Greatest Undrafted NFL room of Famers of all Time
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Every year, young miracles happen when undrafted players make active rosters because that NFL teams. Just making one NFL team is tough, for this reason imagine what the odds space of make an NFL team without gift drafted.
And in the background of the game, which now stretches earlier over 100 years, only 17 players have actually gone undrafted come the pro Football hall of Fame. That"s .0006 percent the the 26,682 football player who have suited up because that a game in NFL history.
They space the rarest that the rare. This is wherein every undrafted player in the agree Football room of reputation ranks.
17. Candid Gatski, Center
Born: March 18, 1921 (Farmington, West Virginia)
Died: Nov. 22, 2005 (age 84, Morgantown, West Virginia)
High school: Farmington High school (Farmington, West Virginia)
College: Marshall/Auburn
Frank Gatski Stats
NFL career: 12 seasons (1946-57)
Teams: Cleveland Browns (1946-56), Detroit Lions (1957)
Career highlights: Four-time NFL champion (1950, 1954, 1956, 1957), four-time AAFC champion(1946-49), pro Bowl (1956), four-time NFL All-Pro (1951-53, 1955)
Year inducted: 1985
Bottom Line: candid Gatski
Frank Gatski began his university football job at Marshall prior to he enlisted to fight in human being War II, climate returned residence to find out Marshall hadn"t restarted its routine yet.
Gatski perfect his career at Auburn and also made the Cleveland Browns regardless of going undrafted. He played 12 seasons in the NFL, winner eight championships and played in the NFL championship game 11 times.
Gatski was part of maybe the best Hall the Fame class of every time in 1985 alongside Joe Namath, O.J. Simpson, i get it Staubach and also former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle.
16. Jack Butler, Cornerback
Jack Butler only played nine periods in the NFL and made the room of Fame.Born: Nov. 12, 1927 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Died: May 11, 2013 (age 85, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
High school: Mount Carmel High school (Niagara Falls, Ontario)
College: St. Bonaventure
Jack butler Stats
NFL career: 9 seasons (1951-59)
Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers
Career highlights: Four-time NFL All-Pro (1956-59), four-time agree Bowl (1955-58), NFL 1950s All-Decade Team
Year inducted: 2012
Bottom Line: Jack Butler
A small bit of magnificent intervention gained Jack Butler right into the NFL. Dan Rooney, a priest in ~ St. Bonaventure University, watched servant play for the Bonnies and recommended his brother, Pittsburgh Steelers owner art Rooney Sr., authorize the standout protective back.
Butler was one of the premiere ballhawks in the NFL in the 1950s and finished his career with 52 interceptions —a impressive stat because he just played ripe seasons, didn"t record any interceptions in 1955 and also played only part of the 1959 season due to the fact that of a career-ending knee injury.
15. Jim Langer, Center
Born: May 16, 1948 (Little Falls, Minnesota)
Died: Aug. 29, 2019 (age 71, Coon Rapids, Minnesota)
High school: Royalton High institution (Royalton, Minnesota)
College: South Dakota State
Jim Langer Stats
NFL career: 12 seasons (1970-81)
Teams: Miami dolphin (1970-79), Minnesota Vikings (1980-81)
Career highlights: Two-time Super key champion (1972, 1973), six-time NFL All-Pro (1973-78), six-time agree bowl (1973-78), NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
Year inducted: 1987
Bottom Line: Jim Langer
Jim Langer is one of 5 Miami Dolphins elected to the pro Football room of reputation in their an initial year of eligibility.
Langer was one of two future undrafted room of Famers on the Dolphins" offensive line in the era alongside offensive tackle Larry small and to be on your undefeated, at sight Bowl-winning team in 1972.
Langer was cut by the Cleveland Browns during training camp in 1970 before making the dolphins the exact same year, whereby he served mostly as a back-up in his first two seasons.
14. Bill Willis, defensive Line
Born: Oct. 5, 1921 (Columbus, Ohio)
Died: Nov. 27, 2007 (age 86, Columbus, Ohio)
High school: Columbus eastern High college (Columbus, Ohio)
College: Ohio State
Bill Willis Stats
NFL career: 8 periods (1946-53)
Teams: Cleveland Browns
Career highlights: NFL champion (1950), four-time AAFC champion (1946-49), four-time NFL All-Pro (1950-53), NFL 1940s All-Decade Team
Year inducted: 1977
Bottom Line: bill Willis
Bill Willis damaged pro football"s color obstacle alongside Cleveland Browns teammate Marion Motley in 1946 and dominated top top the protective line despite being 6-foot-2 and also just 210 pounds.
Willis, a college star at Ohio State, was currently 24 years old prior to he played his first game in the NFL and carved out a four-time NFL All-Pro career, along with leading the Browns come an NFL championship in 1950.
Willis to be inducted into both the agree Football hall of Fame and also the university Football room of fame in 1977. Ohio State retired his No. 99, and each year a player wears No. 0 in honor of Willis.
13. Willie Wood, Safety
Born: Dec. 23, 1936 (Washington, D.C.)
Died: Feb. 3, 2020 (age 83, Washington, D.C.)
High School: Armstrong High college (Washington, D.C.)
College: USC
Willie lumber Stats
NFL career: 12 periods (1960-71)
Teams: Green bay Packers
Career highlights: Two-time Super bowl champion (1966, 1967), five-time NFL champion (1961, 1962, 1965-67), nine-time NFL All-Pro (1962-70), eight-time pro Bowl (1962, 1965-70), NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
Year inducted: 1989
Bottom Line: Willie Wood
Willie hardwood was inducted right into the agree Football room of reputation in 1989.Willie lumber was a two-way player in ~ USC, in ~ safety and also as the very first African-American quarterback in Pac-12 history.
Wood was hurt for most of his last 2 seasons and went undrafted, yet earned a tryout through the Packers after composing a letter come head coach Vince Lombardi. Wood came to be one that the greatest Packers of all time, a seven-time NFL champion and also nine-time All-Pro.
Wood to be an assistant coach in the NFL and also CFL for over a decade after his playing career ended.
12. Larry Little, Guard
Born: Nov. 2, 1945 (Groveland, Georgia)
High school: Booker T. Washington High college (Miami, Florida)
College: Bethune-Cookman
Larry little Stats
NFL career: 14 seasons(1967-80)
Teams: San Diego Chargers (1967-68), Miami dolphin (1969-80)
Career highlights: Two-time Super bowl champion (1972, 1973), seven-time NFL All-Pro (1971-75, 1977, 1978), five-time agree Bowl (1969, 1971-74), NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
Year inducted: 1993
Bottom Line: Larry Little
Larry tiny was among two undrafted Miami Dolphins' offensive linemen from the 1970s to do it to the room of Fame.At 6-foot-1 and 265 pounds, Larry tiny was the Nate Newton the his era — a human bowling ball who aided lead the Miami dolphins to back-to-back Super bowl titles, including an undefeated season in 1972.
Little was among two future undrafted room of Famers ~ above the Dolphins" offensive line in the era alongside facility Jim Langer.
The five-time agree Bower and seven-time NFL All-Pro to be a college football head coach for nearly two decades, first at his alma mater Bethune-Cookman, then at north Carolina central University.
11. Joe Perry, Fullback
Joe Perry was a fullback in name only.Born: Jan. 22, 1927 (Stephens, Arkansas)
Died: April 25, 2011 (age 84, Chandler, Arizona)
High school: Jordan High college (Los Angeles, California)
College: Compton junior College
Joe Perry Stats
NFL career: 16 seasons (1948-63)
Teams: San Francisco 49ers (1948-60), Baltimore Colts (1961-62), san Francisco 49ers (1963)
Career highlights: Two-time NFL All-Pro (1953, 1954), three-time agree Bowl (1952-54), UPI NFL Player that the Year (1954), NFL 1950s All-Decade Team
Year inducted: 1969
Bottom Line: Joe Perry
Joe Perry"s category as a fullback is an ext of a symptom that his era than what his actual function was. He was much more like a tailback that just lined up two yards closer come the line of scrimmage.
Perry, 6-foot and also 200 pounds, only played one year in ~ Compton junior College before he join the navy in human being War II. The played for the team the end of navy Air station Alameda and also ran a 9.5-second 100-yard dash in 1947 — simply .2 off Mel Patton"s then-world record 9.3 seconds.
10. Mick Tingelhoff, Center
Born: May 22, 1940 (Lexington, Nebraska)
High school: Lexington High institution (Lexington, Nebraska)
College: Nebraska
Mick Tingelhoff Stats
NFL career: 17 periods (1962-78)
Teams: Minnesota Vikings
Career highlights: Seven-time NFL All-Pro (1964-70), six-time agree Bowl (1964-69)
Year inducted: 2015
Bottom Line: Mick Tingelhoff
Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing simply 237 pounds, Minnesota Vikings center Mick Tingelhoff is related to as the ideal center of his era and played in all four of his team"s Super bowl losses in the 1970s.
When Tingelhoff retired after the 1978 season, he"d played in 240 consecutive games. At the time, the was 2nd in NFL history behind only teammate Jim Marshall"s 270 continuous games.
Tingelhoff, who began 17 seasons as Minnesota"s center, make it right into the agree Football hall of fame in 2015, which was his 32nd year the eligibility.
9. Emmitt Thomas, Cornerback
Born: June 3, 1943 (Angleton, Texas)
High School: Angleton High school (Angleton, Texas)
College: Bishop College
Emmitt cutting board Stats
NFL career: 12 periods (1967-78)
Teams: Kansas City Chiefs
Career highlights: Super bowl champion (1969), four-time NFL All-Pro (1969, 1971, 1974, 1975), five-time pro Bowl (1968, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975)
Year inducted: 2008
Bottom Line: Emmitt Thomas
Emmitt thomas played because that tiny Bishop College and also made the Kansas City Chiefs together an undrafted totally free agent in 1967 and helped command the Chiefs to a supervisor Bowl win in 1969.
In his career, Thomas had actually 58 interceptions went back for 937 yards, which is a staggering statistic even by today"s standards.
Thomas was elected to the pro Football hall of call by the Seniors Committee in 2008 and won two an ext Super key titles together an assistant coach v the Washington Redskins.
8. Marion Motley, Fullback/Linebacker
Born: June 5, 1920 (Leesburg, Georgia)
Died: June 27, 1999 (age 79, Cleveland, Ohio)
High school: Canton McKinley High school (Canton, Ohio)
College: Nevada
Marion Motley Stats
NFL career: 9 periods (1946-53, 1955)
Teams: Cleveland Browns (1946-53), Pittsburgh Steelers (1955)
Career highlights: NFL champion (1950), four-time AAFC champion (1946-49), agree Bowl (1950), two-time NFL All-Pro (1948, 1950), NFL1940s All-Decade Team, NFL 75th Anniversary Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
Year inducted: 1968
Bottom Line: Marion Motley
Marion Motley and teammate invoice Willis broke the NFL"s color barrier together in 1946 as members of the Cleveland Browns, and also both players eventually made it come the pro Football hall of Fame.
Like Jackie Robinson in baseball, Motley and also Willis sustained racist insults native fans and opponents yet maintained v it all, and Motley led the Browns in rushing in 1950 top top the way to one NFL championship.
Motley, who offered in human being War II, desperately want a career coaching in the NFL after ~ his playing career, however in one era where teams were willing to put Black football player on the field as players, lock weren"t ready to placed them on the sidelines together coaches.
7. Willie Brown, Cornerback
Willie Brown, left, was a feared defensive ago in the 1970s.Born: Dec. 2, 1940 (Yazoo City, Mississippi)
Died: Oct. 21, 2019 (age 78, Tracy, California)
High School: Taylor High school (Yazoo City, Mississippi)
College: Grambling State
Willie Brown Stats
NFL career: 9 seasons (1970-78)
Teams: Oakland Raiders
Career highlights: Three-time Super key Champion (1976, 1980, 1983), four-time pro Bowl (1970-73), four-time NFL All-Pro (1970-73), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
Year inducted: 1984
Bottom Line: Willie Brown
The exceptional thing about Willie Brown"s NFL career is he to be an AFL All-Pro for five seasons before the very first year the the AFL-NFL mergers in 1970.
Brown"s career practically never acquired off the ground when he was reduced from his an initial training camp through the Houston Oilers together an undrafted rookie, yet he assisted lead the Raiders to three Super bowl wins, including a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown in Super bowl IX.
Brown was functioning for the Raiders in an administrative role when he passed away in 2019, at 79 years old.
6. Man Randle, defensive Tackle
Born: Dec. 12, 1967 (Mumford, Texas)
High School: Hearne High college (Hearne, Texas)
College: Texas A&M-Kingsville
John Randle Stats
NFL career: 14 periods (1990-2003)
Teams: Minnesota Vikings (1990-2000), Seattle Seahawks (2001-03)
NFL career: 14 periods (1990-2003)
Teams: Minnesota Vikings (1990-2000), Seattle Seahawks (2001-03)
Career highlights: Six-time NFL All-Pro (1993-98), seven-time pro Bowl (1993-98, 2001), NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, NFL 100th Anniversary Team
Year inducted: 2010
Bottom Line: john Randle
That john Randle is the only pure protective tackle to do the list speaks to his utter strength and dominance up front during 14 periods in the NFL.
Randle walk undrafted the end of small Texas A&M-Kingsville, make the Minnesota Vikings roster in 1990, climate reeled off 6 consecutive NFL All-Pro and Pro bowl selections between 1993 and 1998. He"s No. 10 on the NFL career sacks list through 137.5.
Randle isn"t the just NFL player in his family. Older brothers Ervin Randle played linebacker in the NFL because that eight seasons, but he was a third-round pick.
5. Emlen Tunnell, Safety
Born: march 29, 1984 (Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania)
Died: July 23, 1975 (age 51, Pleasantville, brand-new York)
High School: Radnor High school (Radnor, Pennsylvania)
College: Iowa
Emlen Tunnell Stats
NFL career: 14 seasons (1948-61)
Teams: New York Giants (1948-58), eco-friendly Bay Packers (1959-61)
Career highlights: Two-time NFL champion (1956, 1961), six-time NFL All-Pro (1949, 1951, 1952, 1954-56), nine-time agree Bowl (1950-57, 1959), NFL 100th Anniversary Team
Year inducted: 1967
Bottom Line: Emlen Tunnell
Emlen Tunnell played his critical NFL game virtually 70 year ago, however at 6-foot-4 and also 210 pounds, Tunnell would certainly still be considered an elite security in today"s game.
He aided lead two various franchises, the brand-new York Giants and Green just Packers, come NFL championships and also retired as the NFL"s career leader for interceptions, interception return yards, punt returns and punt return yards.
In 1967, Tunnel was the first African-American elected to the hall of Fame and the very first primary defensive back to be inducted.
4. Cut Warner, Quarterback
Born: June 22, 1971 (Burlington, Iowa)
High School: Regis Catholic High school (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
College: Northern Iowa
Kurt Warner Stats
NFL career: 11 periods (1998-2009)
Teams: St. Luigi Rams (1998-2003), new York Giants (2004), Arizona Cardinals (2005-09)
Career highlights: Super bowl champion (2000), Super bowl Most valuable Player (2000), Two-time NFL Most an important Player (1999, 2001), Two-time NFL All-Pro (1999, 2001), Four-time agree Bowl (1999-2001, 2008), pro Football room of reputation (2017)
Year inducted: 2017
Bottom Line: cut Warner
Kurt Warner"s job represents among the best underdog success story not simply in the history of the NFL, but all of sports.
Undrafted the end of FCS north Iowa (then division I-AA), Warner started simply one year in college prior to playing in the Arena football League and also stocking shelves in a grocery store at night.
His success there led him to NFL Europe, then to the Rams, whereby he won two NFL MVP awards and led the Rams to two Super Bowls. He won one and likewise led the Arizona Cardinals to a at sight Bowl.
Warner remains the only player in both the pro Football hall of Fame and the Arena Football room of Fame.
3. Lou Groza, offensive Tackle/Kicker
Born: Jan. 25, 1924 (Martins Ferry, Ohio)
Died: Nov. 29, 2000 (age 76, Middleburg Heights, Ohio)
High school: Martins Ferry High school (Martins Ferry, Ohio)
College: Ohio State
Lou Groza Stats
NFL career: 21 periods (1946-59, 1961-67)
Teams: Cleveland Browns
Career highlights: Four-time NFL champion (1950, 1954, 1955, 1964), four-time AAFC Champion (1946-49). Nine-time pro Bowl (1950-55, 1957-59), six-time NFL All-Pro (1952-57), NFL many ValuablePlayer (1954), NFL 1950s All-Decade Team, NFL 50th Anniversary Team
Year inducted: 1974
Bottom Line: Lou Groza
Lou Groza had a standout career at Ohio State however went right right into the army following college and was never ever drafted.
Groza came to be the NFL"s very first placekicking specialist and also was the first player in NFL background who could regularly hit ar goals from 50 or an ext yards. He perfect his career as the NFL"s career points leader and also won eight NFL championships v the Browns. He was additionally one of the team"s biggest offensive lineman.
The Groza family members did have actually one of its very own drafted eventually. Lou Groza"s younger brother, Alex, won two nationwide championships in basketball in ~ Kentucky and also was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1949 NBA draft.
2. Warren Moon, Quarterback
Born: Nov. 18, 1956 (Los Angeles, California)
High school: Hamilton High school (Los Angeles, California)
College: Washington
Warren Moon Stats
NFL career: 17 seasons (1984-2000)
Teams: Houston Oilers (1984-93), Minnesota Vikings (1994-96), Seattle Seahawks (1997-98), Kansas City Chiefs (1999-2000)
Career highlights: Nine-time pro Bowl (1988-95, 1997), NFL All-Pro (1990), NFL attack Player that the Year (1990), agree Football hall of fame (2006)
Year inducted: 2006
Bottom Line: Warren Moon
The an initial Black quarterback and first undrafted quarterback inducted into the pro Football room of Fame, Moon wasn"t even drafted out of the university of Washington despite being the increased Bowl MVP and also one the the best quarterbacks in the country as a senior.
Moon invested his an initial six years together a agree in the CFL, top the Edmonton Eskimos to 5 consecutive Grey Cup championships. When he acquired the NFL through the Houston Oilers in 1984, he ripped up those defenses as well.
The NFL records would look much different had Moon been given the chance he should have actually out the college.
1. Penis "Night Train" Lane, Cornerback
Born: April 16, 1928 (Austin, Texas)
Died: Jan. 29, 2002 (age 74, Austin, Texas)
High School: Anderson High college (Austin, Texas)
College: Scottsbluff small College
Dick "Night Train" roadway Stats
Night Train to be a fearsome defender.NFL career: 14 periods (1952-65)
Teams: Los Angeles Rams (1952-53), Chicago Cardinals (1954-59), Detroit Lions (1960-65)
Career highlights: Seven-time All-Pro (1956, 1957, 1959-63), seven-time agree Bowl (1954-56, 1958, 1960-62), NFL 100th Anniversary Team
Year inducted: 1974
Bottom Line: prick 'Night Train' Lane
Dick "Night Train" roadway went native undrafted to the agree Football room of Fame, and also that wasn"t also the most remarkable thing about his life.
Abandoned in a dumpster at 3 month old, Lane only played one season of university football at a junior college in Nebraska and also served 4 years in the military before he landing a tryout through the Los Angeles Rams and also made the team in 1952.
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Lane collection the NFL single-season interceptions record as a rookie, was a seven-time All-Pro and also married Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Dinah Washington in 1963.