Tag: Ring of Honor

Chiefs announce Tamba Hali will be inducted into Ring of Honor in 2024

Tamba Hali will be the 53rd member of the #Chiefs’ Hall of Fame.

The Kansas City Chiefs have announced that former Linebacker/Defensive End Tamba Hali (2006-17) will be inducted into the Chiefs’ Hall of Fame this season. He’ll become the 53rd individual and 49th player to earn this coveted honor.

“My family and I are thrilled to announce Tamba Hali as this year’s inductee into the Chiefs Hall of Fame,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said via Saturday’s press release. “From the day we drafted Tamba in 2006, he has inspired our fans with electrifying performances on the field and outstanding character off the field. Throughout his illustrious career, Tamba was respected and admired by his teammates, as he moved from defensive end to outside linebacker in his fourth season and quickly became a Pro Bowler. His stats speak for themselves, establishing him as one of the great defensive players in Chiefs history. And he is perhaps even more impressive off the field. Tamba’s remarkable personal journey has molded a man of integrity, resilience, and determination. He has given back to the community in Kansas City, in New Jersey, and in his childhood home of Liberia. Chiefs Kingdom, all around the world, is cheering for him today.”

Hali spent his 12-year career in Kansas City, appearing in 177 games (157 starts), the fourth most by any Chiefs defender in team history. He was named to the 2006 NFL All-Rookie Team, was selected to the Pro Bowl five consecutive seasons from 2011-15, and was named to the AP All-Pro second team twice (2011 and 2013). Hali earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors four times in his career, tied for the second most by any Chiefs defender.

Since retiring, Hali has been a fixture in helping to train young defensive players, most recently George Karlaftis and Felix Anudike-Uzomah.

Jimmy Johnson retrospective, Cowboys Ring of Honor induction photo gallery

A look back on Saturday night’s induction ceremony of the incomparable Jimmy Johnson. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Jimmy Johnson became the 24th person inducted into the Dallas Cowboys’ Ring of Honor on Saturday night. The halftime festivities included a ton of emotion for the two-time Super Bowl winning coach, who seems to have finally been able to bury the beef with owner Jerry Jones.

Several RoH members were on hand for the ceremony, including Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett and Johnson’s own triplets: Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith. Check out the pics from the festivities and a handful of other memories from Johnson’s tenure.

Twitter reacts to Jimmy Johnson’s induction to Cowboys Ring of Honor

Check out the highlights, congratulations and memories as Jimmy Johnson is inducted to the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor. | From @KDDrummondNFL

It’s finally done. After revitalizing a downtrodden franchise in a few short seasons, but seemingly being exiled after their quick divorce, Jimmy Johnson is back home. The first head coach Jerry Jones ever hired, hit rock bottom immediately, going 1-15 in his first season after leaving the University of Miami. The turnaround didn’t take long though, as the club was in the playoffs in two seasons, and earning Team of the 90s accolades just two seasons later.

Johnson took Dallas to back-to-back Super Bowl wins before his relationship with the owner deteriorated to the point the two mutually agreed to part ways. Dallas won a third Super Bowl with Johnson’s roster, but soon after started a drought that has almost reached 30 years without seeing a conferene championship game. But Johnson is now home.

At halftime of the club’s Week 17 game against the Detroit Lions, Johnson is now the 24th member of the club’s hall of fame, the Ring of Honor. Twitter reacted to the ceremony and the speech.

Dan Campbell using Jimmy Johnson’s RoH induction to motivate Lions vs Cowboys

From @ToddBrock24f7: Mike McCarthy enjoys the constant presence of Cowboys history; Dan Campbell will use Jimmy Johnson’s RoH induction to motivate his Lions.

Halftime of this Saturday’s game between the Cowboys and the Lions will feature a moment that’s been 30 years in the making.

The Cowboys will induct former head coach Jimmy Johnson into the Ring of Honor at AT&T Stadium three decades after he delivered a pair of Lombardi Trophies to Dallas and subsequently parted ways with owner Jerry Jones.

The 2023 Cowboys, of course, will be intent on taking care of business- notching their 11th win of the season and ending a two-game skid against playoff-caliber teams- but the significance of the ceremony within the framework of the franchise’s history isn’t lost on current coach Mike McCarthy.

“Those are big-picture moments,” McCarthy said Tuesday. “The history and the tradition of the Dallas Cowboys is impeccable.”

“There’s always a tribute to the past. I think it’s important. I think those are the guys that laid the foundation of the success of the Cowboys. I think it’s great when Jerry acknowledges those guys, and you see them around here. It’s part of the spirit and the blessing of being a Dallas Cowboy.”

But perhaps surprisingly, he won’t be the only coach in the building who’s looking forward to watching Johnson’s name become the 24th to grace the stadium’s inner façade.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell grew up “a huge Jimmy Johnson fan” in Clifton, Tex. and called being the team’s opponent on such a momentous day “awesome.”

“I feel like that was for us,” he told Detroit media, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

“I’ve always been fascinated with him,” said Campbell, himself a former Cowboys tight end who came to Dallas ten years after Johnson’s 1993 exit. “His style, the way he coached, what he was about, the way he built that roster. The way they played. And I just, I think he’s special. I think he’s one of these rare special coaches.”

Campbell won’t be star-struck, though; he’ll be looking for his high-flying Detroit squad to spoil the Cowboys celebration. Just crowned divisional champs for the first time since Johnson’s final year in Dallas, the Lions are still in play to capture the NFC’s top seed, but they have to win out to mathematically have even a chance.

Being there the night the Cowboys honor Johnson will be a part of Campbell’s message to his players, he says, ”cause I respect the hell out of the man.”

“To me, it’s like an honor that we get to go out there, cause that’s what I think of,” he said. “Obviously, our team, man, a chance to get a win, but do something that he’d be proud of. He can watch us play and be like, ‘I like that style. I approve of that.’ So I think it’s pretty cool.”

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McCarthy is also looking forward to welcoming Johnson. The two spent some time together in Florida earlier this year, McCarthy said, and even went out on Johnson’s boat. While on the water, the Hall of Fame coach shared a couple beers (Troy Aikman’s EIGHT brand, naturally) and even a little advice on helming America’s Team.

“He sure did,” McCarthy smiled. “He sure did. It was all good.”

And it will be even better if Johnson’s auspicious night also brings a vintage Cowboys victory reminiscent of the coach’s dynasty years.

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Breaking: Cowboys finally adding coach Jimmy Johnson to Ring of Honor

Johnson will finally see his name among the legends of the franchise at AT&T Stadium. | From @ArmyChiefW3

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will finally induct former Dallas head coach Jimmy Johnson into the Cowboys Ring of Honor. Never to shy away from a spotlight, the announcement was made on the FOX NFL Sunday pregame show much like Johnsons’ announcement to the Hall of Fame.

Johnson will be honored at halftime against the Detroit Lions on December 30 after winning two Super Bowl victories with the team.

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Johnson will be the 24th Cowboy inducted and the second player this season. Former pass rusher DeMarcus Ware was added to the exclusive club earlier in the 2023 season.

The public outcry for Johnson’s being left out of this exclusive club began to grow but this announcement corrects what many believed was a disservice to his contributions to this team. Johnson helped turn the Cowboys from a laughing stock to a perennial powerhouse quickly.

He can now add Cowboys Ring of Honor member to his list of accomplishments.

DeMarcus Who? Cowboys welcome Ware to Ring of Honor despite Jerry Jones goof

From @ToddBrock24f7: The team’s prestigious Ring of Honor officially has its 23rd member, although the induction ceremony came with a name flub by Jerry Jones.

The Cowboys’ all-time leader in sacks is now immortalized forever among the franchise’s biggest legends.

DeMarcus Ware was officially inducted into the Ring of Honor at halftime of Sunday’s win over the Rams at AT&T Stadium, becoming the 23rd person to receive the Cowboys’ most prestigious accolade.

Ware was surrounded by ten other Ring of Honor members for the big moment, including Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith, and Bob Lilly. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones led the induction ceremony, kicking off the proceedings with a Texas-sized gaffe when he inadvertently introduced Ware as “DeMarcus Lawrence” before quickly correcting himself.

With his family and fellow franchise legends by his side, Ware used the moment to give a shout-out to “the greatest fans in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys Nation,” and then led the crowd of over 93,000 in a booming “Go Cowboys” cheer to help spur the team on to its 11th straight home victory.

The 2023 Cowboys paid their own special tribute to Ware with a spectacular defensive performance. Having already contributed heavily to the 33-9 lead the team held at the time of Ware’s induction, the defense went on to rack up two sacks, almost 20 pressures, and an interception returned for a touchdown in the 43-20 blowout.

Micah Parsons was also spotted wearing a DeMarcus Ware T-shirt during pregame warmups.

Ware was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer; Jones surprised him a few weeks later with the Ring of Honor announcement.

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“I’m lost for words right now,” Ware said then. “Canton was great. But this is my home.”

More specifically, Ware’s name will live right next to Larry Allen’s at the team’s home venue from this day forward.

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DeMarcus Ware to be inducted into Cowboys’ Ring of Honor on Sunday

From @ToddBrock24f7: The Cowboys’ all-time sacks leader will become the 23rd person to have his name placed on the AT&T Stadium walls during a Week 8 ceremony.

The most prestigious club in the Cowboys franchise is getting its 23rd member.

DeMarcus Ware will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor at AT&T Stadium during a halftime ceremony this Sunday when the Cowboys host the Los Angeles Rams. The Cowboys made the announcement on Wednesday.

The organization had previously said that the Cowboys’ all-time sacks leader would have his name immortalized on the stadium walls at some point this season, saying it would happen before Ware is presented with his Hall of Fame ring on Nov. 30.

Ware was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August.

Team owner Jerry Jones will induct Ware, with several other Ring of Honor members scheduled to be present for the ceremony.

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Legendary Cowboys personnel executive Gil Brandt was the last person to be honored with a Ring of Honor inclusion; he entered in 2018.

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Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas inducted into the Cleveland Browns’ Ring Of Honor

Wisconsin legend Joe Thomas was honored on Sunday:

It was a big weekend for former Wisconsin Badgers in the NFL. Two of the program’s recently retired legends were honored by their franchises at halftime of Sunday’s games — first defensive end J.J. Watt by the Houston Texans, and now offensive tackle Joe Thomas by the Cleveland Browns.

Thomas retired from the NFL after the 2017 season. He did so as arguably one of the greatest tackles in the sport’s history. His 11-year career included 10 Pro Bowls, six First-Team All-Pro honors and an NFL record streak of 10,363 consecutive snaps

After being inducted into the NFL Hall Of Fame a few months ago, the former Badger was back in Cleveland on Sunday to be inducted into the Browns’ Ring Of Honor:

Chad Johnson and Boomer Esiason enshrined in Bengals Ring of Honor

The best moments for two Bengals legends.

Two Cincinnati Bengals greats were enshrined in the Ring of Honor before the game against the Los Angeles Rams Monday night.

Chad Johnson and Boomer Esiason were recognized in a ceremony on the field, joining many former Bengals stars and there were other former Bengals that attended, like former head coach Marvin Lewis and cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones.

Both Esiason and Johnson played with the Bengals for 10 years. Johnson finished his time in Cincinnati as the franchise leader in both yards, with 10,783, and touchdowns, with 66. He made six Pro Bowls and was first-team All-Pro twice.

Esiason won an MVP award in 1988, getting the Bengals to a Super Bowl in that same season. He finished with 27,149 passing yards as a Bengal and 187 passing touchdowns.

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DeMarcus Ware to be inducted into Cowboys’ Ring of Honor; Jimmy Johnson still waits

From @ToddBrock24f7: Jerry Jones announced that the franchise’s all-time sacks leader will become the 23rd person to receive the honor, at a game this season.

DeMarcus Ware became just the 371st member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this month, but he’s about to join an even more exclusive club.

The defensive superstar who wore a Cowboys uniform for nine illustrious seasons and remains the team’s all-time sacks leader will be inducted into the franchise’s Ring of Honor at AT&T Stadium at some point this season, said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

The announcement came Wednesday night at the team’s 2023 season kickoff ceremony, with Ware on hand to hear the news first-hand.

“I’m lost for words right now,” Ware said. “This is second time you surprised me. First of all, when you told me I was making the Hall of Fame and secondly, me getting into your Hall of Fame. Yes, Canton was great. But this is my home.”

Ware will become just the 23rd person to have his name affixed to the stadium walls. Darren Woodson was the last player chosen for the team’s ultimate accolade, in 2015. Former Cowboys executive Gil Brandt was the most recent inductee, in 2018.

But the moment, unfortunately, cannot and will not be about Ware alone, even though he very much deserves it. And that’s because of the thirty-year-old elephant in the room.

Coach Jimmy Johnson is still waiting. Jones famously promised on live national TV that the architect of the Cowboys’ dynasty of the 1990s would finally be welcomed into the Ring of Honor, with that proclamation coming during Johnson’s own Hall of Fame enshrinement week.

But that was two years ago.

“There’s no waiting as much as it is, how and when we do something,” was how Jones worded his latest attempt at an explanation. “The waiting term isn’t a product of this process. Everybody that is going to go in there in the future is waiting.”

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Ware didn’t have to wait very long at all, with Jones intimating that this was his time and his year.

Johnson, meanwhile, may have been onto something- in what was supposed to have been his year- when he asked of Jones back in 2021:

“While I’m alive?”

Other former Cowboys stars, on the other hand, seem to have also skipped ahead of Johnson in that waiting line.

The Cowboys owner vowed that quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten will be in the Ring of Honor, too.

“They are both going in,” he said. “Write that.”

At this rate, they may also go in ahead of Johnson.

The exact date for Ware’s Ring of Honor induction ceremony has not been announced, though a club official said it would take place prior to Ware being presented with his Hall of Fame ring on Nov. 30.

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