David Akers to be inducted into Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame
The Eagles are putting David Akers, one of the greatest players in team history, in their sports hall of fame.
Who says kickers are barely football players? Heck. Former Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins arguably just missed his rightful spot in the NFL Hall of Fame because of one. Then again, being a kicker at the professional level in the world’s greatest game has to be lonely sometimes. With that being said, maybe kickers are barely football players. Former Eagles great David Akers would be the only exception.
Akers is the Eagles’ all-time leader in points scored with 1,323. In his 12-year stint in Philly, he made the NFL Pro Bowl six times. He connected on 294 of 357 attempts, good for almost 83 percent. On Wednesday, August 30th the Eagles officially announced he was entering the Eagles Hall of Fame.
Take a look:
The #Eagles all-time leader in points scored, Akers will be inducted into the #EaglesHOF on 10/23 vs. Washington: https://t.co/hkdhJBoRJL pic.twitter.com/7pgsraUA7g
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 30, 2017
Here’s some of what Eagles chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie had to say:
"David Akers embodies everything we look for in a player both on and off the field. He was talented, reliable, tough, and of course clutch. He played a major role in the success of this franchise during his time here, but he also loved this city and our fans and he made a tremendous impact in the community. We are proud to enshrine him alongside the greatest figures in Eagles history."
Mark your calendars:
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Mr. Akers enters the Eagles Hall of Fame on October 23rd of this year. That’s a Monday night game against the Washington Redskins. He joins a team fraternity that includes 41 players and the 1948 and 1949 NFL Championship teams. It’s an honor that he’s been on a collision course with since he officially retired after the 2013 season.
Fans will remember him for his clutch kicks, but it’s also hard to forget his gritty side. Akers had no problem laying into a returner or trying to get in on a tackle. It actually earned him the right to stumble off of the field once with blood streaming from his nose.
Still, it doesn’t matter how you remember him. The fact is you do. He’ll always be an Eagle, and nothing, not even some time in San Francisco, will take that away.
Congratulations to Mr. Akers on an honor that’s well deserved. Not bad for an undrafted free agent.