'85 Bears flank McMichael during HOF ceremony

CANTON, Ohio — The most emotional moment of Saturday’s Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony took place some 344 miles west of Tom Benson Stadium.

Surrounded by his wife, daughter and members of the Chicago Bears‘ famed 1985 defense, Steve McMichael’s Hall of Fame bust was unveiled inside of his home in Homer Glen, Illinois. McMichael, 66, is bedridden from battling ALS the past three years and has lost the ability to speak on his own. His sister, Kathy, delivered McMichael’s enshrinement speech on his behalf in a prerecorded video.

Live video from McMichael’s bedside was streamed to the crowd in Canton while ESPN’s Chris Berman, who served as the Hall of Fame’s master of ceremonies, relayed the message he received from the defensive tackle about his career impact.

“‘I do not want ALS to be my legacy,'” Berman said. “‘What I did on the field, that’s my legacy. Pushing myself to the limit … farther than anybody else could.'”

On hand to celebrate McMichael’s enshrinement were former teammates Richard Dent, Ron Rivera, Mike Singletary, Jimbo Covert and Gary Fencik, among others. Dent spoke to McMichael about his place in football history, which came as one of two members of the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame class selected as senior finalists.

“Steve, we’re here with all your world champion brothers,” Dent said. “Back in Canton, we have 378 brothers that are looking for you. You’re on a team that you can never be cut from, you never can be released from. When you die on this team, you will still be on it.”

McMichael, a two-time All-Pro, retired in 1994 and ranks fourth in NFL history among defensive tackles with 95 sacks. He was one of three Bears to be part of the 2024 class and was honored Saturday along with defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers, linebackers Randy Gradishar and Patrick Willis, wide receiver Andre Johnson and Devin Hester, who is the first primary kick and punt returner to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Freeney, a three-time All-Pro defensive end with the Indianapolis Colts, was playing soccer in high school when the football coach took him off the field. It was a life-changing move.

“My parents are both Jamaican, so soccer was in my blood,” Freeney said. “If it wasn’t for my high school coach, Jack Cochran, pulling me off that soccer field and convincing me to play this great game, I wouldn’t be on this stage today. Your invaluable lessons in work ethic have stayed with me for my entire life. You also taught me what it takes to become a champion.”

Colts owner Jim Irsay, who is recovering from a fall, introduced Freeney in a video message. Irsay then was brought on stage in a wheelchair to help unveil Freeney’s bronze bust.

“He arguably was the best Colt defensive player in our 60-plus year history,” Irsay said.

Freeney played 11 seasons in Indianapolis and 16 total, registering 125½ sacks, many using his signature spin move. He forced 47 fumbles, made seven Pro Bowls and earned one Super Bowl ring.

The 72-year-old Gradishar had the longest wait of the new class, becoming the first member of the Denver Broncos‘ famed “Orange Crush” defense to join the Hall, 41 years after he last played in the NFL. The seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker was the AP Defensive Player of the Year in 1978.

“Don’t work for status, power, wealth, materialism or people’s recognition — all of that is temporary, but in all you are and do, work for God’s glory because he will give you an inheritance as your reward,” Gradishar said.

Hester, whose 20 combined return touchdowns over his 11-year career are the most in NFL history, dedicated a portion of his speech to lobby for return specialists like Brian Mitchell and Josh Cribbs because, “I’m not the only returner who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, I’m just the first.”

“When I exploded on the professional scene, there was a lot of negativity because people didn’t respect the return game,” Hester said. “But, eventually they put in this new rule, which is called — you guys know — the Devin Hester rule. The rule moved the kickoff up and made it easier for kickers to kick it out of the end zone, which eliminated me from getting a lot of returns. So I guess you can say the NFL started taking the return game seriously.”

It was a big day for another former Miami Hurricane when Andre Johnson, who gave the last of seven speeches Saturday, became the first player in Houston Texans history to make it to the Hall of Fame.

“I am truly honored to be your first National Football League Hall of Famer,” Johnson said. “This accomplishment is not just about me. It is for us.”

Peppers, the former No. 2 overall pick in 2002 who played 17 seasons in the NFL between the Bears, Panthers and Packers, gave a shout out to fellow University of North Carolina star Michael Jordan, who was on hand Saturday to watch his enshrinement.

The 44-year-old former defensive end finished with 159.5 career sacks, which ranks fourth in NFL history. He called being a Hall of Famer a “crowning achievement” that extends beyond his football career. He implored others to live a Hall of Fame life.

“Everyone can’t play in the NFL and everyone can’t have a bust here in Canton, but everyone can be a Hall of Famer in your own life,” Peppers said. “You can be a Hall of Fame dad, a Hall of Fame student, teacher, spouse, co-worker, friend, whatever it is. Whatever it is that you do, do it with respect, integrity, passion, resilience, dedication and gratitude. That alone will make you a Hall of Fame person and you, too, can have a Hall of Fame legacy that lives on forever.”

Instead of recount his football achievements over an eight-year career with the San Francisco 49ers, Willis “chose to reveal the more intimate side” of himself.

“I grew up in the rural south in a duplex trailer at the end of a dirt road with no running water until I was 8 years old,” Willis said. “We lived at the bottom of a hill and my grandparents lived at the top. Every day, my siblings and I would carry empty five-gallon plastic buckets up the hill to get water from my grandparents’ house, then carry them back down.

“I remember when I was carrying those buckets, I would tell myself, ‘If I can make it from here all the way to the house without stopping, I’m going to get stronger.’ No doubt I was getting physically stronger, but I didn’t know at the time I was also building inner strength.”

At the end of his speech, Willis went off script and dedicated his closing statements to his mother.

“Mama, I know we didn’t have the best of relationships, but I love you for getting me here and allowing me the opportunity to go through this life as it has been,” Willis said. “So today, I say thank you. Happy birthday to you.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.