NFL Hall of Fame selections: Darrelle Revis, Joe Thomas highlight 2023 class

PHOENIX — The football careers of Darrelle Revis and Joe Thomas don't have a lot in common, other than both being 2007 first-round draft picks.

Revis was an athletic lockdown corner who made his fame in New York. Thomas was a huge offensive tackle in Cleveland. Revis ended up being a bit of a nomad after his glory years with the New York Jets, playing for four different teams. Thomas spent his whole career with the Cleveland Browns. Revis won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots at the end of the 2014 season. Thomas never appeared in a playoff game.

Here are the common threads: Revis and Thomas were each two of the greatest players of an era, and both are first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famers.

The Hall of Fame class for 2023 was announced Thursday at the NFL Honors. The class is highlighted by Revis, an electric cornerback who played at a rare level for any player at his position, and Thomas, an ironman who was one of the best offensive tackles ever for a franchise that didn't have much else to cheer for.

Here is the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class for 2023:

CB Ronde Barber — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1997-2012)

Barber was part of a great Bucs defense that won the franchise's first Super Bowl at the end of the 2002 season. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro.

Coach Don Coryell — St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Chargers (1973-86)

Often referred to as the father of the modern passing game, Coryell didn't win a Super Bowl but he had a remarkable impact on the game that is still felt today. He went 111-83-1 as an NFL head coach with his innovative offenses. Coryell was a coach/contributor finalist.

LB Chuck Howley — Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys (1958-73)

Howley is still the only Super Bowl MVP on a losing team, having won it for the Cowboys in Super Bowl V. He was a five-time All-Pro. Howley was a seniors finalist.

DL Joe Klecko — New York Jets, Indianapolis Jets (1977-88)

Klecko, a seniors finalist, became a star defender with the Jets. He was a versatile defensive lineman, picking up four Pro Bowl nods.

CB Darrelle Revis — New York Jets, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kansas City Chiefs (2007-17)

"Revis Island" wasn't just a clever nickname. In Revis' prime, he locked down receivers in a way that few other cornerbacks have ever done. He made seven Pro Bowls and was first-team All-Pro four times. Revis joined the Patriots on a one-year deal in 2014 and helped that team win Super Bowl XLIX. He went back to the Jets after that for two seasons before finishing his career with a handful of games on the Chiefs.

CB Ken Riley — Cincinnati Bengals (1969-1983)

Riley had remarkable longevity, playing 15 seasons for the Bengals. He had 65 career interceptions. Riley died in June of 2020. He was a seniors finalist.

OT Joe Thomas — Cleveland Browns (2007-17)

Thomas was the third overall pick of the 2007 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin, and he was brilliant for a Browns franchise that was a mess around him. Thomas made 10 Pro Bowls (the only offensive lineman to be named to 10 in a row) and was first-team All-Pro eight times. His consecutive snaps streak of 10,363 consecutive snaps is an unofficial NFL record. He is the seventh offensive tackle in NFL history to go into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

LB Zach Thomas — Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys (1996-2008)

Thomas, a tackling machine at middle linebacker, finally got the call. He made seven Pro Bowls and was a member of the 2000s all-decade team.

LB DeMarcus Ware — Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos (2005-16)

Ware had a tremendous Cowboys career, getting 117 sacks in Dallas. Then he added to his legacy in his second stop. Ware went to Denver, teamed up with Von Miller on a stellar defense, won Super Bowl 50 and collected 21.5 more sacks in Denver before he retired.