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Two HBCU products in NFL Hall of Fame
Class of 2006
February 5, 2006
Former South Carolina State standout Harry Carson and Fort
Valley State product Rayfield Wright are two of the six members
to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton,
Ohio in August.
Carson, who went on to fame as a middle linebacker with the
New York Giants after his outstanding SCSU career, and Wright,
a standout offensive tackle for 13 seasons with the great Dallas
Cowboy teams of the 1960s and 1970s, are part of the largest
class to be inducted in years. They are joined by quarterback
Troy Aikman, who won three Super Bowls as Dallas Cowboys; quarterback;
the late Reggie White, one of the NFL’s most dominant
defensive linemen; John Madden, who won a Super Bowl as coach
of the Oakland Raiders and quarterback Warren Moon of the Houston
Oilers who threw for almost 50,000 yards and 291 touchdowns
and is the first African-American QB to be enshrined.
Carson was in his 13th season of Hall of Fame eligibility,
and among the 15 finalists for the seventh time.
A Florence, SC native and a 1976 SCSU graduate, Carson will
become the third SCSU Bulldog to be enshrined at Canton. Former
Bulldog fullback Marion Motley (deceased), who had a great
NFL career with the original Cleveland Browns, was inducted
in 1968, and defensive lineman David ‘Deacon” Jones,
who gained fame as a member of the Los Angeles Rams, followed
in 1980.
Wright becomes the first FVSU Wildcat
to be honored as such.
A native of Griffin, GA, he was a tight end for FVSU under
former head football coach Leon J. “Stan” Lomax.
During his undergraduate days at Fort Valley State, Wright
was a stellar two sport athlete and is one of the few Fort
Valley players to be named as an All-SIAC performer in both
football and basketball. He is also a member of the Georgia
Sports Hall of Fame.
During his career as a Dallas Cowboy, Wright played on two
Super Bowl Championship teams and was a perennial All-Pro selection.
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