Cowboys’ Irvin finally gets his ticket to Canton

Michael Irvin was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday despite a troubled past, but voters denied entry to retired NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

The former Dallas Cowboys receiver, who won three Super Bowls in the 1990s, got in on his third try.

Also voted in were running back Thurman Thomas, offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, defensive back Roger Wehrli and two nominees of the veterans’ committee -- tight end Charlie Sanders and guard Gene Hickerson.

Irvin pleaded no contest in 1996 to felony cocaine possession. Four years later, he was arrested on drug possession charges, but they were later dropped.

The 40 Hall voters were criticized by two of Irvin’s former teammates, Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman, for previously bypassing the wide receiver, who retired in 1999.

They didn’t ignore him this time.

Tagliabue was eliminated in the first round of voting.

Inductions will be Aug. 4-5 in Canton, Ohio. The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the New Orleans Saints in the annual Hall of Fame game.

Also failing to get enough votes were Art Monk, Derrick Thomas, Andre Reed, Richard Dent, Bob Kuechenberg, Fred Dean, Ray Guy, Russ Grimm, Andre Tippett and Gary Zimmerman.

Irvin finished his career with 750 receptions for 11,904 yards and 65 touchdowns. He was selected to five straight Pro Bowls and picked for the NFL’s all-decade team of the 1990s.

“It’s such a great honor,” he said. “It’s an honor you cannot reach without playing on a bunch of great football teams and playing with some great guys. I started out playing here in Fort Lauderdale.... I played college up the street at the University of Miami. I was blessed also to play with the Dallas Cowboys. You can’t play at three better stops than that.”

Thomas was the league’s most valuable player in 1991, when he gained more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage. When he retired in 2000, he ranked sixth all-time in career yards from scrimmage (16,532), including 12,074 yards rushing. Only Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders ran for more yards in the 1990s.

His 13 seasons with 50-plus receptions, nine of them in a row, are exceeded only by Jerry Rice. He joins Jim Kelly, who made the Hall of Fame in 2002, from the Buffalo teams that won four consecutive AFC titles before losing in each Super Bowl.

Matthews, the only player in his first year of eligibility, spent 19 seasons with the Oilers/Titans franchise, playing more games than any positional player in NFL history when he retired in 2001. He did it as a guard, tackle and center. Matthews never missed a game because of injury.

“I never had to grow up, could play like I was a kid, played till I was 40, and now you are telling me I am in the Hall of Fame,” he said by phone from Texas. “I hadn’t been nervous about it until I saw my family and they were ready to melt down.”

Wehrli was a five-time All-Pro cornerback who played 14 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, starting as a rookie in 1969. He once intercepted three passes by Roger Staubach in a win over Dallas and made the league’s 1970s all-decade squad.

*

Begin text of infobox

Class of 2007

A capsule look at those elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday:

*--* GENE HICKERSON

*--*

* Guard (6-3, 248).

* Played from 1958-1973 for the Cleveland Browns (15 seasons, 202 games).

* Selected as future choice in seventh round of 1957 draft. ... A tackle in college, was shifted to guard. ... Was lead blocker for three Hall of Famers: Jim Brown, Bobby Mitchell and Leroy Kelly. ... First-team All-Pro five consecutive seasons (1966-1970). ... Voted to Pro Bowl six straight times (1966-1971). ... With Hickerson as lead blocker, Browns posted 1,000-yard rushers in nine of his first 10 seasons. ... Cleveland featured league’s leading rusher in seven of those 10 seasons. ... Chosen for NFL’s all-decade team of the 1960s.

*--* MICHAEL IRVIN

*--*

* Receiver (6-2, 207).

* Played from 1988-1999 for the Dallas Cowboys (12 seasons, 159 games).

* Cowboys’ first-round pick (11th overall) in 1988 draft. ... Became the first rookie wide receiver to start a season opener for Dallas in more than 20 years. Irvin’s 20.4-yards per catch average during his rookie year led the NFC. ... Led league with 1,523 yards on 93 catches in 1991. ... Had 1,000-yard seasons in all but one year from 1991-1998 ... In 1995, Irvin had his finest season: 111 catches for 1,603 yards. He also established an NFL record with 11 100-yard games and scored 10 touchdowns. ... Cowboys made four straight appearances in NFC championship game (1992-1995) and won three Super Bowls. ... Finished career with 750 receptions for 11,904 yards and 65 TDs. ... Selected to five straight Pro Bowls. ... Picked for NFL’s all-decade team of the 1990s.

*--* BRUCE MATTHEWS

*--*

* Guard, tackle, center (6-5, 289).

* Played 1983-2001 for the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Titans (19 seasons, 296 games).

* Selected by Houston in first round (ninth overall) of 1983 draft. ... Regarded as one of game’s finest offensive linemen for nearly two decades. ... Played in more games than any positional player in NFL history. ... Started 292 of 296 games he played and 15 playoff games. ... Played at every position on line. ... Was also team’s long snapper for majority of career. ... Most starts came at guard (99 on left side, 67 as right guard) and at center (87). ... Also had 22 starts at right tackle, 17 at left tackle. ... Voted to first of 14 consecutive Pro Bowl teams (nine at guard, five at center) following 1988 season, tying Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen for most ever. ... Was voted All-Pro nine times. ... Selected as guard on NFL’s all-decade team of the 1990s.

*--* CHARLIE SANDERS

*--*

* Tight end (6-4, 230).

* Played from 1968-1977 for the Detroit Lions (10 seasons, 128 games).

* Selected by Detroit in third round (74th player overall) of 1968 draft. ... In an era of blocking tight ends, he became team’s secret weapon as a receiver. ... Combined great leaping ability, big hands, strength, speed and elusiveness. ... Was voted to seven Pro Bowls.

*--* THURMAN THOMAS

*--*

* Tailback (5-10, 198).

* Played from 1988-1999 for the Buffalo Bills and in 2000 for Miami Dolphins (13 seasons, 182 games).

* Selected in the second round of the 1988 draft. ... A key part of Bills’ unprecedented run of four straight Super Bowl appearances. They lost all of them. ... Set record by leading NFL in total yards from scrimmage four consecutive seasons. ... In 1991, gained more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage and was voted league’s MVP. ... At time of retirement, ranked sixth all-time in career yards from scrimmage (16,532). ... Rushed for 12,074 yards. ... Only Emmitt Smith and Barry Sanders ran for more yards in the 1990s. ... One of only three running backs (Walter Payton and Marcus Allen) to have over 400 receptions and 10,000 yards rushing. ... Played in six AFC title games and four Super Bowls. ... Set playoff records for career points (126), touchdowns (21), and consecutive games with a TD (9).

*--* ROGER WEHRLI

*--*

* Cornerback (6-0, 190).

* Played from 1969-1982 for the St. Louis Cardinals (14 seasons, 193 games).

* Selected in first round (19th overall) of 1969 draft. ... Starter as rookie, making three interceptions and leading team in punt returns. ... In 1970 picked off career-high six passes (a feat he matched in 1975) to earn first All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. ... Registered interception in all but two seasons and amassed 40 career interceptions, two for touchdowns. ... From 1974-76, picked off 12 passes as Cardinals put together three straight double-digit win seasons. ... Intercepted three of Roger Staubach’s passes during a key 31-17 win over division rival Dallas, Dec. 7, 1975. ... In 1981, was moved to left cornerback. ... Recovered franchise record-tying 19 fumbles during career. ... Voted to NFL’s all-decade team of 1970s, was first-team All-Pro five times (1970, 1974-1977) and made Pro Bowl seven times.

*

Source: Pro Football Hall of Fame