Reliving each class of 2023 NFL Hall of Famers’ brilliant careers

The Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomed nine new members into its hallowed club this summer. Each player’s bust was revealed, immortalizing special careers that fans will be able to cherish forever. NFL fans can look back on the class of 2023 fondly, as it includes a wide variety of accomplished players and coaches.

It’s not often that players have areas of the field named after them. “Revis Island” was known as the area that the cornerback locked down, and was a place opposing quarterbacks tried to avoid. Revis spent 12 years in the NFL, most of which were with the New York Jets. He won a Super Bowl during his one season with the New England Patriots.

Football is the consummate team sport, but it can also be important to recognize individual contributions. Thomas played his entire career with the Cleveland Browns, who largely struggled during his 11 years there. However, he was a dominant tackle that defenders could not get around.

Barber was an integral part of some memorable Tampa Bay defenses in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. He spent his whole career with the Bucs, and won a Super Bowl in 2022 on a team that also featured Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks. Barber left the game with three All-Pro nods and 47 total interceptions.

During his 13 seasons in the NFL, Thomas was a linebacker who crushed anything that moved. He was athletic enough to help out in the run game, but keep up with pass catchers running intermediate routes. He led the NFL in tackles twice in his career, and was consistently amongst the league leaders in that category. 12 years of Thomas’ career were spent with the Miami Dolphins.

Offensive coordinators always needed to have a game plan in place to limit Ware’s ability to wreck a game. He likely wasn’t going to be contained by just one player, so protection needed to be altered to keep him away from the quarterback. Ware recorded 138 total sacks in his 12 year career with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.

The NFL has turned into a pass-heavy sport, but that wasn’t always the case. Teams used to love to run the ball, but Coryell was a coach who envisioned how an aerial attack could benefit teams. He’s best remembered for his nine seasons with the San Diego Chargers, where his teams were frequently at the top of the league in yards gained and points scored.

Howley was a standout player during the early days of the NFL. His career spanned from 1958-1973, spending 11 superb seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He was a decorated player, who made six Pro Bowls and was named an All-Pro on five occasions. He was the MVP of Super Bowl V, which is the crowning highlight of his NFL life.

After a long wait, Klecko finally got the call from the Hall of Fame. He was part of the notorious New York Jets sack exchange defensive line, where the lineman notched a career high 20.5 sacks in 1981. Klecko played in the NFL for 12 years, 11 of which came with the Jets. He retired after the 1988 season.

Another player who spent his entire career with one franchise was enshrined in Canton this year. Riley is a lifelong Cincinnati Bengal who picked off 65 passes during his time in the NFL. He brought five of those interceptions all the way back for touchdowns, and was a durable part of Cincinnati’s defense for 15 years.