CANTON, Ohio (AP) – The Bus pulled into football immortality on Saturday night amid a sea of “Terrible Towels” that gave the Pro Football Hall of Fame a decidedly western Pennsylvania feel.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis led the eight-man Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015, the sixth-leading rusher in NFL history receiving an overwhelming ovation while being introduced prior to the official induction ceremonies.
The capacity crowd at Tom Benson Stadium – most of them clad in some version of black-and-gold – roared as Bettis made his way down the red carpet, his enshrinement serving as the final destination for a player who embodied the blue-collar mentality of the city and the franchise he helped lead to a fifth Super Bowl title in 2006.
Former Green Bay general manager Ron Wolf, who hired Mike Holmgren and traded for Brett Favre shortly after taking over in 1991, led off by praising the core that restored the Packers to legitimacy after two decades of mediocrity.
“There was always a threat to players of other teams that if they didn’t shape up, they would be traded to Green Bay,” Wolf said. “We worked hard to eliminate that stigma.”