The NFL announced Wednesday that two former Atlanta Falcons, defensive end Dwight Freeney and receiver/returner Devin Hester, are among the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2024. Both players joined the Falcons late in their careers but made an immediate impact. Freeney, 43, was a member of the Falcons’ Super Bowl 51 team in 2016. He had three sacks in three regular-season games and one more in the postseason.
Aside from Atlanta, Freeney spent the majority of his career with the Indianapolis Colts, with brief stops with the San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, and Seattle Seahawks. In his 16-year career, he had 127.5 sacks, seven Pro Bowl appearances, and three first-team All-Pro selections.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53054271/usa_today_9646754.0.jpg)
Meanwhile, Hester is widely regarded as the greatest return man in history. The 41-year-old is the NFL’s all-time leader in return touchdowns (20), kickoff return touchdowns (14), and single-season return touchdowns (six in 2007). Hester spent two seasons in Atlanta, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2014 after leading the league in kickoff return yards. He spent eight seasons with the Chicago Bears before joining the Falcons, and his final year in the NFL was split between the Baltimore Ravens and the Seattle Seahawks.
Leave a Reply