Alan Faneca had known for about two weeks that he would be a member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame 2021 class.
Keeping that knowledge secret may have been more difficult than confusing a 325-pound defensive striker. Particularly because the former Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro owner had missed the cut in the previous five years.
Until the result was released on national television on Saturday night, Faneca had to keep her election close to the vest.
“Follow up on lies,” said Faneca, laughing, when asked on Sunday about the wait. “What lies did I tell that person? The moment I say something to someone, I keep thinking, ‘If they’re smart, they might be able to find out’. It was too much to tiptoe. “
In his sixth year as a finalist, Faneca was among the five finalists of the modern era chosen for induction in August in Canton, Ohio. He is part of a group that includes quarterback Peyton Manning, wide receiver Calvin Johnson, safety John Lynch and cornerback Charles Woodson. They will be joined by senior candidate Drew Pearson, coach candidate Tom Flores and contributing voter Bill Nunn, the late Steelers patrol and guru.
The ceremony will take place from 6 to 9 August and will be held in conjunction with the 2020 induction team, which was delayed because of the pandemic.
One person Faneca warned was Steelers President Art Rooney II. He called Rooney on Friday night. Rooney said he was half asleep and hoped the call was more than just a dream.
“It was a good and cool time to hear directly from him to give me this news,” said Rooney.
Under normal conditions, the 15 finalists of the modern era are flown to the location of the Super Bowl. On the eve of the game, the chosen few receive a knock on the door of their hotel room by the President of the Hall of Fame, David Baker.
This year, because of the pandemic, the vote was held in January via a remote conference call involving the 48-member voting committee. After the finalists were determined, Baker and a film crew headed to each elected player’s hometown with a surprise knock on the door.
– Alan Faneca (@ afan66) February 7, 2021
Baker’s trip to Faneca’s home in Louisiana was coordinated with the help of Faneca’s wife, Julie.
“He’s a guy I’ve wanted to hug for the past six years,” said Baker. “Now, because of social distance, all we can do is hit our fist.”
Baker said that some members of Faneca’s family drove five hours to participate in the moment, with some entering the house from the back while he knocked on the front door. When Faneca looked out the window, he saw a microphone, which warned him that Baker was at his door.
“Being surprised is definitely better than waiting in the hotel room, for sure,” said Faneca. “They got me. It was a big surprise. “
However, not all members of Faneca’s family were present and he kept his selection a secret until Saturday night. Like the other recent Hall of Fame graduates, Faneca went to Tampa for the ad, and it will be featured during the Super Bowl on Sunday.
“I have a family here in Tampa,” said Faneca. “Julie and I went to watch the show with them. I hadn’t told them yet. I was going to tell them before the announcement and Julie said, ‘Let’s do this now’. We opened up some champagne and I was making a toast and thanking them for welcoming me and I said, ‘No matter what happens later, it doesn’t matter because I’m already in’.
Faneca said the room burst into applause.
“Everyone was surprised and started jumping up and down,” he said. “It was great to share with the family and surprise them. It was a great night. “
The NFL Network will air a 30-minute program at 8 pm on February 11, showing extensive images of Baker arriving at each Hall of Fame home and knocking on the door.
Joe Rutter is a staff writer for the Tribune-Review. You can contact Joe by email at [email protected] or via Twitter .
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