The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 15 finalists for induction this year. Arizona State and NFL legend, Darren Woodson, is on it again.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Darren Woodson won three Super Bowls as part of the @dallascowboys dynasty of the 1990s.
Woodson is now a Finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2024. pic.twitter.com/rhquH0XBAA
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) December 28, 2023
If Woodson gets inducted, he would be the sixth Sun Devil in the Hall of Fame. Another Sun Devil great, Eric Allen, is also a finalist this year.
Woodson was a walk-on in college. He was an undersized linebacker and played the position his entire college career. He led Arizona State in tackles with 122 in his sophomore season. Woodson finished his career with 803 tackles. He was inducted into the Arizona State Football Hall of Fame in 2005. Woodson’s highest award was a second-team All-Pac 12 and an All-American Honorable Mention.
After his senior year, he entered the draft and was drafted by the Cowboys as a Safety with the 37th pick. This pick was acquired in the infamous Herschel Walker trade.
NFL Career
Darren Woodson would spend the next 12 years in Dallas.
He didn’t start fast in Dallas. He only started two games in his rookie season. That year, he had 33 tackles, one forced fumble, and one sack.
Woodson would finish with 133 tackles in his sophomore year, the most of his career. After his sophomore year, he transitioned into the true Safety we know now.
The next three years might’ve been good enough for Hall of Fame looks on their own. In 1994, Woodson had five interceptions, 77 tackles, and one pick-six. It would earn him his first Pro Bowl nod and a 1st Team All=Pro honor.
The next two years were much of the same for Woodson. He had seven interceptions, 158 tackles, another pick-six, and three forced fumbles. Again, Woodson would get two more first-team All-Pro nods in those two seasons and two Pro bowls. During Woodson’s first four seasons, he would also help lead the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories.
After signing a six-year contract, Woodson would make two Pro Bowls in the next two seasons. However, those were the last Pro Bowls of his career. He still was a fantastic corner for the rest of his career and even signed a 5-year contract in 2001. He would play for the Cowboys his whole career before retiring after the 2004 season.
Woodson finished his career with 864 tackles, 17 forced fumbles, 11 sacks, 23 interceptions, and 95 pass defenses. He was inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 2015. Furthermore, This is the second year in a row that Woodson has been a finalist for the Hall of Fame.
Woodson is an Arizona State legend. Will this be the year he finally makes it?
