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Inside Raiders Woodson, Flores Election to the Hall of Fame

The Las Vegas Raiders' legendary past grew over the weekend when the NFL Hall of Fame announced Silver and Black ICONS Tom Flores & Charles Woodson are in
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Defensive back Charles Woodson and quarterback-coach Tom Flores of the Raiders were elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, it was announced on Saturday night.

Woodson and Flores will join 26 others from the Raiders organization who are enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Flores, 83, played quarterback for the original Oakland Raiders from 1960-66, was the first Latino quarterback in NFL history, and later coached the Raiders to victories in Super Bowls XV and XVIII.

“It’s just an honor to be in that room, knowing that you’re going to be there forever,” Flores said when he learned of his selection. “I appreciate it so much.”

Flores, who played at College of the Pacific in Stockton, California, also won a Super Bowl as a backup quarterback with the Kansas City Chiefs and as wide receivers coach with the Raiders in Super Bowl XI. Only Flores and Mike Ditka have won Super Bowl rings as a player, assistant coach and head coach.

In addition, Flores was one of 20 players to be in the American Football League for its entire existence from 1960-69 and ranks fifth in AFL history in passing yards.

Flores is the second-winningest coach in franchise history behind John Madden with an 83-53 career record, had an 8-3 postseason record (the second-best percentage in NFL history at .727), and was the AFC Coach of the Year in 1983.

Woodson, who had two stints with the Raiders with seven years with the Green Bay Packers in between, is the only player in NFL history with at least 50 interceptions and 20 sacks.

In his 18-year NFL career after being selected by the Raiders in the first round (No. 4 overall) of the 1998 NFL Draft out of Michigan, Woodson made 65 interceptions to tie for fifth in NFL history and is tied for first with Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper with 13 defensive touchdowns.

Woodson, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and a four-time first-team All-Pro was the 1998 Defensive Rookie of the Year and the 2009 Defensive Player of the Year. He was named to the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade team.

“Returning to the Raiders for those last three seasons made my career complete,” said Woodson, who made the Pro Bowl in his last season in 2015 and was elected to the HOF in his first year of eligibility.

Raiders already in the Hall of Fame are owner-coach Al Davis, coach John Madden, scouting executive Ron Wolf, center Jim Otto, kicker-quarterback George Blanda, cornerback Willie Brown, guard Gene Upshaw, wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, tackle Art Shell, linebacker Ted Hendricks, cornerback Mike Haynes, defensive end Howie Long, safety Ronnie Lott, tight end Dave Casper, running back Marcus Allen, wide receiver James Lofton, tackle Bob Brown, safety Rod Woodson, wide receiver Jerry Rice, defensive lineman Warren Sapp, punter Ray Guy, wide receiver Tim Brown, quarterback Kenny Stabler and wide receiver Randy Moss.

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