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Calvin Johnson, Charles Woodson lead Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021

Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press
·6 min read
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Sunday's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Canton, Ohio, will feature a pair of players near and dear to many Michiganders.

On offense, former wide receiver Calvin Johnson will become the 22nd Detroit Lion enshrined in the Hall. On defense, ex-Wolverine Charles Woodson will be the 36th defensive back enshrined. The induction ceremony will air on

Six other NFL legends also made the cut this year, including a familiar tormentor of the Lions under center and a hard-hitting safety who also spent some time in the NFC Central against the Lions. Here's a quick look at the Class of 2021.

INSIDE THE PROCESS: How I built Calvin Johnson's presentation

MUST-WATCH MEGATRON: The moment Calvin Johnson learned he was elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame

OL Alan Faneca

The teams: Steelers (1998-2007), Jets (2008-09), Cardinals (2010).

The honors: Six-time All-Pro, nine Pro Bowls, Hall of Fame All-2000s Team.

The player: If "the best ability is availability," then Faneca is definitelyan all-time great. The 26th overall pick in 1998 out of LSU missed just one game over his 13-year career. During that time, Faneca established himself as a key cog in the Steelers’ rushing attack, including his start for Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl at Ford Field in 2006. Faneca is already a member of the Steelers’ All-Time team. Another sign of excellence: He helped the lowly Jets reach the 2009 AFC title game.

WR Calvin Johnson

2010: The impetus of the so-called "Calvin Johnson Rule." Johnson caught what appeared to be the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter of a Week 1 game in Chicago. Instead, Johnson let go of the ball after touching it down on the ground and officials ruled that Johnson "did not complete the catch during the process of the catch."
2010: The impetus of the so-called "Calvin Johnson Rule." Johnson caught what appeared to be the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter of a Week 1 game in Chicago. Instead, Johnson let go of the ball after touching it down on the ground and officials ruled that Johnson "did not complete the catch during the process of the catch."

The team: Lions (2007-15).

The honors: Three-time All-Pro, six Pro Bowls, HOF All-2010s Team.

The career: Lions fans were holding their breath when the team picked Johnson No. 2 overall in 2007 — the franchise's third WR pick in four years. But Johnson proved worth the risk. "Megatron" — his nickname for his machine-like approach on the field — is the Lions’ franchise leader in catches (731), yards receiving (11,619) and touchdown receptions (83). Becoming a first-ballot Hall of Famer after just nine seasons speaks to how feared he was, as does his NFL single-season record for receiving yards (1,964 in 2012).

S John Lynch

FILE - In this Jan. 27, 2003, file photo, Tampa Bay Buccaneers' John Lynch holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy during a victory celebration at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. Lynch earned his first of nine Pro Bowl selections in his second season as a full-time starter in 1997, was named an All-Pro in back-to-back seasons in 1999 and 2000 and then played a big part in Tampa's first Super Bowl title in the 2002 season. (AP Photo/Scott Martin, File)

The teams: Buccaneers (1993-2003), Broncos (2004-07).

The honors: Two-time All-Pro, nine Pro Bowls.

The career: There’s something about those two-sport stars out of Stanford named John. After trying his hand at pro baseball, Lynch was nabbed at No. 82 overall in 1993. His career took off, though, when Jackson's Tony Dungy became coach of the otherwise woebegone Bucs. Lynch became the hard-hitting anchor of the innovative Tampa 2 defense, along with now-fellow Hall of Famers Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks. Those three helped the Bucs get over the hump and win the Super Bowl in the 2002 season. And just like Stanford's otherJohn — Elway — Lynch ended his career in Denver and then moved into the front office to engineer a Super Bowl berth. Then again, unlike Elway, Lynch never scored a TD. Guess he was too busy preventing them.

QB Peyton Manning

The teams: Colts (1998-2011), Broncos (2012-15).

The honors: Five-time MVP (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013), Super Bowl 41 MVP, seven-time All-Pro, 14 Pro Bowls, HOF All-2000s Team.

The career: Few players entered the NFL with more hype than Manning, the son of former NFL QB Archie Manning. The No. 1 overall pick in 1998 started every game as a rookie and led the league in interceptions. From then on, though, he set the standard at quarterback. Known for his cerebral approach and ability to audible, Manning threw for at least 4,000 yards in 14 seasons and retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns and MVP awards. He still holds the single-season record with 5,477 passing yards, set in 2013 with the Broncos. Manning, who just missed a title at Tennessee, eventually shook the “bridesmaid” tag, cashing in with Super Bowl titles in Indy and Denver.

WR Drew Pearson

FILE - In this Dec. 28, 1975, file photo, Dallas Cowboy wide receiver Drew Pearson (88) nears the end zone on a game-winning 50-yard touchdown pass play in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings in Bloomington, Minn. Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach explained his game-winning throw by saying, "I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary. Staubach and Pearson have connected again as part of a project to create a digital collectible of their famous Hail Mary for the Dallas Cowboys against Minnesota in 1975. It's part of an emerging product in sports memorabilia called non-fungible tokens, or NFTs.

The teams: Cowboys (1973-83).

The honors: Three-time All-Pro, three Pro Bowls, HOF All-1970s Team.

The career: Pearson’s run to the Hall of Fame began as an undrafted free agent out of Tulsa. He soon emerged as the top receiving target for "America’s Team." Pearson retired as the Cowboys’ all-time leader in receptions (489) and receiving yards (7,822) and helped Dallas reach three Super Bowls (with a win in the 1977 season, the year he led the NFL in receiving yards with 870).

DB Charles Woodson

Charles Woodson, Michigan, CB: Super Bowl XXXVII with the Raiders, and XLV with the Packers.
Charles Woodson, Michigan, CB: Super Bowl XXXVII with the Raiders, and XLV with the Packers.

The teams: Raiders (1998-2005, 2013-15), Packers (2006-12).

The honors: 1998 Defensive Rookie of the Year, 2009 Defensive Player of the Year, four-time All-Pro, nine Pro Bowls, HOF All-2000s Team.

The career: Not every Heisman winner sees NFL success. But this Wolverine — the first defense-only player named as the top college player — was an elite pro for his entire career. A Pro Bowler, in both his first and his final season, Woodson’s nose for the football made him a threat to score at all times: He recorded 65 interceptions (fifth-most in league history), forced 33 fumbles (with 18 recoveries), is tied for the most career defensive TDs (13) and was the first player with 50 interceptions and 20 sacks. He played in a pair of Super Bowls, too, starring for Oakland in its 2002 run and helping Green Bay win it all in the 2010 season.

Coach Tom Flores

FILE - This 1983 file photo shows Los Angeles Raiders head coach Tom Flores on the sideline during an NFL football game. The AFL gave Flores one last chance when the fledging league launched in 1960 and Flores seized the opportunity. He became the original quarterback of the Raiders before going on to a trailblazing career as a coach and executive that landed him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame following a lengthy wait. (AP Photo/File)

The teams: Raiders (1979-87), Seahawks (1992-94).

The honors: 1982 AFC Coach of the Year.

The career: The former QB didn’t stray from his AFL roots when he got into coaching. After coaching Buffalo's QBs, Flores served as wide receivers coach for seven years in Oakland before owner Al Davis made him the first minority head coach (replacing the retiring John Madden) in NFL history. In just his second season, Flores' Raiders became the first wild-card team to win a Super Bowl. He returned the Raiders to the mountaintop three years later with a convincing win in Super Bowl 18. Five of his first six seasons at the helm included playoff appearances, and his .727 career postseason winning percentage is sixth all-time.

Contributor Bill Nunn

This Thursday, April 15, 2004, photo shows Bill Nunn in Pittsburgh. For those who consider the Steel Curtain teams of the 1970s as the NFL's all-time best, the name Bill Nunn needs to be remembered. And honored. That happens in Canton, Ohio, next week when Nunn enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2021 as a contributor. (Peter Diana/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP, File)

The teams: Steelers (1968-2014).

The career: The Steelers plucked Nunn from the Pittsburgh Courier, where he was a writer and editor, to join their scouting department. All he did from there was build the most renowned dynasty in NFL history, as Pittsburgh won four Super Bowls in six seasons (1974-79). Nunn’s knowledge and relationships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities led to the Steelers drafting eventual Hall of Famers John Stallworth, Mel Blount and Donnie Shell. In his 47 seasons with the team, the Steelers reached six Super Bowls in all.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pro Football Hall of Fame 2021 class: Calvin Johnson, Charles Woodson