Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk Among Class Of Seven To Join Pro Football Hall Of Fame

One of the lesser-known members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2011 will be Chris Hanburger, a Redskins linebacker who played for the team from 1965 to 1978. But by praise, if not by statistics, Hanburger belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Hanburger had a reputation for making heady plays and disrupting offenses, using his speed to get to plays that his instincts helped him sniff out. He was praised by John Hannah as “the smartest player in the league.”

Among the seven members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2011 is defensive end Richard Dent. The Chicago Bears great will finally enter Canton after a decade of eligibility.

Dent spent the majority of his career in Chicago, and also spent a season apiece with the Colts, Eagles, and 49ers. Throughout his 15-year career, Dent recorded 137.5 sacks, tied for sixth on the all-time list. In only his second and third seasons in the league, he recorded 17.5 and 17.0 sacks, respectively.

Ed Sabol, founder of NFL Films, has earned election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame after tonight’s vote on the Class of 2011. And he well deserves it.

NFL Films released a statement via Twitter.

Of all the eligible candidates to join the Class of 2011, Deion Sanders is the most dynamic personality off the field, and was perhaps even the best player on it. In his first year of eligibility, Sanders has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

It’s difficult to overstate Sanders’ athletic gifts -- he was one of the fastest players of his era at any position, he demonstrated outstanding positional awareness, and he was extremely versatile, having been utilized in offensive, defensive, and special teams units. Though this doesn’t augment his Hall of Fame case, it’s worth noting that Sanders’ baseball career was more than a hobby; in 1992, Sanders his .304 and led the league in triples (despite missing over a third of the season). He joined the Braves in the World Series that year, hitting .533 over four games with a broken bone in his foot.

Sanders acquired the name “Prime Time” with the Atlanta Falcons, where he began his football career as the fifth overall pick of the 1989 NFL Draft. In 1994, Sanders left to play one season for the San Francisco 49ers, with whom he would run back three interceptions for touchdowns and win Super Bowl XXIX. He would return a year later to win Super Bowl XXX with the Dallas Cowboys.

Over 14 seasons with the Falcons, 49ers, Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Baltimore Ravens, Sanders would finish with 21 touchdowns (six from punt returns, three from kick returns, nine from interception returns, and three as a wide receiver) and 53 interceptions. He appeared in eight Pro Bowls, and was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1994. It’s difficult to imagine a player with a better combination of well-roundedness and talent.

For more on the Pro Football Hall of Fame candidates, as well as inductee announcements, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Some relatively shocking news is being reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette regarding the Pro Football Hall of Fame voting: legendary Steelers running back Jerome Bettis has been left out of the Class of 2011. From the report:

Bettis seems almost certain to enter the Hall at some point; with so many other deserving candidates, perhaps it was determined that he needed to wait in line. The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most storied franchises in football, and Bettis is among the most beloved Steelers of all time.

In his rookie 1993 season, Bettis busted loose for 1,429 yards for the then-Los Angeles Rams. In his third season in the league, however, his carries were diminished under new head coach Rich Brooks.

Bettis was then traded to the Pittsburgh, which “The Bus” would call his home for the final ten years of his career. The 24-year-old Bettis rushed for 1,431 yards in his first season with the Steelers, and 1,665 in his second. Bettis reached the postseason time and again with the Steelers, and on their sixth trip to the playoffs together, Bettis finally won a Super Bowl ring.

He announced his retirement at the conclusion of Super Bowl XL, having finished fifth on the all-time rushing yardage list. Between his accomplishments on the field and his popularity among fans, Bettis seems a lock to enter the Hall of Fame at some point.

For more on the Pro Football Hall of Fame candidates, as well as inductee announcements, stay tuned to this StoryStream. And for more on Bettis, check out our Pittsburgh Steelers blog, Behind The Steel Curtain.

Super Bowl XLV is a day away, and at 7 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, we’ll be treated to an appetizers of sorts as we learn the names of the newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Each year, the Board of Selectors makes it a point to select between four and seven members, and they should have no problem this year, as the Class of 2011 is filled with NFL greats.

Keep in mind that Saturday is an announcement-only affair. Inductees will not be formally enshrined in Canton until August.