The most exclusive club in football gained eight new members on Saturday night, as the Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomed its newest legends of the NFL into the family.
Former cornerback Champ Bailey (Washington/Denver), the late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, executive Gil Brandt (Dallas Cowboys), tight end Tony Gonzalez (Kansas City Chiefs/Atlanta Falcons), defensive back Ty Law (New England Patriots/Kansas City/New York Jets/Denver), offensive lineman Kevin Mawae (Seattle Seahawks/Jets/Tennessee Titans), safety Ed Reed (Baltimore Ravens/Houston Texans) and defensive back Johnny Robinson (Dallas Texans/Chiefs) were enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
Here is a look at the careers of the eight newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Bailey
An NFL All-Decade Team member for the 2000s, Bailey earned 12 trips to the Pro Bowl in his 15 seasons. Bailey made 908 tackles, registered 52 interceptions, defended 203 passes and scored four touchdowns over his tenures in Washington and Denver.
Bowlen
During his tenure as an owner, Bowlen helped lead the Broncos to 21 winning seasons, 13 AFC West Division championships, nine AFC Championship games, seven Super Bowl appearances and three world championships.
Bowlen remains the only owner in NFL history with 300 wins combined over his first 30 years in charge of a franchise.
Brandt
Considered by many to be “The Godfather of the NFL Scouting Combine,” Brandt was an innovator in his time with the Cowboys.
In his nearly 30-year NFL career, Brandt was a part of 20 winning seasons, five Super Bowl appearances and two world championships. Also, Brandt helped lead a personnel team that selected nine players enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Gonzalez
One of the first in a wave on converted college basketball players to NFL tight ends, Gonzalez had a record-setting career for the Falcons and the Chiefs.
Over his 17 NFL seasons, Gonzalez proved remarkably durable, as he played in 270 games, earned selection to 14 Pro Bowls and membership on the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s.
Gonzalez turned his 1,325 catches into 15,127 yards and 111 touchdowns.
Gonzalez had the second-most receptions in NFL history, trailing only Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice.
Law
Law began his career with a 10-year run with the Patriots before moving onto the Jets, Chiefs and Broncos.
Over his 15 NFL seasons, Law played in 203 games, earned five Pro Bowl invitations and corralled 53 interceptions, which he returned for 828 yards. Law had six seasons with at least one interception return for a touchdown.
“I encourage each of you to start with the small, but great practice of believing in yourself,” Law said during his speech.
Mawae
Mawae played in 241 games in his 16 NFL seasons, earning eight trips to the Pro Bowl and selection to the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s.
Despite the demands of an interior offensive lineman for nearly two decades, Mawae played in at least 14 games in all but one of his years in the NFL. Mawae played in every game from 1996-2004 and ended his career by playing in 61 of a possible 64 outings.
“People always ask, ‘Who were your greatest role models and who did you look up to growing up?’ The answer has always been you,” Mawae said of his parents during his speech.
Mawae concluded his presentation into the Hall of Fame by taking a necklace representative of his family’s Hawaiian heritage and wrapping it around his bronze bust. Mawae is the first player of Hawaiian heritage to be selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Reed
Arguably one of the best ball-hawking safeties in NFL history, Reed played in 174 games over his 12 seasons, earning nine Pro Bowl appearances, selection to the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s and the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Reed registered 64 interceptions, which he returned for 1,590 yards and seven touchdowns with 140 passes defended in his NFL career.
Robinson
Robinson started his professional career as a running back, but after year two, he was switched to defensive back, and the rest is history.
Over his 164 games in 12 seasons, Robinson registered 57 interceptions and made seven Pro Bowl appearances. Robinson returned his 57 takeaways for 741 yards and one touchdown, and twice posted double-digit interception seasons (1966, 1970).