Fletcher nominated for Hall of Fame

London Fletcher, who was a two-time first team All-America linebacker at John Carroll and later played 15 seasons in the NFL, has been nominated for the College Football Hall of Fame’s 2019 class.

London Fletcher defied the odds as a Division III college football player by playing 15 years in the NFL, and becoming the league’s all-time leader in consecutive games played for linebackers.

This week, Fletcher received an honor that takes him back to his college days at John Carroll. The Villa Angela-St. Joseph graduate was named a nominee for the 2019 College Football Hall of Fame class.

Fletcher is among the group of nominees for the divisional class.

While at JCU, he was a first-team D-III All-American in 1996 and 1997 during his final two seasons there. Fletcher owns JCU records for tackles in a season (202) and in a game (29) — each set in 1997.

He was also the 1997 Ohio Athletic Conference Linebacker of the Year, and led the Blue Streaks to the NCAA D-III quarterfinal round that same season.

Fletcher is one of five players to have their football number retired at John Carroll, joining Don Shula, Willie Beers, Carl Taseff and Tim Barrett.

Fletcher played 15 years in the NFL with the Rams, Bills and Redskins, and played in a record 215 straight games at linebacker.

The 2019 College Football Hall of Fame class will be announced on Jan. 7, 2019, in Santa Clara, Calif., the site of this season’s College Football Playoff national championship game.

Several former Ohio State and Browns players are nominees for the 2019 FBS class. They include:

• Former Browns quarterback Tim Couch, who starred at Kentucky.

• Former Browns left tackle Joe Thomas of Wisconsin.

• Former Ohio State fullbacks Keith Byars and Jim Otis, and offensive lineman Chris Ward.

Fletcher