bruce smith

bruce smith



Smith, Woodson among six entering NFL Hall of Fame
Superstar defenders Bruce Smith and Rod Woodson were among six men inducted into the American Football Hall of Fame at enshirement ceremonies here at the sporting honor shrine.

Also inducted Saturday were Bills owner Ralph Wilson, guard Randall McDaniel and two posthumous honorees - linebacker Derrick Thomas and receiver Bob Hayes. That boosts the number of people in the Hall of Fame to 253.

Smith, the long-time Buffalo Bills defensive end, is the National Football League's all-time quarterback sack leaders with 200 and was twice named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Smith played for 18 seasons.

"I have come full circle," Smith said. "This induction into the Hall of Fame marks my passage into football's immortality."

Woodson played for four teams in 17 NFL seasons but made his fame in a decade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He intercepted 71 passes and returned them for NFL career records of 1,483 yards and 12 touchdowns.

"It's an honor. I thought about what I was going to say, but to be on this stage, it's a whirlwind," Woodson said. "It's more than putting on the jacket -- it's being part of the elite team of pro football. I'm very humbled."

McDaniel was an All-Star blocker in 12 of his 14 NFL seasons while Wilson helped found the American Football League half a century ago, leading to a 1970 merger that created the modern NFL.

Thomas, who made an NFL record seven sacks in one game, died in a car accident in 2000 at age 33.

Hayes, who won two gold medals in athletics at the 1964 Olympics, spent 11 seasons in the NFL living up to the nickname "Bullet Bob". He caught 371 passes for 7,414 yards and 71 touchdowns. He died in 2002 at age 59.