Hall of Famers Alan Faneca, Bill Nunn embody Steelers football

CANTON, Ohio – He became the 29th representative of the organization to be recognized as a Hall of Famer. The fifth, in fact, during this weekend.

But while some of the other bronzed Pittsburgh Steelers might be have more familiar names to the average fan, the men who introduced Alan Faneca for induction Sunday night contend not many personify the franchise better.

“There are quite a few players who epitomize Pittsburgh Steelers football,” master of ceremonies Chris Berman said. “One of those was Alan Faneca.”

Moments later, another player in that group, Hines Ward, recalled Faneca’s most famous moment as a pro – the nine-time Pro Bowler’s block that sprung Willie Parker’s 75-yard touchdown during Super Bowl XL.

Ward said, “Alan Faneca pulling around and getting his guy, that just resembled what the Pittsburgh Steelers are. We’re really not flashy players or anything. We just go about our business and do the little things right.”

Faneca, by all indications, did all the little things right during a 9-minute speech Sunday night at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. A night after Steelers greats Bill Cowher, Troy Polamalu and Donnie Shell were presented with their bronze busts and less than a half hour after a video tribute was played to honor fellow 2021 Hall of Fame classmate Bill Nunn, Faneca thanked his wife, three children, parents and former coaches and teammates.

Wearing a black-and-gold tie and white shirt under his newly-tailored gold jacket, Faneca also paid homage to alma mater LSU (“Love purple, live gold – go Tigers!” he yelled) and offered polite thanks to the Jets and Cardinals organizations with which he spent the final three seasons of his 13-year career.

But then Faneca played to the crowd in raising his voice: “Now… on to the Pittsburgh Steelers!”

Several hundred Terrible Towels sprinkled among the announced crowd of 17,021 twirled while Faneca spoke about their team.

“I wanted to thank the late Ambassador (Dan) Rooney (the late Steelers chairman) and Art Rooney for cultivating a climate where teammates become true brothers,” Faneca said, “and your benchmarks for success are relentlessly high.”

“We inspire a city - and Steeler Nation, you inspire us.”

Faneca was flanked on the outdoor stage by more than four dozen Hall of Famers, including at least six other former Steelers stars. Nunn, who died in 2016, was the only posthumous honoree Sunday.

Early in the evening, Berman asked the crowd to acknowledge Nunn, saying Nunn had “a hand in all of (the Steelers’) championships.”

The 26th member of the Hall of Fame as a contributor, Nunn is the first African American in that category. Instrumental in the 1974 Steelers draft class often considered the best by one team in NFL history, Nunn is one of a select few individuals to have earned Super Bowl rings from all six of the Steelers championships.

A former writer at the Pittsburgh Courier, Nunn’s knowledge and keen eye for talent among Historically Black Colleges and Universities gave the Steelers an edge during an era when many HBCU athletes were overlooked.

Joining Faneca and Nunn among the 2021 Hall class that was inducted Sunday were former Dallas Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson, former Raiders coach Tom Flores, former Colts and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Broncos safety John Lynch, former Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson and former Raiders and Green Bay Packers defensive back Charles Woodson.

Faneca, a six-time first-team All Pro, spoke second-to-last among the seven living inductees of the 2021 class.

The third speaker – Manning – dropped Cowher’s name when he spoke of a dream he had about playing in a fantastical game involving Hall of Famers from different eras in which Cowher and Jimmy Johnson were Manning’s co-coaches.

Manning’s presence on the Sunday night speaker’s schedule induced an influx of several thousand Colts fans, many of whom likely made the four-hour drive from Indiana to Canton. It made for a slight contrast to Saturday night, when Terrible Towels dominated the stands.

Make no mistake, though, Steelers fans were heard during Faneca’s speech after he was presented his bust by popular former Steelers receiver Ward, who took to the stage waving a Terrible Towel.

Faneca’s choice of Ward – his 1998 Steelers draft class mate – as his presenter partly was to stump for Ward’s candidacy to join him in the Hall someday.

“(My) friend, teammate, presenter, and one day taking his rightful place up on this stage, Hines Ward,” Faneca said.

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