National Football League

Harrison, Pace, Greene, Stanfel, Stabler, DeBartolo in hall

Published Aug. 6, 2016 10:29 p.m. ET

foxsports

CANTON, Ohio (AP) Brilliant moves, brute strength, and a wild streak.

Marvin Harrison epitomized the first, Orlando Pace exemplified the second, Kevin Greene embodied the third. Together, they entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Ken Stabler, the left-handed quarterback of the 1970s Oakland Raiders known as ''Snake,'' also was inducted. So were Dick Stanfel, a star on the offensive line for two teams in the 1950s, and former 49ers owner Ed DeBartolo Jr.

Harrison, the record-setting wide receiver for the Colts, and Pace, a powerful offensive force at left tackle for the Rams, were the first members of the eight-man class of 2016 inducted into the hall.

Harrison's 143 receptions in 2002 are an NFL record. He retired in 2008 with 1,102 catches, now third behind Jerry Rice and Tony Gonzalez. He had eight consecutive seasons with at least 1,100 yards receiving for Indianapolis, and won a Super Bowl in February 2007. His receptions, 14,608 yards and 128 touchdowns are all Colts franchise records. He topped the 100-catch mark four straight times as Peyton Manning's prime target.

He came full circle on Saturday.

''I worked extremely hard to get to this point,'' said the Colts' first-round draft choice in 1996. ''I played my first NFL game right on this very field.''

Harrison made eight Pro Bowls, was a three-time All-Pro, and missed only 18 games in 13 NFL seasons.

''He was this quiet, unassuming guy,'' Colts owner Jim Irsay in presenting Harrison for induction. ''He was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Marvin's greatness is earned as well as natural.''

Pace was the blocking cornerstone of the Rams' Greatest Show on Turf that won the 1999 NFL title. The top overall draft pick in 1997, he helped turn running back Marshall Faulk and quarterback Kurt Warner into NFL MVPs, and now is a Hall of Famer.

Like Harrison, he had memories of the Canton shrine, too, recalling visiting the hall when he was 13.

''This occasion marks the fulfilment of each and every goal I have had,'' Pace said of his athletic career. ''This became my first goal, and here I am 27 years later standing in Canton, Ohio, accepting this incredible honor.

''My goal has always been to be the very best I can be ... not simply in football but in life. My name in the Hall of Fame will stand as a lasting reminder. When you set your goal to be the very best, there is no other path.''

Always a showman who also spent some time as a professional wrestler, Greene's usually found the path to quarterbacks. His 160 career sacks are third most in NFL history. In 15 pro seasons for four franchises, Greene played linebacker and defensive end with an unmitigated spirit.

''The best a football player can do is exhaust his passion, go out on his terms, and on the way having fun kicking people's butts with his brothers,'' Greene said.

Perhaps the most startling aspects of Greene's time with the Rams, Steelers, 49ers and Panthers were his durability and productivity. He missed just a dozen games, and 10 times finished with at least 10 sacks, including 12 with Carolina in his final season in 1999 at age 37.

''I am standing on the stage with the best ever,'' he said, Terrible Towels waving in the crowd, Steelers fans cheering when he mentioned Blitzburgh. ''This is pretty cool.''

Greene, whose father and brother served combat missions, drew a standing ovation from his fellow gold jackets and from the fans when he concluded by saluting the armed services.

Nicknamed ''Snake'' for his elusiveness on and off the field, Stabler helped the Raiders win their first Super Bowl and make it to four other conference championship games in a five-year span. Stabler, who died last year, was elected by the seniors committee.

He was known for some of the biggest plays in Raiders history: scoring a go-ahead touchdown in the 1972 ''Immaculate Reception'' playoff loss against Pittsburgh; throwing a late TD pass that Clarence Davis caught in a ''Sea of Hands'' to beat defending champion Miami the next season; and his intentional fumble forward in the closing seconds of a game against San Diego in 1978 that led to a touchdown - the ''Holy Roller'' play - and to a rule change.

He was presented via video by Hall of Fame coach John Madden.

''Whatever the thing was, that focus, concentration, competiveness, he could just step up a notch when you needed it,'' Madden said.

Stanfel, who died last year at age 87, also was a seniors committee selection. He helped the Detroit Lions win the NFL title in 1952 and '53. He earned All-Pro honors five times in his seven-season career, four years with Detroit and three with Washington, before retiring at 31 and going into coaching.

''I think he is the guard of the century,'' said his presenter, Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy.

DeBartolo's 49ers became the first franchise to win five Super Bowls. He was known as much for his compassion and care for people throughout his organization as for building a winning football team.

''I could be the only inductee of this great hall who didn't make his high school football team,'' he said. ''To share this stage with these gentlemen is more than humbling. We may be wearing the same jackets, but they have shoes I could never fill.''

The 69-year-old DeBartolo, who owned shopping malls, was embroiled in the corruption case against former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards and suspended by the NFL for the 1999 season after being found guilty of failing to report a bribe, a felony. After the suspension, DeBartolo gave control of the team to his sister.

---

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL