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Battling adversity was a major theme of Dwight Freeney's Hall of Fame enshrinement speech
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- Battling adversity was a major theme of Dwight Freeney's Hall of Fame enshrinement speech
CANTON— Nothing came easily in the career of 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Dwight Freeney . His enshrinement speech at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium was no exception.
The Canton area was hit by a torrential downpour that flooded local roads and lightning delayed the start of Freeney's speech by over two hours. Dealing with adversity was a major theme of Freeney's speech when he was finally able to take the stage in Canton just after 2 p.m.
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"Football is not an easy game," Freeney said. "At times for young players it can feel like an impossible journey. Hard work and sacrifice are the keys to opening the door for your dreams. You are going to hear that you are too short, too slow, not strong enough and not tough enough along the way. Use those words as fuel to push you to that next level. The bumps and bruises you suffer can push you to levels you never thought possible."
Indianapolis Colt Dwight Freeney gives his speech during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Canton.
The key for Freeney was embracing the game as an art form. It was art often created from the bodies off failed block attempts by offensive linemen and sacked quarterbacks.
"I want to thank the game of football today," Freeney said. "It allowed me to express myself and show my creativity. I saw myself as an artist and the football field was the canvas. I'm grateful for the feeling it gave me. It taught me to never be satisfied with myself or my performance. I was always driven to improve. That attitude helped me win my important battles on and off the field. It taught me not to be complacent or lazy."
Indianapolis Colt's owner & CEO Jim Irsay helps Dwight Freeney unveil his bust during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Canton.
Freeney was helped along the way by a bevy of Hall of Fame teammates, a number of which he thanked during his speech.
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"To my Hall of Fame teammates, I learned so much from you," Freeney said. " Peyton Manning , I watched how you prepared day in and out. It taught me the importance of preparation and never being surprised on game day. Marvin Harrison, I watched you practice at full speed every day. You showed me that practice was the place to master my craft. Every route you ran looked the same. It made me work so my pass rush moves look same. Edgerrin James, you were a true pro on and off field. You were a good teammate and a pretty good roommate, even if you never let me set the thermostat above 59 degrees."
Freeney also thanked the architects of the Colts teams that won numerous games and one Super Bowl.
Michael Jordan listens to Dwight Freeney give his speech during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Canton.
"I want to thank Bill Polian for taking a chance on me in the draft," Freeney said. "You had a vision for the team you were building and you made that vision come to life when we won the Super Bowl in 2006. It was the memory of a lifetime. Thank you. To Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, your teachings and how you carried yourself on and off the field spoke volumes. You always put me in a position to succeed, and I'm proud to be on your team once again. Thank you."
Reach Cliff at cliff.hickman@cantonrep.com
On X: @chickmanREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Dwight Freeney Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Speech
