EVENTS
Sportsman of the Year
Heisman Trophy
Swimsuit 2001
CENTERS
Fantasy Central
Inside Game
Video Plus
Statitudes
Your Turn
Message Boards
Email Newsletters
Golf Guide
Cities
CNNSI.com GROUP
Sports Illustrated
Life of Reilly
SI Women
SI for Kids
Press Room
TBS/TNT Sports
CNN Languages
COMMERCE
SI Customer Service
SI Media Kits
Get into College
Sports Memorabilia
TeamStore
|  |
Hall of Fame Thumbnails
Posted: Friday August 03, 2001 11:39 AM
CANTON, Ohio (AP) -- Thumbnail sketches of the seven inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 4:
NICK BUONICONTI
Linebacker ... 1962-68 Boston Patriots, 1969-74, 1976 Miami Dolphins ... 14 seasons, 183 games ... Thought to be too small for pros ... Had an immediate impact with the Patriots, helping to capture 1963 AFL Eastern Division title ... Played in five AFL All-Star games with Patriots and one with Miami after 1969 trade ... Ranks seventh in Patriots history for career interceptions, 24 ... Was Dolphins Most Valuable Player in 1969 ... Following AFL-NFL merger was named to two more Pro Bowls, 1973-74 ... Driving force of Dolphins famed "No Name Defense" ... During seven seasons with Dolphins, team made three consecutive Super Bowl appearances (Super Bowls VI, VII, VIII), winning two, including one coming after incredible undefeated season in 1972 ... Recorded 32 career interceptions ... Voted to All-Time AFL Team in 1969.
MARV LEVY
Coach ... 1978-82 Kansas City Chiefs, 1986-97 Buffalo Bills ... Regular season record: 143-112-0 ... Postseason record: 11-8-0 ... Overall record: 154-120-0 ... Ranked 10th in NFL history at the time of his retirement ... Under Levy, Chiefs improved each season from a 4-12 in 1978 to 9-7 in 1981 ... Left Chiefs following 3-6 strike-shortened season, 1982 ... Set a new standard for NFL head coaches when he took Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls ... Guided Bills to playoffs in eight of 11 seasons ...Ranked fifth in postseason victories among all-time NFL head coaches with 100-plus wins ... Posted back-to-back 13-3 records with the Bills, 1990, 1991 ... NFL Coach of the Year 1988 ... Began pro coaching career as kicking coach for the Eagles, 1969 ... Rams special teams coach, 1970 ... Redskins special teams coach, 1971-72 ... Head coach, Montreal Alouettes (CFL), 1973-77 ... Head coach, Chicago Blitz (USFL), 1984 ... Director of football operations, Montreal Alouettes (CFL), 1985.
MIKE MUNCHAK
Guard ... 1982-93 Houston Oilers ... 12 seasons, 159 games ... Selected by Houston in the first round (8th player overall) of 1982 NFL draft ... Earned starting left guard spot as a rookie ... Devastating blocker, Munchak was key to an offensive line that kept the Oilers at or near the top of NFL's offensive statistical categories ... Oilers led NFL in total offense in 1990 and passing offense in 1990-91 ... Team finished second in points scored in 1990 and total offense in 1991 ... Equally effective as pass or run blocker, team finished 4th in NFL in 1993 in both average gain per rushing play (4.4) and average gain per offensive play (5.3) ... In 1988, Munchak led line that gave up just 24 quarterback sacks, fourth best in NFL ... Following season, offensive line held opponents to no sacks allowed six times ... Named All-Pro four times and selected to play in nine Pro Bowls.
JACKIE SLATER
Tackle ... 1976-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams ... 20 seasons, 259 games ... Retired tied for third most seasons played in NFL history ... His 259 regular-season games played was most by offensive lineman at the time of his retirement ... Mainstay of Rams' offensive line, was first- or second-team All-Pro choice five seasons ... Known for work ethic and leadership skills, earned seven Pro Bowl berths (1984, 1986-1991) ... A powerful drive blocker, 24 different quarterbacks and 37 different running backs played behind Slater during career ... Blocked for seven different 1,000-yard rushers ... Played in 107 games in which runner gained 100-plus yards . . . Twenty-seven times Rams' quarterbacks passed for 300-plus yards in a game with Slater as blocker ... In 1983, Rams offensive line allowed league-low 23 sacks while Eric Dickerson also rushed for rookie record 1,808 yards ... Veteran of 18 playoff games.
LYNN SWANN
Wide Receiver ... 1974-82 Pittsburgh Steelers ... Nine seasons, 115 games ... No. 1 draft pick (21st overall), 1974 ... Used primarily on punt returns as rookie, saw limited action as wide receiver ... Became a regular wide receiver his second season and responded with 49 catches for 781 yards and league-high 11 touchdowns ... Finished season by winning MVP honors in Super Bowl X with superlative 161 yards gained on four receptions, including a 64-yard game-winning catch ... Career record: 336 receptions for 5,462 yards, 51 touchdowns ... 364 career reception yards ranked first in Super Bowl record book when he retired ... Had 41 punt returns for 577 yards,1 touchdown and 14.1-yard average as rookie ... Scored 318 points on 53 touchdowns ... All-Pro, 1975, 1977-78, All-AFC three times ... In three Pro Bowls.
RON YARY
Tackle ... 1968-81 Minnesota Vikings, 1982 Los Angeles Rams ... 15 seasons, 207 games ... Vikings used bonus pick acquired in Fran Tarkenton trade with New York Giants to select Yary first in 1968 draft ... Possessed speed, agility, intelligence, aggressiveness, hard-work ethic ... Durable, missed only two games with injuries (broken ankle, 1980) ... Continued to play with broken foot same year ... Military duty forced him to miss first three games, 1969 ... Took over as regular right tackle in mid-season, 1969 ... All-Pro, 1971-76 ... Played in seven Pro Bowls, 1972-78 ... Starting right tackle in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX, XI and 1969, 1973-74, 1976-77 NFL/NFC championships ... Traded to Rams for 10th-round draft pick, 1982 ... Played eight games in final season with Rams.
JACK YOUNGBLOOD
Defensive End ... 1971-84 Los Angeles Rams ... 14 seasons, 202 games ... 20th player selected, first round, 1971 draft ... Backed up superstar Deacon Jones at defensive left end as rookie, became full-time regular in third season . . . Rugged, determined, durable ... A dominant defender, perennial Rams' sack leader ... Played 201 consecutive games, a Rams record ... Missed only one game in 14 years ... Rams defensive captain ... Had one sack, one forced fumble, one blocked PAT, touchdown interception of 47 yards in 1975 playoff vs. St. Louis ... Fractured left fibula in 1979 first-round playoff game, was fitted with plastic brace, played every defensive down in NFC title game, Super Bowl XIV ... Played in five NFC championship games ... All-Pro in 1974-76, 1978-79 ... Played in seven consecutive Pro Bowls, 1974-80 ... Recovered 10 opponents' fumbles.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
|
Copyright © 2001
CNN/Sports Illustrated
An AOL Time Warner Company.
All Rights Reserved.
|
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.
|
|
