Charles Woodson honored with Hall of Fame ring
Charles Woodson could have talked Sunday night about his brilliant career. After all, he was enshrined this year in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, immortalizing his greatness at that hallowed museum in Canton, Ohio.
But Woodson opted not to talk about all the interceptions. The touchdowns. The awards. The Super Bowl championship.
He redirected the focus toward the fan base instead.
“You guys have stuck with me through thick and thin,” Woodson said before the Raiders played the Kansas City Chiefs.
“From a young player who was … out there doing my own thing to when I came back for a second time. One thing I didn’t imagine was how you guys would receive me when I came back,” he added. “But man — I told you that night, my last game at the Coliseum, that you guys welcomed me back with open arms. I’ll always appreciate that. I’ll never forget that moment.”
Woodson ventured to Las Vegas to receive his Pro Football Hall of Fame ring. The Raiders honored the cornerback turned safety during a brief pregame ceremony. Pro Football Hall of Fame President C. David Baker spoke briefly before deferring to Woodson, who addressed the crowd while flanked by the bronze bust that’ll eventually reside in Canton.
Fellow Raiders icons Ted Hendricks, Jim Otto, Tom Flores, Art Shell, Ron Mix, Fred Biletnikoff, Rod Woodson and Tim Brown joined Woodson on the playing surface and were applauded before he spoke.
Woodson is among the most accomplished defensive players in NFL history, with a resume that includes nine Pro Bowl nods, three All-Pro selections, a Super Bowl and a Defensive Player of the Year award.
He was selected by the Raiders with the No. 4 overall pick in the 1997 NFL draft and played for the franchise until 2005 before departing in free agency to sign with the Green Bay Packers.
He won a championship with Green Bay in 2010 and reinvented himself as a do-it-all safety who excelled in coverage and as a tackler playing near the line of scrimmage. He re-signed with the Raiders, though, in 2013 and concluded his career in 2015 with the Silver and Black.
His 65 interceptions rank fifth all time, and he’s second in interception-return touchdowns with 11. He concluded his speech Sunday with one word: “Raiders.”
The crowd followed suit, chanting the name of their team while Woodson basked in the celebration.
Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.
