Tag: Charles Woodson

FOX analyst RJ Young names four Badgers in all-time Big Ten team

FOX Sports college football analyst, RJ Young, names four Badgers to his all-time Big Ten team.

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Earlier this week, FOX Sports college football analyst and host of the No. 1 Ranked Show, RJ Young, named four Badgers to his all-time Big Ten team.

Related: Wisconsin OT Logan Bruss wins first Wisconsin Football Esports Showdown

The Badgers named include former Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor, offensive tackle Joe Thomas, defensive end J.J. Watt and safety Jim Leonhard. Some other notable players named to Young’s list include former Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields and former Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson.

Although it is surprising to see that more Wisconsin offensive linemen didn’t make Young’s all-time Big Ten team, the Badgers are represented well with some of the best players ever at their positions.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

Charles Woodson names Jalen Ramsey, Xavien Howard as top CBs in NFL

Charles Woodson gave Jalen Ramsey some serious respect this week.

Just a couple of days after Jalen Ramsey called Charles Woodson the best defensive back in NFL history, the Hall of Famer had some praise of his own for the Rams cornerback. Woodson did a Zoom call with reporters and when discussing the top corners in the league today, Woodson said he likes Ramsey and Xavien Howard.

Ramsey was arguably the best shutdown cornerback in football last season, doing an excellent job against just about every receiver he covered – from DeAndre Hopkins to DK Metcalf. Howard, on the other hand, was an absolute ball hawk.

He led the NFL in interceptions with 10 and passes defensed (20) last season, the second time he’s topped the league in picks; he had seven in 2018.

Ramsey and Howard were both first-team All-Pros last season, so clearly media members believed they were the two best cornerbacks in the NFL, too. Jaire Alexander, Marlon Humphrey, Stephon Gilmore and Tre’Davious White have all been excellent in recent years, too, but Ramsey and Howard might be just a touch above them.

Ramsey said this week that he would like to play safety one day the way Woodson did, but if he keeps playing as great as he has at cornerback, there will be no reason for him to change positions.

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Voice of ‘Autumn Wind’ John Facenda wins Hall of Fame Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award

Voice of ‘Autumn Wind’ John Facenda wins Hall of Fame Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award

“The Autumn Wind is a Pirate
Blustering in from sea
With a rollicking song
He sweeps along
Swaggering boisterously…”

If you’re a Raider fan, you hear those words in one iconic voice. That voice is that of the late John Facenda. It was a poem written by the late Steve Sabol and produced in 1974. The poem accompanied what became the Raiders theme song.

Now, in the same year that Steve Sabol enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Facenda will join him as the recipient of the Hall of Fame’s Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award.

Facenda voiced many of the NFL Films’ work. He became known as the voice of the NFL over 20 years from 1965 until his death in 1984 at the age of 71. But no single piece of NFL Films footage is more iconic than his reading of The Autumn Wind.

He lived to see all three Raiders Super Bowl wins, so it’s also fitting that Tom Flores — who coached the Raiders to two of those Super Bowl wins — gets inducted this year via the Senior Committee.

Raiders great Charles Woodson gets in this year on his first ballot. Others to be inducted this year are Alan Faneca, Calvin Johnson, John Lynch, Peyton Manning, Bill Nunn, and Drew Pearson. They will be enshrined at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton Ohio.

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Meet The 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the members of their 2021 class, including Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson and Charles Woodson.

Today was “Selection Saturday” for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee. The 48 members meet annually on the Saturday before the Super Bowl to debate over the finalists, and this year there were 15 modern-era finalists, along with three additional nominees in Bill Nunn (Contributor Finalist), Tom Flores (Coach Finalist) and Drew Pearson (Senior Finalist).

Here is the 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class

Charles Woodson elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

One of the best to ever play for Michigan football will soon be enshrined in Canton.

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What happens when you have an 18-year professional football career with 65 interceptions, with 11 being pick-sixes, 33 forced fumbles, 18 fumble recoveries, 20 sacks and 54 tackles for loss from the cornerback position?

You get elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, that’s what.

Nine-time Pro Bowler Charles Woodson, Michigan football’s prolific cornerback and still the only primarily defensive player to ever win the Heisman Trophy, earned the distinction of having his bust enshrined in Canton on Saturday night, as the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that Woodson has been elected into its shrine for the best to ever play at a professional level.

A two-time Super Bowl participant — he won one with the Green Bay Packers, but lost another with the Oakland Raiders — Woodson is the first announced by the Pro Football Hall of Fame to be elected for the 2021 class.

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Watch: Career highlights of Hall of Famer Charles Woodson

Watch a 15-minute highlight video of new Hall of Fame DB Charles Woodson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yB0KobIel4

Former Oakland Raiders and Green Bay Packers defensive back Charles Woodson is now a Hall of Famer.

The nine-time Pro Bowler and eight-time All-Pro was announced as a member of the Hall of Fame Class in 2021 on Saturday.

You can relive Woodson’s incredible NFL career in the 15-minute video above. The highlight package includes all the memorable moments of the journey that led Woodson to Canton and made him a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Woodson was a Heisman Trophy winner and national champion at Michigan and the fourth overall pick in the 1998 draft. In the NFL, he intercepted 65 passes, forced 33 fumbles, tallied 20 sacks and scored 13 defensive touchdowns. He was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1998, the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2009, a Super Bowl champion in 2010 and the league’s interception leader in 2009 and 2011.

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Former Packers DB Charles Woodson becomes first-ballot Hall of Famer

Former Green Bay Packers defensive back Charles Woodson was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Former Green Bay Packers defensive back Charles Woodson is headed to Canton to be immortalized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Woodson, who played seven years with the Packers, was voted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility and will join the induction class of 2021.

Woodson joined the Packers in 2006. Over 100 regular-season games in Green Bay, Woodson delivered 38 interceptions, 15 forced fumbles, 11.5 sacks and 10 defensive touchdowns. He led the league in interceptions twice (2009, 2011) and scored at least one touchdown in each of his seven seasons with the Packers.

Woodson was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and won a Super Bowl with the Packers in 2010. He made four Pro Bowls and two first-team All-Pro teams while in Green Bay.

Between 2006 and 2012, Woodson ranked first in the NFL in interception return yards, third in interceptions and fourth in pass breakups.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has said, on multiple occasions, that he believes Woodson is the finest player he’s ever played with.

Woodson finished his 18-year NFL career with 65 interceptions, 183 pass breakups, 33 forced fumbles, 18 fumble recoveries, 20 sacks and 13 defensive touchdowns. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler, eight-time All-Pro and a member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team.

Woodson’s full bio at the Hall of Fame’s official site:

Made immediate impact for Raiders after being drafted fourth overall in 1998, earning AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award and a Pro Bowl berth … Intercepted at least one pass in each of his 18 seasons (one year shy of Darrell Green’s NFL-record 19) … Totaled 65 career interceptions, tied for fifth in League history … Fourth in NFL history for passes defensed with 183 … Twice led NFL in interceptions (nine in 2009; seven in 2011) … In 2014, became first player in NFL history with 50 career interceptions and 20 sacks … Forced 33 fumbles and recovered 18 … AP Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 … Member of NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s … First-Team All-Pro three times … Elected to nine Pro Bowls … Appeared in Super Bowl XXXVII with Oakland, contributing five tackles and an interception in 48-21 loss to Tampa Bay … Contributed two tackles in 31-25 Green Bay victory over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV … Co-holder of NFL record with 13 career defensive touchdowns … One of only two players (with Hall of Famer Marcus Allen) to win Heisman Trophy, AP Rookie of the Year, AP Player of the Year and a Super Bowl title in his career.

Woodson will be officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Canton on Aug. 8.

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NFL Honors 2021: Pro Football Hall of Fame predictions

Today is Selection Saturday for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Peyton Manning and others are waiting to hear the call. Who gets in?

The Pro Football Hall of Fame will announce their next class of honorees prior to Super Bowl LV. The 48-member Pro Football hall of Fame Selection Committee will meet on Saturday to decide among the 18 finalists, which include 15 modern-era players and three additional finalists: Drew Pearson (senior finalist), Bill Nunn (contributor finalist) and Tom Flores (Coach finalist).

The by-laws of the Selection Committee provide that “between four an eight new members will be selected.” Here are Touchdown Wire’s 2021 Pro Football Hall of  Fame predictions.

LeRoy Butler, Charles Woodson among 15 Hall of Fame finalists

Butler and Woodson are both among the 15 modern-era finalists for the 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

A pair of former Green Bay Packers defensive backs are among the 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2021.

LeRoy Butler and Charles Woodson were both named finalists on Tuesday.

Butler and Woodson join Jared Allen, Ronde Barber, Tony Boselli, Alan Faneca, Torry Holt, Calvin Johnson, John Lynch, Peyton Manning, Clay Matthews Jr., Sam Mills, Richard Seymour, Zach Thomas and Reggie Wayne as the 15 modern-era finalists.

Butler, now in his 15th season of eligibility, is a finalist for the second straight year. Woodson is a first-time finalist in his first year of eligibility.

Up to five players from the 15 finalists will be elected to the Hall of Fame. Players need 80 percent of the vote to be inducted.

Butler played for the Packers from 1990 to 2001. Woodson played for the Packers from 2006 to 2012.

The Hall of Fame’s profile on Butler:

One of the most prolific defensive backs in the Packers’ storied history and among premier safeties of his era … Led the team in interceptions five times … Key member of defense that guided team’s resurgence that included seven playoff appearances in nine-season span … Helped lead Packers to three straight division titles (1995-97) and two Super Bowl appearances … Started at strong safety in three consecutive NFC Championship Games and Super Bowls XXXI and XXXII … Had seven tackles and one sack in Packers’ 35-21 victory over New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI …  Intercepted a pass in every season but his last … Career stats: 38 interceptions for 533 yards … Only pick-six came on 90-yard return versus San Diego Chargers, Sept. 15, 1996 … Registered 20.5 career sacks and one fumble recovery for a TD … Selected to four Pro Bowls … All-Pro four times (1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) … Named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s.

The Hall of Fame’s profile for Woodson:

Made immediate impact for Raiders after being drafted fourth overall in 1998, earning AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award and a Pro Bowl berth … Intercepted at least one pass in each of his 18 seasons (one year shy of Darrell Green’s NFL-record 19) … Totaled 65 career interceptions, tied for fifth in League history … Fourth in NFL history for passes defensed with 183 … Twice led NFL in interceptions (nine in 2009; seven in 2011) … In 2014, became first player in NFL history with 50 career interceptions and 20 sacks … Forced 33 fumbles and recovered 18 … AP Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 … Member of NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s … First-Team All-Pro three times … Elected to nine Pro Bowls … Appeared in Super Bowl XXXVII with Oakland, contributing five tackles and an interception in 48-21 loss to Tampa Bay … Contributed two tackles in 31-25 Green Bay victory over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV … Co-holder of NFL record with 13 career defensive touchdowns … One of only two players (with Hall of Famer Marcus Allen) to win Heisman Trophy, AP Rookie of the Year, AP Player of the Year and a Super Bowl title in his career.

The Hall of Fame Selection Committee will meet on January 19 to vote. The 2021 Hall of Fame class will be announced during the “NFL Honors” on the eve of Super Bowl LV.

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