Seau family on hand for emotional induction

CANTON, OHIO— Junior Seau’s legacy lives on in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The linebacker was inducted into the Hall on Saturday night. Seau’s daughter, Sydney, and his sons were on hand when their father’s bust was unveiled in Canton, more than three years after Seau took his own life.

The 12-time Pro Bowler and sixtime All Pro spent 20 years as one of the league’s most intense players with San Diego, Miami and New England. He died in 2012 from a selfinflicted gunshot wound. His family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the NFL, claiming the league hid dangers of repetitive blows to the head.

Sydney Seau called her father “a light” who “didn’t just make a difference, but was a difference.”

Meanwhile, The Bus pulled into football immortality amid a sea of “Terrible Towels” that gave the Pro Football Hall of Fame a decidedly western Pennsylvania feel.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis led the eight-man Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015, the sixth-leading rusher in NFL history receiving an overwhelming ovation while being introduced prior to the official induction ceremonies.

The capacity crowd at Tom Benson Stadium — most of them clad in some version of black-and-gold — roared as Bettis made his way down the red carpet, his enshrinement serving as the final destination for a player who embodied the blue-collar mentality of the city and the franchise he helped lead to a fifth Super Bowl title in 2006.

Former Green Bay general manager Ron Wolf, who hired Mike Holmgren and traded for Brett Favre shortly after taking over in 1991, led off by praising the core that restored the Packers to legitimacy after two decades of mediocrity.

“There was always a threat to players of other teams that if they didn’t shape up, they would be traded to Green Bay,” Wolf said. “We worked hard to eliminate that stigma.”

Charles Haley, the only player in NFL history with five Super Bowl rings, gave a rousing, freewheeling speech that included a good-natured jabs at everyone from former San Francisco owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. DeBartolo called the decision to trade Haley to Dallas in 1992 his biggest mistake during his tenure.

Haley didn’t disagree, though he also made sure to pay emotional tribute to the men who shaped his singular career. That included a nod to Jones, who organized a bone marrow drive when Haley’s daughter was diagnosed with leukemia.

Wolf, Minnesota centre Mick Tingelhoff, Kansas City guard Will Shields and wide receiver Tim Brown also joined Bettis and Seau.