When it comes to football at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, most people are probably more familiar with the marching bands in the stands than the players on the field. Though these programs have struggled to build nationally viable programs in recent years, at one time some of the greatest professional football players of all time called many of them home.
Located in Atlanta, Ga., the Black College Football Hall of Fame was founded in 2009 to honor the contributions of players who participated in HBCU football over the past century. The first class in 2010 included Jackson State’s Walter Payton, Mississippi Valley State’s Jerry Rice and Grambling coach Eddie Robinson. Since then, players inducted include Grambling State’s Doug Williams, Alcorn State’s Steve McNair and the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore’s Art Shell.
The 2013 class is as star-studded as any of them, including six players who have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
While at NC A&T in the mid-1960s, Elvin Bethea was a two-way player for the Aggies. After terrorizing the CIAA for four years, Bethea was drafted by the Houston Oilers to play offensive lineman. He was later switched to defensive end, where he ended up playing in eight Pro Bowls. When Bethea was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003, he was introduced by his college coach, Hornsby Howell.
