Legends Woodson, Flores Inducted Into Hall of Fame
Tom Flores waited for years to get the call he richly deserved during all that time from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, while Charles Woodson was selected for induction in his first year of eligibility, once again, deservedly so.
These Raiders legends from different eras of the Silver and Black were inducted side-by-side in the Class of 2021 in Canton, Ohio, on Sunday evening.
“Tom Flores is a Raider,” Carol Davis, widow of the late Al Davis, the Raiders’ legendary Managing General Partner, said on a video at the induction ceremony. “Tom went to some other teams but he came back home to the Raiders. He means everything to this organization and gave us two Super Bowls.
“It is my honor and pleasure to present my friend Tom Flores for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
The 84-year-old Flores was the first Raiders starting quarterback in 1960 following his college career at College of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., after growing up in Sanger in the San Joaquin Valley in California with parents who were Mexican immigrants.
Flores played all 10 years of the American Football League with the Raiders, the Buffalo Bills, and Kansas City Chiefs, passing for 11,959 yards, a 67.6 completion percentage, and 93 touchdowns in his career.
After rejoining the Raiders in 1972 as wide receivers coach, they won Super Bowl XI at the end of the 1976 season, and when Hall of Fame Coach John Madden retired, Flores took over as head coach and led the Silver and Black to victories in Super Bowls XV and XVIII.
“I played in the old days of the AFL and the reason I’m up here second is that I’m 84 years old, and I have to be in bed by 9 o’clock,” joked Flores, whose .727 winning percentage (8-3) in the postseason is second in NFL history behind the great Vince Lombardi. “But being here today means the world to me.
“After I failed trying to make it in the Canadian Football League and the National Football League, I got a call from the American Football League and played for the Oakland Raiders. I’ve been with the Raiders for 55 years of my life as a player, coach, radio broadcaster, and ambassador. Thank you to the Raiders organization, and Raider Nation is everywhere.
“I want to thank the Davis family, the coaches I played for and all the players who played for me, plus Barbara, my wife of 60 years and my best friend. Today I’m on this team of Gold Jackets up on this stage and because of this honor today, I will be a part of football forever. It’s incredible. Thank you.”
Mark Davis, Al’s son and current owner of the Raiders helped Flores unveil his Hall of Fame bust.
Woodson was the last of the Class of 2021 to be inducted, and he was introduced by his mother, Georgia Woodson.
Woodson, 44, was selected by the Raiders with the fourth overall pick of the 1998 NFL Draft out of Michigan after becoming the first primarily defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy as the best player in college football.
After playing for the Raiders from 1998-2005, he went to the Green Bay Packers from 2006-2012, helping them win Super Bowl XLV, before returning to the Raiders from (2013-2015) at the end of a brilliant career.
Woodson, a two-time All-American at Michigan, was NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1998, NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2009, was named to eight All-Pro teams, and to the Pro Bowl nine times, among numerous other honors.
Playing cornerback and safety during his 18-year-career, Woodson made 65 interceptions and returned 11 for touchdowns, forced 33 fumbles, and recovered 18, returning two for scores, while making 1,220 total tackles, 54 for losses, and 20 quarterback sacks.
Woodson was presented for the Hall of Fame by his mother.
“Charles loved the game and he had a special talent and was an aggressive player, but he did everything he could to be a team player,” Georgia Woodson said. “To win the Super Bowl was the icing on the cake and then to be elected to the Hall of Fame is special.
“It is my honor and privilege to present my son, Charles Woodson, for enshrinement for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
Georgia Woodson helped her son unveil his Hall of Fame bust and then he sang to her: “Mama, Mama, you know I love you. You are the queen of my heart.”
So Woodson was in tears before he even started his speech.
“Look no further than my mother to see where I get my passion,” said Woodson, who played at 6-1 and 210 pounds. “She got up every day and went to work to make sure our family had everything we needed. My whole family has contributed to me being there.
“They say it takes a village, and I grew up not that far from here in Fremont, Ohio, and without the help of all the people there, I am not here. It’s the same for all the coaches I played for, my teammates, the trainers, and the medical staff that kept me healthy. And the fans, Raider Nation.
“I made the Super Bowl and played as hard as I could for 18 years to get up here with the great men who are up here on this stage. But I didn’t do it by myself, because so many people helped me along the way.
“You helped me do it, and we are in the Hall of Fame, Baby!
The inductions of Woodson and Flores bring the number of Raiders in the Pro Football Hall of Fame to 28.
They joined Davis, Madden, executive Ron Wolf, center Jim Otto, guard Gene Upshaw, tackle Art Shell, defensive end Howie Long, cornerback Willie Brown, running back Marcus Allen, quarterback Kenny Stabler, tight end Dave Casper, wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, linebacker Ted Hendricks, wide receiver Tim Brown, kicker-quarterback George Blanda, punter Ray Guy, cornerback Mike Haynes, tackle Bob Brown, safety Ronnie Lott, wide receiver Jerry Rice, wide receiver Randy Moss, defensive lineman Warren Sapp, safety Rod Woodson, wide receiver James Lofton, running back Eric Dickerson and tackle Ron Mix.
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