In what will have fans feeling euphoric, they’ll soon witness not one, but two Raiders simultaneously enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
It might’ve taken longer than some would’ve liked but Tom Flores will soon receive his gold jacket. Flores will take his rightful place among the greatest football coaches in what’s largely seen as overdue. However, Flores won’t be the only member of the Silver and Black that’ll be inducted. Arguably the greatest defensive back of all time, Charles Woodson will also take his place alongside coach Flores. The Autumn Wind will soon descend upon Canton in what’s surely a rare sight as it sees two of its sons be immortalized.
Woodson fills in Raider Nation about the Hall of Fame experience so far…
Speaking with Eddie Paskal of Raiders.com, Woodson took the chance to fill in fans on his experience so far. He updated Raider Nation that he’s been fitted for his Hall of Fame ring. Something that’ll go nicely with his Super Bowl ring (ouch, I know it wasn’t with the Raiders). He’s also sent in his measurements for the jacket, a moment that’ll draw a collective roar from fans when he puts it on. Paskal and Woodson went into detail about the process that goes into creating the famed bronze busts. Admittedly, the only drawback in this process for Woodson has been the issue of tickets to the presentation. Confessing that taking care of everyone’s request isn’t his forte but nonetheless, it shows just how many folks have been important to his career.
‘This is Al Davis making sure I have someone to look out for me…’
Another subject that was briefly touched upon was Woodson going in with Flores into the Hall of Fame. Though they’re from different eras, the mutual respect and admiration amongst these Raiders are real. We all know the Raiders family is exactly that, a family. Woodson mentioned that when he realized both he and the coach were going in together, he remembered The Maverick himself.
“This is Al Davis making sure I have someone to look out for me, he had to send out a coach to escort me into the Hall of Fame.”
Woodson is fully aware of the love that fans have for coach Flores and is likewise very happy for him. No doubt he’s looking forward to sharing this special moment with arguably the second-greatest Raiders head coach of all time.
Who was Woodson’s toughest opponent?
Another interesting topic of conversation between Paskal and Woodson was regarding individual opponents. ’24’ stated that Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison was the toughest matchup of his career.
‘Marvin possessed the best qualities that you would need in a wide receiver. Route-running ability, he ran great routes, he was fast, a little bigger than people would suspect.’
Woodson reminisced about being a young player coming into the NFL and feeling like he was the best challenge from a wide receiver perspective. It’s surely interesting to hear that Harrison was his toughest opponent, more than anything perhaps due to Harrison’s under-the-radar persona. Don’t forget, Woodson played in the golden age of the diva wide receiver, with players such as Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Chad Johnson dominating the league. Regardless, it’s great to see both Woodson and coach Flores both getting their due.
You May Also Like: Is This Finally A ‘Prove It’s Year For Raiders’ Rod Marinelli?
*Top Photo: Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group