Congrats are in order for former San Francisco 49ers left tackle Joe Staley. On Thursday, the Reese's Senior Bowl announced it will induct five new members into the game's Hall of Fame, including the 49ers legend.
Staley played in the Senior Bowl back in 2007 prior to being drafted by the 49ers 28th-overall later that spring.
"Being invited to play in the Senior Bowl was a huge deal for me coming out of Central Michigan," Staley said in a statement from the Senior Bowl press release. "It offered me an opportunity to compete against the very best in the country and show what I could do as a player. It is a great honor to be selected to the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame among so many other athletes that I look up to and have competed with or against over the years."
Staley spent his entire 13-year career in San Francisco, starting all 181 games that he appeared in at left tackle. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and three-time Second-Team All-Pro. He was also named to the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2010's.
In addition to Staley, former Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Patrick Surtain, former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor, former Indianapolis Colts wide reciever Reggie Wayne and current New Orleans Saints defensive end Cam Jordan will also be inducted into the game's Hall of Fame. The Senior Bowl will also honor the game's 2019 Rookie of the Year, Washington Football Team wide receiver Terry McLaurin, and 2020 Rookie of the Year, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, during a ceremony sponsored by Spire at The Grand Hotel Golf Club & Spa in Point Clear, Alabama on Wednesday, June 23, 2021.
"We are proud to announce an incredible class of inductees," said Jim Nagy, executive director of the Reese's Senior Bowl. "Each of these men was a premier player in the National Football League at his respective position and all have the credentials to one day end up in Canton (home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame). We are honored to bring this group back to Mobile to celebrate their great NFL careers."
The Senior Bowl Hall of Fame, established in 1988, includes All-Pros such as Doak Walker, Ray Nitschke, Joe Namath, "Mean" Joe Greene, Walter Payton, Franco Harris, Steve Largent, Kellen Winslow, Dan Marino, Bo Jackson, Derrick Thomas, Brett Favre and Terrell Owens. In addition, Paul Brown, Don Shula, Tom Landry, Paul "Bear" Bryant and Eddie Robinson are among the list of inducted legendary pro and college coaches.
