This Saturday August 8, 2015 The Pro Football Hall of Fame will add 8 members to their prestigious club. The first inductee into the class is former Raiders and Green Bay GM Ron Wolf. We’ve all hard of coaching trees but Wolf’s scouting tree changed the face of modern day football. Ron Wolf is the mentor of Packers GM Ted Thompson, Seahawks GM John Schneider, Chiefs GM John Dorsey, Washington GM Scot McCloughan, and Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie.
Photo Credit: Mike Roemer/AP
Wolf is not a legend because of what he accomplished with the Raiders and Packers over 40 years, but for the model he created for drafting, scouting and building successful teams.
Ron Wolf began his football career int he NFL as a talent scout with the Oakland Raiders in 1963. Wolf and named General Manager of the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After laying the groundwork for the Bucs Wolf returned to the Raiders. Altogether Wolf spent 23 years in the Raiders front office. The Raiders posted 17 winning seasons, won 10 division titles, played in eight AFL/AFC championship games, and won 2 Super Bowls with Wolf in the front office.
Wolf briefly worked in the N.Y. Jets front office before finally taking the job as GM for the Green Bay Packers. Wolf was able to turn the Packers around and restore them to their former glory. In 1996 the Packers capped off the team’s first 16 win season by defeating the New England Patriots 35-21 in the Super Bowl. Ron Wolf was recognized as one of the finest personnel men in the league for 40 years. It’s fitting that he will join so many of the players he picked over they years in the Hall this Saturday.
The second inductee in this year’s class is Charles Haley. Haley was a 4th round draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 1986. Haley played for both the 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys and is the only player in NFL history to win 5 Super Bowl rings. Haley long considered one of the best pass rushers in NFL history won 2 Super Bowls in San Francisco and 3 more while with the Cowboys. Many people won’t remember what a beast Haley was on the field, instead Haley has become infamous for some of his controversial actions on quotes since his retirement.
Haley has shown a vested interest in the superstars of the future. In May he told a group of rookies from the 49ers and Cowboys, “If you want to be successful why don’t you all act like white guys? You never see them in he paper getting high or hitting people.” Haley recounted the conversation to a reporter for the San Mercury News. When pressured to take the statement back Haley refused. Of course it goes without saying that white athletes get in hot water too, but Haley insists he was going for shock value. “These guys have the attention span of a 5 year old. I’m not the most gentle, and kind person. I don’t have time to sit there and deal with that crap. I maybe a little more confrontational, but I think I got my point across.” Haley is living his life post football the same way he played it larger than life without any excuses or apologies. His Hall of Fame speech is sure to be one for the history books.
The order of enshrinement is below:
1. Ron Wolf
2. Charles Haley
3. Mick Tingelhoff
4. Will Shields
5. Bill Polian
6. Tim Brown
7. Junior Seau
8. Jerome Bettis
The enshrinement ceremony will be televised live on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 8. Get the latest Pro Football Hall of Fame updates all weekend by following the #PFHOF15 on social media. The Minnesota Vikings and The Pittsburgh Steelers will play in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game Sunday August 9. The Hall of Fame Game will air live on NBC at 8 ET.
