The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2021 will be enshrined on August 8 in Canton, Ohio. The class of 2020 will be enshrined the day before. This will be a unique weekend for many reasons, including the fact that it is littered with Pittsburgh Steelers.
Hall of Fame president David Baker joined The Fan Morning Show Thursday to talk about the upcoming celebration and detailed just how exceptional it is.
“This is going to be the first full stadium for football in 18 months. It’s going to be full for both enshrinements and for our Concert for Legends on Monday. But this is, I truly believe, going to be the greatest gathering in football ever.
For Pittsburgh, we’ve had 58 enshrinements here before. Obviously, had to cancel the one last year which was going to be our biggest. It was going to be 20 Hall of Famers for 2020, it was going to be the centennial celebration of the 100th anniversary of the league. Unfortunately, we had to cancel those festivities so now we combine it with the class of ’21.”
What happens when you combine Hall of Fame classes? Yinzer heaven. And history.
“We have had in the past two guys in the same class from the same team. We’ve never had three. In this situation, we will be enshrining five, count ‘em, five, from the Pittsburgh Steelers which is an incredible achievement.
I think there’s going to be a lot of celebration.”
You might recognize from the viral videos of him as the guy wearing a sharp suit that knocks on the doors of the Hall of Famers to tell them they’re in. Baker loves being able to do that and the special moments he gets to see firsthand.
He told the story of when he broke the news to longtime punter Ray Guy about making it into the hall of fame and hearing him pass out on the other end of the phone.
Baker took it a step further with Bill Cowher, making an appearance live on CBS to tell him the great news of his induction.
“You guys know Bill, he’s a private guy. He doesn’t like sharing his emotions. He’s got that steel jaw. When I told him he was going to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and going to Canton, Ohio and we would guard his legacy forever…that jaw was quivering.
Just five minutes before, we were able to get his wife and daughter there and he hugged them and he is balling like a kid.”
The Centennial Class of 2020 Enshrinement is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021. It features Bill Cowher, Donnie Shell and Troy Polamalu. The Class of 2021, featuring Alan Faneca and Bill Nunn, will be enshrined on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021.