On Saturday, eight men joined football’s greatest fraternity, as they were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sam Mills, LeRoy Butler, Richard Seymour, Art McNally, Tony Boselli, Bryant Young, Cliff Branch, and Dick Vermeil either accepted their honors in person in Canton, Ohio, or were represented
Here are highlights of each induction speech.
Sam Mills, LB, Carolina Panthers/New Orleans Saints, 1986-1997
Mills, who passed away in 2005, was presented by his widow, Melanie Mills.
"#KeepPounding everyone, that's what Sam would want you to do."
Melanie Mills with a touching tribute to her late husband, Sam Mills.
📺: #PFHOF22 Enshrinement on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/yYMyLGqQ9p
— NFL (@NFL) August 6, 2022
LeRoy Butler, CB/SS, Green Bay Packers, 1990-2001
Butler chose his wife, Genesis, and his former teammate, Gilbert Brown, to present him.
"When you make the Hall of Fame, football heaven opens up." 💚💛@leap36 | @packers
📺: #PFHOF22 Enshrinement on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/jVQXCTZIvG
— NFL (@NFL) August 6, 2022
Richard Seymour, DL, New England Patriots/Oakland Raiders, 2001-2012
Seymour was presented by Titus Duren, his former high school principal.
“I grew up a huge Raider fan.”@BigSey93 remembers Al Davis and playing in the Silver and Black in his enshrinement speech.
📺: #PFHOF22 on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/kGvUMb1igH
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) August 6, 2022
"We had a young QB, but we made it work."
Wonder who that young QB could've been? 😏 @TomBrady @BigSey93
📺: #PFHOF22 Enshrinement on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/CSUJe0W3V9
— NFL (@NFL) August 6, 2022
Art McNally, Official/Administrator, 1959-2015
McNally was presented by his grandchildren, Shannon and Connor O’Hara.
Art McNally becomes the first on-field official inducted into the @ProFootballHOF 👏
📺: #PFHOF22 Enshrinement on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/Ozpd23bSJG
— NFL (@NFL) August 6, 2022
Tony Boselli, OT, Jacksonville Jaguars, 1995-2001
Boselli, the first Jacksonville Jaguar to be indicted into the Hall of Fame, chose quarterback Mark Brunell, his former Jaguars teammate, to present him.
.@TonyBoselli shouts out all his @USC_FB coaches and teammates. ✌️
"The greatest offensive line on the greatest team ever assembled."
📺: #PFHOF22 Enshrinement on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/j9TIMqGBza
— NFL (@NFL) August 6, 2022
Bryant Young, DL, San Francisco 49ers, 1994-2007
Young’s speech was notable for his touching tribute to his late son, Colby.
Bryant Young's son Colby lost his battle with cancer when he was just 15 years old. Bryant keeps his son's memory alive, ever day and especially today.
What a beautiful moment. ❤️🙏 @Bgr8t
📺: #PFHOF22 Enshrinement on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/DxkcCcmaTI
— NFL (@NFL) August 6, 2022
Cliff Branch, WR, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1972-1985
Branch, who passed away in 2019, was presented by his sister, Elaine Anderson, and by Raiders owner Mark Davis.
"21 is seated front and center with Al Davis and John Madden."
Elaine Anderson, the sister of HOFer Cliff Branch, pays tribute to these late @Raiders legends. 🙏
📺: #PFHOF22 Enshrinement on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/9bveixjWc2
— NFL (@NFL) August 6, 2022
Dick Vermeil, Head Coach, Philadelphia Eagles/St. Louis Rams/Kansas City Chiefs, 1976-1982/1997-2005
Vermeil was presented by longtime colleague Carl Peterson, and by John Sciarra, who played quarterback for Vermeil at UCLA, and quarterback and safety for him with the Eagles from 1978-1982.
Dick Vermeil is the definition of a player's coach. 👏
📺: #PFHOF22 Enshrinement on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/OS0jGVo7t6
— NFL (@NFL) August 6, 2022