from Southern Cal, Matthews played in the 2009 Senior Bowl. A running back from Villanova, Westbrook played in the 2002 Senior Bowl. An offensive lineman from Iowa, Yanda played in the 2007 Senior Bowl.

“We are thrilled to be adding such an accomplished group of players to the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame,” said Jim Nagy, the executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl. “These men were among the best of the best coming out of college, and they all went on to have incredible pro careers.  Each one of them was among the greatest players at their respective positions, and we are grateful their NFL journeys began here in Mobile.”

In conjunction with the Hall of Fame festivities, the third annual Senior Bowl Charities Celebrity Golf Classic, presented by First Horizon Bank, will be held at the Grand Hotel’s Lakewood Golf Club on June 26. The event will pair 22 foursomes with celebrities from across the football world, including the new Senior Bowl Hall of Fame inductees and the Rookies of the Year.

Proceeds from the golf tournament benefit the Mobile Baldwin Athletic Partnership, established in 2021. This program provides resources ranging from pants and jerseys to blocking sleds and video technology for underfunded public school football programs in the two counties.

The Senior Bowl Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 1988, when the members were Joe Green, Lee Roy Jordan, Steve Largent, Joe Namath, Walter Payton, Bubba Smith, Pat Sullivan, Jim Taylor and Travis Tidwell. A class has been chosen every year since except for 2011 and 2020. An NFL lockout scuttled the 2011 selections, and the coronavirus pandemic canceled the 2020 plans.

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