the game

Hall of Fame

The Reese's Senior Bowl welcomed three new members into its Hall of Fame in the spring of 2016 with the addition of former All-Pro offensive lineman Steve Hutchinson, Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowl linebacker Tamba Hali and former Alabama Head Coach Bill Curry.

"What an honor for the Reese's Senior Bowl to recognize three individuals who have not only excelled on the field, but have been tremendous representatives for the sport off the field as well," said Reese's Senior Bowl Executive Director Phil Savage.

The trio is the 28th class in the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame, presented by Mobile Gas, and pushes the total number of inductees to 111 - an exclusive club when you consider more than 5,000 players have donned a Senior Bowl uniform in its 66-year history.

The three former Senior Bowlers were inducted March 31 at the Battle House Hotel in downtown Mobile, Ala., and join a prestigious group that includes Joe Namath, Walter Payton, Dan Marino, Bo Jackson and Brett Favre.

Steve Hutchinson

2001 SENIOR BOWL

"Steve Hutchinson set the standard for offensive guard play during his remarkable NFL career," Savage said. "Blessed with excellent athletic ability, strength and football instincts, he became the prototype for the position and a model of consistency for both the Seahawks and Vikings."

"I'm humbled," said Hutchinson., of being inducted into the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame. "If you think about it, a majority of the guys that have done well (in the NFL) have played in the Senior Bowl."

Hutchinson's dominance began at a young age and was evident in high school, where the Coral Gables High School product was one of 33 players named to the state of Florida's All-Century team in 2007.

At the University of Michigan, he played under coach Lloyd Carr and was a part of the Wolverines' National Championship team in1997. He was a four-year starter in Ann Arbor and was and All-Big Ten selection all four seasons.

In his final two seasons did not allow a single sack and was named an All-American both seasons, and earned unanimous All-American honors his senior campaign.

After spending a week in Mobile in 2001, the Seattle Seahawks selected Hutchinson with the 17th overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Hutchison spent 12 seasons in the National Football League, the first five in Seattle, where he blocked for former Alabama running back Shaun Alexander. In each of Hutchinson's five seasons in the Emerald City, Alexander topped the 1,000 yard mark - averaging 1,500 yards a year - and scored a league-high 87 touchdowns.

In 2006, Hutchinson signed with the Minnesota Vikings, where he blocked for future Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson. Behind Hutchinson, Peterson averaged more than 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns per season.

He played his 12th and final season in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans.

Hutchison was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, was named either first-team or second-team All-Pro seven times and was a member of the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team.

Tamba Hali

2006 SENIOR BOWL

Born in Monrovia, Liberia, Hali grew up surrounded by civil war. When he was 10 years old, his mother found a way to get him to the United States, even though she couldn't go with him.

Living with his father in the U.S., he made it his mission to make it to the National Football League so he could one day afford a potential reunion with his mother.

He earned a scholarship to play for legendary coach Joe Paterno at Penn State University. During his season, he was named a unanimous All-American, also picking up All-Big Ten first team honors and the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year award.

After being named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player in the 2006 Senior Bowl, Hali rocketed up the draft boards, going 20th overall to the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the NFL Draft.

"Tamba elevated his draft stock with his performance in the 2006 Senior Bowl," Savage said. "He has turned into one of the Chiefs all-time top defensive players, sitting second on their all-time sack list behind only the great Derrick Thomas."

And, a month into his rookie season, Hali was able to get his mother to the U.S. She was able to watch him play for the first time, as he was named the team's top rookie after recording eight sacks in 2006.

In 2010, he led the AFC in sacks with 14.5 sacks and the following year posted a career-high 83 tackles to go with his 12 sacks.

Hali has been named to six straight Pro Bowls and recorded 86 career sacks.

In 2015, his 48 tackles and six-and-a-half sacks paced the Chiefs to their first playoff victory in 22 years.

Bill Curry

1965 SENIOR BOWL

Playing the center position, you're not often the center of attention. But during Curry's football career, he has been connected to some of the greatest names in football history.

Playing for Cowboys legendary head coach Tom Landry in Mobile, he snapped the ball to Joe Namath at the 1965 Senior Bowl.

"The Senior Bowl was a wonderful event for me," Curry said. "I formed three very important relationships with people that had already made their marks and would go on to do even greater things: Joe Namath, Bob Hayes and Tom Landry. It was an incredible, positive experience."

One year later, as a rookie with the Green Bay Packers, he played for Vince Lombardi and snapped the ball to Bart Starr. In his second season in Green Bay, he was part of the Packers' 35-10 victory over Kansas City in Super Bowl I.

In Curry's third season in the NFL, he snapped the ball to Johnny Unitas. A few years later, he helped the Baltimore Colts win Super Bowl V. During his six years in Baltimore, he also played for another legendary coach, Don Shula.

After a solid 10-year NFL career on the field, Curry moved to the sidelines and earned his first head coaching job at his alma mater, Georgia Tech, where he once played for the legendary Bobby Dodd. Curry followed in Dodd's footsteps and won the ACC Coach of the Year award in 1985.

After seven seasons at Tech, Curry took over at Alabama, where he guided the Crimson Tide to three straight bowl games and the SEC Championship in 1989 - earning SEC Coach of the Year honors twice in his three years at the Capstone.

Curry coached seven years at Kentucky and another four at Georgia State, sandwiched around a decade as a college football analyst for ESPN.

"Bill Curry has experienced an amazing football life," Savage said. "As a center for Bart Starr and Johnny Unitas; as a player for Bobby Dodd, Vince Lombardi and Don Shula; as a coach for Pat Swilling and Derrick Thomas and as an analyst for ESPN, he has indeed made an impact on thousands of lives through his unique perspective on the game and his own never-compromised character."