Brown Out
Defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Raiders, is voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame but ex-Raider wide reveiver Tim Brown is bypassed by voters the fourth straight year.
Sapp, 40, was among seven inductees of the Class of 2013, the Hall of Fame announced Feb. 2. Also selected were coach Bill Parcells, guard/tackle Larry Allen, tackle Jonathan Odgen, wide receiver Cris Carter, defensive tackle Curly Culp and linebacker David Robinson.
Sapp, Odgen and Allen were first-year candidates while Culp and Robinson were senior nominees.
Brown, 46, was among 10 finalists not selected. The others were running back Jerome Bettis, wide receiver Andre Reed, guard Will Shields, defensive end Michael Strahan, linebacker/defensive ends Kevin Green and Charles Haley, defensive back Aeneas Williams and team owners Edward DeBartolo Jr. and the late Art Modell.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshirement ceremony will take place in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 3, 2013.
Sapp, right, recorded 96.5 during his NFL 13-year career with the Bucs (1995-2003) and Raiders (2004-2007). He was named first-team All-Pro four straight seasons (1999 to 2002) and chosen to seven Pro Bowls, all with Tampa Bay.
Sapp had a sack, two passes defensed and a forced fumble during the Bucs’ 48-21 win over Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003. His aforementioned 96.5 career sacks is a remarkable accomplishment despite playing on the interior of the defensive line the majority of his NFL career. He was the 1999 NFL Defensive Player of the Year after helping Tampa Bay claim its first division title in 18 years.
Speaking on NFL Network after the Class of 2013 announcement, Sapp credited ex-Bucs teammates Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Dwight Smith, as well as the Tampa 2 defensive scheme designed by former coordinator Monte Kiffin.
"Without those boys I wouldn't be sitting here, I know that," Sapp said.
Brown played 16 seasons (1988-2003) for the Raiders and one with the Buccaneers. When he retired, the 1987 Heisman Trophy winner from Notre Dame ranked fifth in NFL total yards with 19,682. The Dallas, Texas, native was chosen to a Raiders franchise-high nine Pro Bowls.
Brown, right, finished his career with 1,094 receptions for 14,934 yards and 101 touchdowns — all in the top three all-time when he retired after the 2004 season. He holds Raiders franchise records for most receptions in a season (104 in 1997), career receptions (1,070), touchdowns (104), receiving touchdowns (99), games played (240) and all-purpose yards (19,434).
To be elected to the Hall of Fame, a finalist must receive a minimum vote of 80 percent from the 46-member selection committee.
For more information on the Class of 2013, please click Pro Football Hall of Fame
