Tag: Texas Sports Hall of Fame

Former Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles on ballot for 2024 Texas Sports Hall of Fame

Former #Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles is on the ballot to be selected for the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2024:

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We could see back-to-back years with former Kansas City Chiefs RBs voted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

Priest Holmes is set for induction in April of 2023, but Jamaal Charles can be voted in as a 2024 Texas Sports Hall of Fame class member.

A Port Arthur, Texas native, Charles was a two-time Willie Ray Smith Award recipient at Memorial High School. He’d go on to have an impressive college career at the University of Texas, recording 3,328 rushing yards and 36 rushing touchdowns.

A third-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2008 NFL draft, Charles would join a long line of great running backs through franchise history. He recorded five career seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards and two career seasons with over 1,900 yards from scrimmage. A four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro selection, there were many seasons where Charles was the most exciting player on offense in Kansas City. He’d finish his career with the Chiefs having recorded 7,260 rushing yards and 43 rushing touchdowns. His 5.4-yard-per-carry average for his career remains the best mark in NFL history.

Official voting will begin on July 17 and end on August 17. ​Individuals can cast a vote this year by becoming a TSHOF member. Membership fees start at $25.

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Texans legendary WR Andre Johnson to be inducted in Houston Sports Hall of Fame

Former Texans receiver Andre Johnson will be inducted into the 2021 Houston Sports Hall of Fame.

Andre Johnson is adding another hall of fame induction to his resume.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Sports Hall of Fame announced Thursday they will be inducting the Houston Texans Ring of Honor receiver in April 2021. Other members of the 2021 class include Houston Astros standouts Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Houston Cougars “Phi Slamma Jamma” coach Guy V. Lewis, and Houston Cougars head football coach Bill Yeoman.

“It’s a great,’’ Johnson said. “It speaks to the accomplishments I’ve had during my career. I’m very surprised, and I’m excited about it.’’

Johnson was inducted into the Texans Ring of Honor in 2017 and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

The former No. 3 pick in the 2003 NFL Draft stayed with the Texans through the 2014 season, catching 1,012 passes for 13,597 yards and 64 touchdowns, all three of which are franchise records.

Johnson will join late founder Bob McNair as the only two Texans in the Houston Sports Hall of Fame, which has Oilers legends in running back Earl Campbell and quarterback Dan Pastorini.

Longhorns well-represented on 2021 Texas Sports Hall of Fame Ballot

The Texas Sports Hall of Fame listed their ballot for the 2021 class. The Longhorns have nine former athletes up for induction.

The Texas Sports Hall of Fame recently released their 2021 ballots and it has plenty of former Texas Longhorns on it. There are two ballots with one being the primary and the other being the veteran ballot. In total there are nine Longhorns and seven are on the primary ballot. The sports range from football, basketball, softball and track and field.

Primary Ballot

Phil Dawson, Kicker

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

The first former Longhorn on the ballot is former kicker Phil Dawson. Dawson played for Texas from 1994-97. He would appear in 46 games in that span. Twice he led the conference in extra point attempts, extra points made and field goal percentage. He would finish his Longhorns career with 339 points scored, his career high of 108 was set in 1996.

He would go on to enjoy a NFL career that lasted until 2018. Most of his career was spent in Cleveland for 14 seasons. He would join the San Francisco 49ers for four seasons and the final two in Arizona with the Cardinals. He played in 305 games total. In that time he converted 83.8 percent of his field goal attempts and 97.6 percent of his extra point attempts.

He would finish his career with 1,847 points over his 20-year NFL career. He was selected to his only Pro Bowl in 2012, which would also be his last year in Cleveland. Dawson ranks second in Browns history for most points scored. He only trails legendary kicker Lou Groza.

Accomplishments:

  • All-American kicker and four-year starter who left UT with 13 Longhorn records, including all-time marks for scoring (339), field goals (59) and field goal accuracy (74.7 percent)
  • Finished his career ranked 16th on the NCAA all-time scoring list, 12th on the NCAA all-time kick-scoring chart and 31st on the NCAA all-time field goals made list
  • Set a UT record by hitting 15 straight field goals in 1996-97; set a UT record by making six straight field goals from 50 or more yards from 1995-97
  • Connected on 64.3 percent of his field goals from 40 yards and further (27 of 42) during his college career
  • Signed as free agent with Cleveland in 1999
  • Hall of Honor inductee in 2012
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Flashback Friday: Mr All Purpose Eric Metcalf

On this Flashback Friday, we look back at former Longhorn Eric Metcalf. The man known as Mr. All-Purpose.

Before the days of Devin Hester setting records in the NFL for returns or Darren Sproles becoming a headache for defensive and special teams coordinators, there was Eric Metcalf. Metcalf was a first round draft pick in the 1989 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Before making a jump to the NFL, he was wreaking havoc on the Forty Acres.

During his time with the Longhorns, he tallied 4,051 yards and 30 touchdowns on 710 touches. Nothing compared to what he would eventually do at the NFL level. He is often remembered best for his returns, in Austin Metcalf returned 108 punts for 1,076 yards. He returned only one kick for a touchdown. In 1987, Metcalf threw two passes. Both of those went for touchdowns. Then he moved on to the NFL where he would play for seven teams but most of his career was spent in Cleveland.

In the NFL, Eric Metcalf was a nightmare on the field. He was named to the All-Pro team three times (1993, 1994 and 1997). Those same seasons he was also named to the Pro Bowl. Leading the league in return yardage in 1990. During his career from 1989-2002, Metcalf scored 43 touchdowns as a running back with 31 coming by way of the pass. Racking up 7,964 yards from scrimmage.

Player Rushing Yards Receiving Yards Return Yards Total Touchdowns
Eric Metcalf 2,392 5,572 9,266 55
Darren Sproles 3,552 4,840 11,313 64

Metcalf was definitely Darren Sproles before Darren Sproles. While Sproles has the better overall numbers, there is no discounting what Eric Metcalf did on the football field. His accolades don’t stop on the football field. Much like Jamaal Charles, Marquise Goodwin and John Burt, Metcalf was also a star in track.

Eric holds the UT record for outdoor long jump with a mark of 27-8 ¼ feet, was a two-time NCAA champion in the event, and became a five-time track All-American, in addition to his SWC long jump titles in 1986 and 1987. – per Texas Sports Hall of Fame release

While Eric Metcalf may not be in the NFL Hall of Fame, he is a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2017, along with former Dallas Cowboys safety Darren Woodson.