Julius Peppers

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James showed a pair of NFL legends love following their Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions this weekend.

On his Instagram story on Sunday, James shouted out wide receiver Andre Johnson and defensive end Julius Peppers.

James posted a photo of Johnson's induction, saying, "Congratulations my brother! Super proud! Dope s--t!"

He had a similar message for Peppers, saying "Yessir Pep! Congratulations my guy."

In 2022 when Johnson was named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he spoke about how James was one of the first people to text him and discussed their relationship.

"Anybody that knows me knows that I'm a huge basketball fan. I have relationships with guys that play in the NBA, LeBron is one of the guys," Johnson said. "I think our relationship kind of grew more when he was in Miami and me being from Miami, I spent a lot of time down there, so I spent a lot of time going to Heat games when he was there. That's kind of how our relationship bonded... Just to have him come up and congratulate me, he's a huge fan of football, it just means a lot."

Andre Johnson (@johnson80) says his phone “went crazy” when he was named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame with many congratulating him including LeBron James (@KingJames) when LeBron was in town recently: “It means a lot because I have a relationship with LeBron.” pic.twitter.com/8Dj8LKGXEg

— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) January 9, 2022

Johnson's Hall of Fame nod comes as no surprise as the wide receiver collected 14,185 receiving yards and 70 touchdowns across his career. Once he retired in 2016, it was only a matter of time before he heard his name called.

The same can be said for Peppers, who racked up 553 tackles, 159.5 sacks, 51 forced fumbles and 11 interceptions during his time in the league.

Rodney Harrison was a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro selection during his 15-year NFL career, most famously winning two Super Bowl titles with the New England Patriots.

He was regarded as one of the most physical, hard-hitting safeties in his day, and his most prominent former teammate, Tom Brady, believes he remains criminally underrated.

"To me, one of the greatest football players the league has ever seen and doesn't get the recognition," Brady said on the DeepCut with VicBlends podcast (h/t ESPN's Mike Reiss). "He should be in the Hall of Fame. He was as good a competitor, defensive player—smart, tough, physical, f--king mean out there on the field. I loved it, and I loved playing with him."

Harrison has been a semifinalist on the Hall of Fame ballot three times and was a finalist on the 2024 ballot but didn't make the cut. The 2024 class was comprised of Dwight Freeney, Devin Hester, Andre Johnson, Julius Peppers, Patrick Willis, Randy Gradishar and Steve McMichael.

Harrison is probably a long shot at this point for induction, though having a public vote of support from a future Hall of Famer like Brady certainly counts for something.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024 has been revealed, and seven members will be making their way to Canton, Ohio, this summer.

2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class 💍

Dwight Freeney
Andre Johnson
Randy Grandishar
 Patrick Willis
Steve McMichael
Devin Hester
Julius Peppers pic.twitter.com/38Ktt8qO8D

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) February 9, 2024

Here's a look at all of their resumes.

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Andre Johnson

Wide receiver Andre Johnson became the first-ever Houston Texan to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday.

It's easy to see why. The former Miami superstar snagged 1,062 passes for 14,185 yards and 70 touchdowns over his fantastic 14-year career (2003-2016).

The seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro led the NFL in receiving yards in back-to-back seasons (2008 and 2009), and he caught 100 or more passes on five occasions. Johnson had 1,500 or more yards in three seasons and 1,100 or more in seven of them.

Johnson joined the Texans in their second year of existence (2003). He starred for the team in some lean years before Gary Kubiak took over as head coach and led them to more success.

His most impressive campaign may have been in 2012, a year after Johnson was limited to seven games due to a right hamstring injury. Impressively, Johnson came back better than ever in his 10th NFL season, catching 112 passes for a career-high 1,598 yards. Thanks largely to his efforts, Houston enjoyed its best-ever season (12-4) and made the AFC Divisional Round.

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Devin Hester

The most electrifying returner in football history has taken his rightful place in the Hall.

Hester took the NFL by storm in 2006 for the eventual NFC champion Chicago Bears, amassing six special teams touchdowns (three punt returns, two kick returns and one missed field goal return).

The former University of Miami star then became the first person to ever begin a Super Bowl with a return touchdown when he took a kick 92 yards for a score.

17 years ago today, Devin Hester started Super Bowl XLI with a BANG. 😤 pic.twitter.com/STGjcVZ3mh

— NFL (@NFL) February 4, 2024

Hester finished his career with 19 return touchdowns (14 punts, five kicks). He led the NFL in punt return yardage twice and kick return yardage twice.

Hester also played wide receiver, catching 255 passes for 3,311 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Hester is a member of the Hall of Fame's 2000s and 2010s teams. He is a four-time All-Pro and a three-time Pro Bowler.

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Dwight Freeney

One of the best pass-rushers the NFL has seen this century has found his Hall of Fame home.

Defensive end Dwight Freeney, a seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro, will head to Canton after a fantastic 16-year career (2002-2017).

He burst onto the scene in 2002 with the Indianapolis Colts by posting an NFL-high nine forced fumbles and a league-high 20 tackles for loss (13.0 sacks).

Freeney led the NFL with 16.0 sacks in 2004. Two years later, he helped guide the Colts to their first Super Bowl title in 36 seasons.

The former Syracuse star largely starred for the Colts (2002-2012) before finishing his career with five other teams over his last five seasons. He ended his NFL stint with 125.5 sacks (18th all-time).

Freeney earned a spot on the Hall of Fame's 2000s team, but now he'll be in Canton alongside a legion of legends.

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Julius Peppers

There was little to no doubt that defensive end Julius Peppers would make the Hall of Fame at his first opportunity, and that's now come to fruition.

The former defensive end is a member of the Hall of Fame's 2000s and 2010s teams. He is a nine-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro. Peppers ended his career with 159.5 sacks, fourth all-time. He also forced 52 fumbles and amassed 719 tackles.

Peppers had 10 or more sacks in 10 of his seasons. His excellence also stretched for the duration of his career, as he notably accumulated 11 sacks in 2017, his 16th NFL season.

He also missed just six games over his 17 NFL seasons.

Peppers also played for the UNC basketball team as a walk-on for two seasons. In his final game with the team, Peppers posted 21 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to Penn State in the 2001 NCAA tournament.

But on Thursday, Pepper's NFL career was rightfully honored, and he is now a well-deserved first-ballot Hall of Famer.

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Patrick Willis

Linebacker Patrick Willis played seven full NFL seasons (2007-2013). During that time, he made seven Pro Bowls and earned five first-team All-Pro selections. He is a member of the 2010s Hall of Fame team despite playing only four full seasons in that decade.

Needless to say, Willis made a great impact in a short of amount of time. He also won the Associated Press Rookie of the Year award in 2007 after amassing 174 tackles (136 solo). Willis also led the NFL with 152 tackles in 2009.

The 49ers enjoyed great team success under Willis after Jim Harbaugh became the team's head coach in 2011. Over a three-year period, the 49ers finished second, second and third in scoring defense. San Francisco made the NFC Championship Game all three seasons, winning it once.

Willis' 2014 season was cut short due to a left big toe injury. He retired after the season due to nagging feet injuries he played through during his career.

Willis played only eight seasons, but he was simply sensational during his brief time in the NFL, and now he takes his rightful place in the Hall.

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Randy Gradishar

The Denver Broncos' Orange Crush defense of the 1970s featured some great players, including linebacker Randy Gradishar, a seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro.

The Associated Press' Defensive Player of the Year in 1978 suited up for the Broncos for his entire 10-year career (1974-1983). He never missed a game over that decade and was a full-time starter for the final nine years.

From 1976 to 1979, Denver finished sixth, third, second and fifth in scoring defense. Denver made the playoffs from 1977 to 1979, winning the AFC in 1977 after going 12-2.

Per the Broncos' official website, Gradishar is credited with 2,049 tackles, or roughly 205 per season over his career.

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Steve McMichael

A key figure on the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears defense has found his way to Canton.

Defensive tackle Steve McMichael made the Hall as part of the Seniors category on Thursday. He'll forever be a legendary Bear after being part of a 1985 team that went 15-1 before engineering the most dominant playoff run in league history, outscoring opponents 91-10 en route to a Super Bowl XX victory.

McMichael also enjoyed a streak of 101 straight games started. He notably started every single game possible from 1984 to 1989. McMichael also never missed a game played from 1982 to 1994.

McMichael played in the NFL from 1980 to 1994. Thirteen of those seasons were with the Bears. He finished his career with 847 tackles and 95 sacks. He made two Pro Bowls and earned two first-team All-Pro selections.

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Per the Hall of Fame's website, the tentative date for induction is Saturday, August 3, with the Hall of Fame Game two days earlier.

The College Football Hall of Fame announced its class of 2024, highlighted by former Marshall receiver Randy Moss, former Pittsburgh wideout Larry Fitzgerald, former Utah quarterback Alex Smith and former North Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class! pic.twitter.com/IuKxkfTOUs

— National Football Foundation (@NFFNetwork) January 8, 2024

"We are extremely proud to announce the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class," former Ole Miss quarterback and NFF Chairman Archie Manning said in a statement. "Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments."

Moss, who is also an NFL Hall of Famer, played only one season of Division I-A at Marshall, but he sure made it count, registering 90 catches for 1,647 yards and 25 touchdowns in 1997.

He was the Fred Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation's top wideout, was a consensus All-America selection and finished fourth in the Heisman voting that year behind a pair of fellow NFL Hall of Famers, Michigan's Charles Woodson and Tennessee's Peyton Manning, along with Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf.

The Minnesota Vikings went on to select him with the No. 21 pick in the 1998 NFL draft.

Fitzgerald, a future NFL Hall of Famer, registered 161 catches, 2,677 yards and a whopping 34 touchdowns in just two seasons at Pittsburgh (2002-03), winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award in 2003. He was a consensus All-America selection and the Big East Offensive Player of the Year that season after catching 22 touchdown passes and accumulating 1,672 receiving yards.

He went on to play 17 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL after being the No. 3 overall selection in the 2004 draft.

Smith, meanwhile, spent three seasons at Utah (2002-04), registering 5,203 yards, 47 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

He was the MWC Offensive Player of the Year in his junior year and finished fourth in the Heisman voting behind USC's Matt Leinart and the Oklahoma pair of Adrian Peterson and Jason White, throwing for 2,952 yards and 32 touchdowns that season. He paired with head coach Urban Meyer to lead the Utes to a perfect season.

He went on to be the top overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2005 draft, spending 16 years in the NFL with the Niners, Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders.

Peppers was a consensus All-America selection in 2001, winning the Chuck Bednarik Award and Vince Lombardi Award that season. In his three seasons at North Carolina (1999-01) he posted 30.5 sacks and 53 tackles for loss.

He was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers and spent 17 seasons in the league with Carolina, Chicago and Green Bay. Like Fitzgerald, he'll one day be enshrined in Canton.

Julius Peppers, Antonio Gates and Tiki Barber are among the headliners from the list of 25 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2024 induction class.

For Peppers and Gates, they've advanced this far in their first year of Hall of Fame eligibility, and both are strong candidates to make the final cut. Barber, meanwhile, is a semifinalist for the first time since retiring from the NFL in 2006.

🚨 NEWS🚨

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is proud to announce 25 Modern-Era Semifinalists for the Class of 2024.

Full Story: https://t.co/sjzl2DDM4M pic.twitter.com/uiQaeEf79p

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) November 28, 2023

Peppers was a nine-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro across 17 seasons, and his 159.5 sacks are unofficially the fifth-most all time. The Hall of Fame named him to its All-Decade teams for the 2000s and 2010s.

Left side? Strong side?

Either way, Julius dominated. @juliuspeppers_ pic.twitter.com/CW1FCTQbbW

— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) August 21, 2020

Gates joined Peppers on the All-2000s team. An eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, the 6'4", 255-pound tight end helped to usher in a new era for the position.

Both have the résumés to be first-ballot Hall of Famers.

Barber might have a steeper climb. He closed his career on a high, rushing for 5,040 yards and 27 touchdowns over his final three seasons, and his penultimate campaign saw him finish fourth in the MVP voting and third in the Offensive Player of the Year ballot.

Three Pro Bowl appearances and ranking 27th all time in rushing yards (10,449) may not be enough to catapult Barber to Canton, Ohio, though.

Elsewhere on the list of remaining nominees, Torry Holt will hope this is the year he finally gets the call. The former St. Louis Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver is a semifinalist for the 10th time.

Holt twice led the NFL in receiving yards and finished with 13,382 for his career. He has watched fellow "Greatest Show on Turf" stars Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Isaac Bruce receive a gold jacket, making his omission a little puzzling to this point.

The only WR on the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team not in the Hall of Fame? Torry Holt.

Could that change soon? (via @NFLLegacy) pic.twitter.com/3VndmoYTVv

— NFL (@NFL) June 5, 2023

Hines Ward and Darren Woodson are looking at their eighth appearance as semifinalists, while Fred Taylor, Reggie Wayne and Patrick Willis are five-timers.

You don't envy the Hall of Fame selection committee's task of winnowing the list to 15 finalists and then ultimately selecting who will be enshrined in Canton.

Julius Peppers and Antonio Gates headline the list of first-time modern-era candidates for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame announced the full list of 173 nominees on Tuesday. Michael Vick, Tony Romo and Devin Hester are among those returning to the ballot, with Hester getting to the final round of voting last year.

🚨 NEWS🚨

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is proud to announce 173 Modern-Era Nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

The list includes nine players in their first year of eligibility.

Full List Of Nominees ➡️ https://t.co/Bs8bAjUgcx pic.twitter.com/O91taE4oU8

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) September 19, 2023

Peppers and Gates both have a strong chance of going in straight away.

Peppers retired as a nine-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro, and his 159.5 sacks are unofficially the fifth-most all-time. His longevity was impressive as well. He recorded 34 sacks and 32 tackles for loss after turning 35.

Gates, meanwhile, helped to redefine the tight end position while forcing front offices to rethink how they evaluated certain prospects. Despite not playing a single down of college football, the 43-year-old was an All-Pro by his second NFL season and wound up with 11,841 receiving yards and 116 touchdowns across 16 years.

Jamaal Charles, Brandon Marshall, Jordy Nelson, Haloti Ngata, T.J. Lang, Josh Sitton and Max Unger are the other first-time nominees.

Given how close he got in 2023, fans will be eager to see whether Hester's impressive production as a return man will be justly rewarded. He returned five kicks and 14 punts for touchdowns:

Happy 40th birthday to legendary returner Devin Hester! @D_Hest23 pic.twitter.com/nZLHTncQPI

— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) November 4, 2022

Hester's legend has perhaps grown, too, because the NFL's various rule changes for kickoffs have made designated return specialists all but outmoded.

The 2024 Hall of Fame class promises to be loaded when Torry Holt, Andre Johnson, Willie Anderson, Dwight Freeney, Jared Allen and Patrick Willis were, like Hester, all finalists a year ago.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame's bylaws stipulate that between four and nine members from the modern era gain induction, so some heavy hitters are bound to miss the cut.

After 17 seasons in the NFL, Julius Peppers has announced his retirement Friday at the age of 39.

In an article on The Players' Tribune, Peppers said:

"Anybody who knows me knows I'm not big on words and I don't like to put myself out there, so I'm just gonna get right to it.

"Seventeen years is a long time to be playing this game. It's two careers for a lot of people. I'm thankful that I have been able to play so long and still be healthy. I'm not all banged up and beaten down. I still feel good.

"But as much as I would love to play forever, I know that I can't. It's gotta end at some point. That point is now. Today, I'm retiring."

Peppers played for the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers from 2002 to 2018. He spent the bulk of his career with the Panthers, who drafted him No. 2 overall and brought him back in 2017.

Even though Peppers played last season at the age of 38, he remained one of the NFL's best pass-rushing specialists. The North Carolina native finished second on the Panthers with five sacks.

Per Pro Football Focus, Peppers ended 2018 with the fourth-highest overall grade (75.9) among all Carolina defensive players.

Peppers is one of five players in NFL history with at least 150 sacks. The others on the list include Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Kevin Greene and Chris Doleman, all of whom have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Peppers has another feather in his cap as the only player in NFL history with at least 150 sacks and 10 interceptions. He also only had two seasons with fewer than seven sacks.

Despite Peppers' age, his Panthers teammates were frequently in awe of what he was able to do.

"I think he still looks like the Pep of old, man, with the way he goes out and has the ability to dominate football games," Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis told Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune in October 2017.

Over his 17 years in the NFL, Peppers was named to the Pro Bowl nine times and the All-Pro First Team three times. He was also included on the NFL's All-Decade team for the 2000s and has a case to be part of the group for the 2010s.

Now that the book has been closed on Peppers' career, he can prepare his speech for the Pro Football Hall of Fame as soon as he's eligible in five years.

Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller and Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch already have Super Bowl titles, but they are looking to add something else to their legacies: the 2018 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

On Thursday, the NFL announced the 32 finalists for this year's award with one representative per team. Miller and Lynch headline a group that includes Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram and Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long.

The award goes to the player the league recognizes for excellence on the field and community service off it.

The winner will be announced Feb. 2 during the NFL Honors show. $500,000 will be donated to charity in the winner's name; half will go to a charity of his choice, and the other half goes toward expanding Character Playbook, the NFL and United Way's digital character education program.

Each of the other 31 finalists will see $50,000 donated to Character Playbook in his name and another $50,000 donated to a charity of his choice.

"The Man of the Year Award gives us the opportunity to acknowledge 32 exemplary players whose commitment to excellence extends on and off the field," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "This year's nominees have used their platforms to transform communities across the country. We are proud of their work and celebrate their dedication and impact through this award."

Houston Texans defensive end .J.J. Watt won the award last year for his work in his team's city following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.

The four-time All-Pro posted videos on social media asking for help in fundraising and was essential in raising more than $37 million to assist the impacted areas in their recovery efforts.

Watt is one of five active players who have won the Walter Payton Award, joining New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis.