Devin Hester Doesn't Make Cut For 2022 Pro Football Hall Of Fame
LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) -- Bears legend Devin Hester may be the greatest return man of all time, but he'll have to wait at least one more year to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame Class of 2022 was announced Thursday night at the NFL Honors Awards.
Hester had been one of 15 finalists. While he didn't get in, Chicago Heights native Bryant Young – a defensive lineman who played throughout his pro career with the San Francisco 49ers – was one of the eight to be elected to the 2022 class.
Young, in his 10th year of eligibility, was a stalwart for the 49ers for 14 seasons, joining as a rookie toward the end of the dynasty in 1994 and playing through darker times later in his career. But his play rarely ever slipped.
He helped San Francisco win the title as a rookie, had 89 1/2 career sacks, won Comeback Player of the Year in 1999 following a broken leg and was a two-time All-Pro.
"I don't want to go out and demand anything. I want to work to get something," Young said. "That was instilled in me from my dad. Every opportunity I had to go out on the field, I never took it for granted and made sure I was prepared. I played the game with utmost respect for my opponent. That was important to me."
In a year with no sure-fire first-ballot candidates, the panel of voters opted to choose five players who have waited years — or even decades — for the honor with Young, offensive lineman Tony Boselli, linebacker Sam Mills, defensive back LeRoy Butler, and defensive lineman Richard Seymour all getting the nod.
The five had all come up short as finalists in previous years and been out of the game for between the last nine and 24 seasons but that didn't diminish their remarkable accomplishments that will send them to Canton for induction on Aug. 6.
"You really don't know how you're going to react because all of us have been waiting a long time for this," Butler said.
Three others who also have endured long waits were voted in by the panel with former Raiders speedster Cliff Branch getting in as the senior candidate, Super Bowl winner Dick Vermeil in the coach category and longtime head of officiating Art McNally as a contributor.
(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)