FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-PRE-1          8/2/04

GIBBS RETURNS & A FIRST-ROUND FOURSOME IS INDUCTED
AT HALL OF FAME WEEKEND

Gibbs is back and Brown, Eller, Elway and Sanders are in.

Those are the key stories as the NFL this week returns to its birthplace -- Canton, Ohio – to honor its greatest players and welcome back one of its best coaches at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Weekend.

The players to be inducted into the Hall in front of 23,000 fans at Canton’s sold-out Fawcett Stadium on Sunday (ESPN, 1:00 PM ET) hold many distinctions.  And together, the Hall of Fame class of 2004 carves out a first in the 41-year history of the Hall.

Ohio-born BOB BROWN, CARL ELLER, JOHN ELWAY and BARRY SANDERS are the first Hall class to be comprised solely of first-round draft selections.  Brown (No. 2 overall) and Eller (No. 6) were selected in 1964, Elway (No. 1) in 1983 and Sanders (No. 3) in 1989.

“When I think about the Hall of Fame, I think that it’s something that happens to someone else – people like DICK BUTKUS, WALTER PAYTON – names like those,” says Sanders, who ranks third in NFL career rushing (15,269) behind EMMITT SMITH (17,418) and Payton (16,726).  “I truly feel, in many ways, out of place.”

But he and his 2004 cohorts are now in a place only 221 former NFL players, coaches and executives reached before them.

One of those previous inductees this Monday night will do more than return to Canton – he will come back to the excitement of the NFL after an 11-year absence.

JOE GIBBS, the former/new head coach of the Washington Redskins who led them to three Super Bowl titles – and a 1996 inductee into the Hall – will return to the NFL on Monday night (ABC, 8:00 PM ET) when he leads the ’Skins against the Denver Broncos (Elway’s former team) in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

Gibbs will become the second person to coach in the game after being inducted into the Hall (PAUL BROWN, Cincinnati in 1975). 

He also will tie another coach (RAY MALAVASI) for the fifth longest duration (11 years) between NFL head-coaching jobs.

“Being enshrined into the Hall of Fame – it was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had,” says Gibbs.  “Going back, getting to coach in the Hall of Fame Game, it will be special.”

The longest time periods between NFL head-coaching positions:         

WELCOME BACK, COACH

The annual 11-day Hall of Fame Festival in Canton kicked off on July 30.  Before it is over, there will be food fests, “balloon classic invitationals,” fireworks, and a ribs burnoff, just to mention a few of the celebratory activities that more than 700,000 people partake in during the festival.

A highlight of the Hall of Fame Weekend is the annual three-day NFL Youth Football Summit that features 150 youth and high school football coaches and administrators from all 50 states.  Football experts and NFL greats at the summit present and discuss topics vital to youth and high school football programs. 

The NFL and the NFL Players Association, who have made a major commitment to investing in the game with the $150 million NFL Youth Football Fund and other programs, sponsor the Summit.

WHAT THE CLASS OF ’04 SAYS ABOUT EACH OTHER

They certainly impressed each other!  Following are some quotes from the 2004 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class on their cohorts:

• SANDERS on ELWAY:  “We would have been some backfield together.  He is the greatest quarterback to ever play the game.”
   
• BROWN on ELLER:  “He was a full load.  We had some monumental battles over the years.  You had to bring your ‘A’ game when you faced Eller.”
   
• ELLER on BROWN:  “You had to psychologically prepare for a game against Bob Brown.”

* * * * * *

 “…AND, NOW, TO PRESENT THE HONOR…”

Almost as awaited as the identities of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class every year are the names of the “presenters” of those inductees on their special day.  This year, for the first time in Hall history, an inductee (John Elway) has chosen his daughter to present him. 

Another first this year is that all presenters will be family members.  Bob Brown calls his induction into the Hall of Fame “the most exciting thing to happen to me outside of the birth of my son (ROBERT, JR.),” who will present him. 

The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2004 presenters:

MONDAY, AUGUST 9
PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME GAME – CANTON, OHIO
DENVER BRONCOS VS. WASHINGTON REDSKINS

SERIES

’03 STAT LEADERS

NOTES

GAME FEATURES two ’04 1st Rd. draft choices from U. of Miami-Fla.: Washington S SEAN TAYLOR (No. 5) & Denver LB D.J. WILLIAMS (No. 17)……BRONCOS:  Team makes 1st HOF Game appearance since 1991.  Denver’s starting QB in ’91 was JOHN ELWAY, member of ’04 HOF Class.  Only AFC club in ‘03 to rank in NFL’s top 10 in offense (No. 7) & defense (No. 4)……QB JAKE PLUMMER was 9-2 (.818) as starter in ’03, leading Denver to most wins by 1st-year QB in 26 yrs.  In first career start vs. Wash (12/7/97), threw 4 TDs, tied for career-high (w/Ariz)……WR ROD SMITH is club’s all-time leader in rec. yards (8,628)……DEs REGGIE HAYWARD & TREVOR PRYCE posted 8.5 sacks each in ’03.  CB CHAMP BAILEY & S JOHN LYNCH make Broncos debut.  Bailey spent ’99-03 w/ Wash & was named to Pro Bowl in 4 of 5 yrs.  Lynch played for TB from ’93-03 & is 5-time All-Star.  CB KELLY HERNDON is Twinsburg, OH native, 41 miles north of HOF……REDSKINS: Head coach JOE GIBBS returns to sidelines after leading club to 140-65 (.683) record from 1981-92, including wins in SBs XVII (27-17, Mia), XXII (42-10, Den) & XXVI (37-24, Buf).  Is 2nd coach (PAUL BROWN, 1975 game, 1967 induction) to coach in HOF game after being inducted (1996)……QB MARK BRUNELL joins club after spending 1995-03 w/Jax.  QB PATRICK RAMSEY posted 94.7 4th-qtr rating (50-90, 620 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT) in ’03, 4th-best in NFL……RB CLINTON PORTIS makes Wash debut after posting 2 1,500-yard years in row (1,508, 1,591) for Den in 2002-03……In ‘03, WR LAVERANUES COLES became 1st Redskin with 80+ rec since ART MONK (86, 1989).  Coles totaled 1,204 rec yards, most by Redskin since HENRY ELLARD (1,397) in ’94……DE PHILLIP DANIELS joins club after posting 23.0 sacks in past 4 years with Bears……LB LA VAR ARRINGTON has been to 3 consecutive Pro Bowls.
 

HALL OF FAME WEEKEND SCHEDULE (AUGUST 9)
(All times ET)

Monday, August 9

Denver Broncos vs. Washington Redskins in AFC-NFC Pro Football Hall of Fame Game at Canton, Ohio, 8:00 PM (ABC)

NEXT WEEK’S NFL SCHEDULE (AUGUST 12-16)
(All times local)