Getty Enshrinement at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
The Detroit Lions have officially gained a new member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and this one was a long time coming.
Wednesday, it was revealed that defensive lineman Alex Karras had been elected into the Hall of Fame’s centennial class for 2020. Karras was just one deserving member elected to the class, and the Hall of Fame revealed he would be joining up earlier in the morning this week.
Karras has long been viewed as one of the most deserving players not to get the call to the hall, but with this news, his name will no longer have to be included on the list as a should be hall of fame player.
Alex Karras Honored by Hall of Fame in 2019
About a month ago in December, it was revealed that both Karras, a defensive lineman and coach Buddy Parker were nominated to be finalists for the centennial slate in 2020. Both Karras and Parker have been seen to be deserving of such an honor for years, and fans are now able to see Karras finally break through.
Here’s a look at the explanation of what Canton’s 2020 class will look like when all is said and done, and what those who do get enshrined will go through.
“The entire 20-person Class of 2020 will be on hand for the 2020 Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls. The group of Modern-Era players along with contributors and coaches will be formally enshrined on Saturday, Aug. 8. The 10 seniors will take center stage in the once-in-every-other-lifetime Centennial Celebration in Canton on Sept. 16-19, 2020 when they are enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
The Centennial Celebration will feature a multi-day schedule of events celebrating the NFL’s 100th Birthday party including the dedication of the new Centennial Plaza in downtown Canton near the site where the NFL was founded; and a black-tie Centennial Spectacular to kick off the league’s next century in Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium showcasing thousands of NFL Legends who built the game in attendance along with world-class performances from a variety of music icons.”
Though Parker didn’t get the call this time around, it’s nice to see Karras finally break through and get inducted to the Hall of Fame. As the numbers show, he was richly deserving of the honor in 2020.
Alex Karras’ Case for the Hall of Fame
The man they affectionately called Mongo was well known later in life for being a fixture on the airwaves, whether it was his work with Webster or on Monday Night Football. Still, Karras was a serious player during his time in the Motor City.
After being drafted out of Iowa, Karras came to Detroit and put up some massive numbers, cracking 4 NFL Pro Bowls as well as being a 3 time NFL All-Pro. Karras was also a 6 time second team NFL All-Pro, as well as a member of the All-Decade team of the 1960s.
Sadly for Karras, he never got much of the love he deserved given the team he played for. The Lions only made one trip to the playoffs in his playing career which spanned from 1958-1970. Karras retired at 35, but immediately launched into his Hollywood career, appearing in M*A*S*H, Blazing Saddles and The Tonight Show. He has a great personality which was showcased not only on television, but also in the book Paper Lion by George Plimpton.
Folks in Detroit who watched Karras know just how deserving he was of every honor given the tough brand of football he played for the Lions. Seeing him get honored with a trip to the Hall of Fame is a definite feather in Karras’ cap, even as it comes eight years after his death in 2012.
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