An Atlanta native is among the seven all time great gridron warriors who were inducted into The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) Class of 2015 at the Sixth Annual Enshrinement Ceremony at the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta.
Richard Dent, 54, who graduated from Murphy High School in Atlanta and went on to star at Tennessee State University and with the NFL Chicago Bears where he was the MVP of Superbowl XX, will join six other inductees selected from a list of 25 Finalists by the BCFHOF Selection Committee. Dent was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. He spent 10 years of his career with the Bears from 1983-1993 and was also a member of the Bears Super Bowl XXIX Champion team.
The Black College Football Hall of Fame was established in October 2009 by Grambling University Quarterbacks Doug Williams and James “Shack Harris to honor the greatest football players and coaches from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Both Williams and Harris played under famed coach Eddie Robinson at Grambling. Williams is currently a Personnel Executive with the Washington Redskins and Harris holds the same position with the Detroit Lions. During his career Williams was the first black quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl in with the Redskins. Harris was with the AFL & NFL Buffalo Bills, LA Rams and San Diego Chargers and the first black quarterback to start a season in the history of pro football
The 2015 Class includes Dent, Roger Brown (University of Maryland Eastern Shore), L.C. Greenwood (University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff)(Posthumously), Ernie “Big Cat” Ladd (Grambling State University)(Posthumously), Ken Riley (Florida A&M University), Donnie Shell (South Carolina State University) and Coach W.C. Gorden (Jackson State University).
The inductees were chosen by a 13-member Selection Committee, comprised of journalists, commentators and historians along with former NFL General Managers and executives, and from previous BCFHOF inductees.
Key sponsors for the evening include the Atlanta Falcons, Kia Motors, Priority Payment Systems, Buffalo Wild Wings and Bank of America.
The 2015 Inductees:
Roger Brown – Defensive Tackle University of Maryland Eastern Shore of Surry County VA was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009. In his professional career of 10 seasons in the NFL, he played with the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and was a member of the Rams “Fearsome Four”. He was born in Surry County Va. in 1937.
Richard Dent – Tennessee State University Defensive End and native of Atlanta GA, Dent during his 15 year pro career played ten years with the Chicago Bears. He was on two Super Bowl Champion teams XX and XXIX and was named MVP of Super Bowl XX. Dent was elected to four Pro Bowls and was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
L.C. Greenwood – University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Defensive End. Elected to the Pro Bowl six times and member of the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl Championship Teams (IX, X, XIII and XIV). Born in Canton Mississippi in 1946, he passed away September 29, 2013.
Ernie “Big Cat Ladd,” A Defensive Tackle at Grambling State University, Ernie played in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers, Houston Oilers and Kansas City Chiefs a total of 8 seasons. Member of the Chargers Hall of Fame and inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1995 the Rayville, LA native on died March 10, 2007
Ken Riley, Florida A & M University Defensive Back. Rhodes Scholarship Candidate and played with the Cincinnati Bengals for 14 seasons from 1969-1982
Donnie Shell – As a Strong Safety for South Carolina State University he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. He played with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1974-1987 and won four Super Bowls with the Steelers (IX, X, XII and XIV). The Whitmire SC native who signed with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent, retired with 51 interceptions, the by a strong safety
W.C. Gorden, As a Coach at Jackson State University from 1977-1991 he won 8 SWAC Championships between 1980 and 1990 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a Coach in 2008. The Nashville, TN native born in 1930 is a graduate of Tennessee State University where he played college football.
For more information please visit www.BlackCollegeFootballHOF.org.
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