The NFL Hall Of Fame induction ceremony is on Saturday, August 8th. Eight players will be enshrined in Canton, Ohio. These include Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown, Charles Haley, Bill Polian, Junior Seau, Will Shields, Mick Tingelhoff, and Ron Wolf. There has been controversy between the NFL Hall Of Fame and Junior Seau’s family.
Seau was one of the best linebackers to play the game of football. Seau took his own life in 2012. After his death at 43 years old, he was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) due to concussions he suffered during his playing time in the NFL.
At the Hall Of Fame ceremony, a player who is living has a video shown about his playing career. Next, a person special to him gives an introduction speech. This is usually a family member or a coach. The athlete who is going to be inducted then gives a speech about his playing time and people who meant a lot to him during his life. After his speech they unveil his bronze statue.
For deceased players, the NFL only shares a video and the bronze statue. In the past the Hall Of Fame had a speaker represent them. Now there isn’t a speech from anyone including a family member. This year Seau’s 21 year old daughter, Sydney was listed as a presenter for her father, Junior Seau.
According to ESPN, Sydney was going to speak about her father but is disappointed she can’t saying, “It’s frustrating because the induction is for my father and for the other players, but then to not be able to speak, it’s painful. I just want to give the speech he would have given. It wasn’t going to be about this mess. My speech was solely about him.”
According to ESPN, Joe Horrigan, spokesperson for the Pro Football Hall Fame, explained saying, “There was an acceptance speech for deceased players but it got redundant. The honor is supposed to be for the individual.”
The NFL Hall Of Fame is making a poor choice. Why is it fair that players who are still living have a spokesperson while departed NFL players only have a video? They need to change their policy. Let the family members talk about what the person meant to them. Perhaps he/she may share different perspectives about his life off the football field. The Hall Of Fame induction is supposed to be all about the athlete. Showing a video isn’t doing the deceased player any favors. It’s not really honoring them in the way they should. Hopefully the NFL Hall Of Fame will change their guidelines on deceased NFL players.
How should the NFL Hall Of Fame change their policy?
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