Black College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2023

Eight new inductees into the Black College Football Hall of Fame for its Class of 2023.

HBCU Legends | Dec 8, 2022

Black College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2023 /

The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) announced its 14th Class today – the Class of 2023. Eight inductees were selected from a list of 25 Finalists who had been determined earlier by the BCFHOF Selection Committee.

The Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 includes… Leslie Frazier (Alcorn State University), Henry “Killer” Lawrence (Florida A&M University), Albert Lewis (Grambling State University), Jim Marsalis (Tennessee State University), Tyrone McGriff (Florida A&M University), Elijah Pitts (Philander Smith College), Johnnie Walton (Elizabeth City State University), and Coach Pete Richardson (Southern University, Winston Salem State University).

“This Class is another representation of the immense football talent that has played at historically black colleges and universities,” said BCFHOF Co-Founder and 2011 Inductee Doug Williams. “Several of these players were college All-Americans, high NFL draft picks and Pro Bowlers.”

Votes were tallied from the 11-member Selection Committee, comprised of prominent journalists, commentators, and historians, as well as former NFL General Managers and executives, and from members of the BCFHOF to determine the Inductees.

The Class of 2023 will be honored at the 14th Annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Presented by the Atlanta Falcons on June 10, 2023. The Induction Ceremony takes place at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.

They will also be recognized at halftime of the Second Annual HBCU Legacy Bowl on February 25, 2023 at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, LA, which will be broadcast live on NFL Network (3:00pm CT).

BLACK FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2023

LESLIE FRAZIER (Player)

Defensive Back … Alcorn State University (1978-1980) … Recruited to Alcorn State University by BCFHOF Inductee Marino Casem … All-SWAC 1st Team Defensive honors …NAIA All-District Team … 1979 SWAC Championship … Signed as free agent by the Chicago Bears (1981-1985) … Two-time Super Bowl Champion (Chicago Bears, Super Bowl XX, as a player; Indianapolis Colts, Super Bowl XLI, as a coach) … Played 65 career NFL games with 20 interceptions, two fumble recoveries, two touchdowns and one sack… Born April 3, 1959.

Jan 25, 1981; New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Oakland Raiders quarterback Jim Plunkett (16) in action with offensive lineman Henry Lawrence (70) against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl XV at the Superdome. The Raiders defeated the Eagles 27-10. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports

HENRY “KILLER” LAWRENCE (Player)

Offensive Lineman … Florida A&M University (1971-1973) … 1974 Senior Bowl participant … Selected in the first-round of the 1974 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders … Played with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders for 13 seasons (1974-1986) … Three-time Super Bowl Champion (XI, XV, XVIII) … Two-time Pro Bowler … FAMU Sports Hall of Fame … Born September 26, 1951.

ALBERT LEWIS (Player)

Defensive Back … Grambling State University (1972-1975) … All-Southwestern Athletic Conference … Selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third-round of the 1983 NFL Draft … Kansas City Chiefs (1983-1993) … Oakland Raiders (1994-1998) … Four-time Pro Bowler … Two-time First-team All-Pro… 482 career tackles, 42 interceptions, 12.5 sacks and one touchdown …Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame … Born October 6, 1960.

JIM MARSALIS (Player)

Defensive Back … Tennessee A&I (now Tennessee State University) … (1965-1968) … 1968 CFB All-American … Selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first-round of the 1969 AFL Draft … Kansas City Chiefs (1969-1975) … New Orleans Saints (1977) … 1969 AFL Defensive Rookie of the Year … Super Bowl IV Champion (1970) … Two-time Pro Bowler … For his career, Marsalis intercepted 15 passes for 116 yards, six fumble recoveries and one sack … Born October 10, 1945.

TYRONE MCGRIFF (Player)

Offensive Lineman … Florida A&M University (1976-1979) … Led Florida A&M to an 11-0 season and was named by the Pittsburgh Courier as Black College co-champion as a sophomore … Three-time All-America (1977, 1978, 1979) … Selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 12th round of the 1980 NFL Draft … Played three seasons in the NFL and three in the United States Football League … Born January 13, 1958.

ELIJAH PITTS (Player)

Halfback … Philander Smith College (1977-1979) … Selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 13th round of the 1961 NFL Draft … Green Bay Packers (1961–1969) … Los Angeles Rams (1970) … New Orleans Saints (1970) … Green Bay Packers (1971) … 11-year NFL veteran … Specialized in returning punts and kickoffs while playing both running back positions … Quickly became Captain of Special Teams under Coach Vince Lombardi … Born February 3, 1938.

JOHNNIE WALTON (Player)

Quarterback … Elizabeth City State University (1965-1968) … Four-year starting quarterback … All-CIAA Team his senior year with 114 of 204 passes for 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns … Led the Vikings to an 8–1 record. … Signed with the Los Angeles Rams as a free agent … Los Angeles Rams (1969–1972) … Philadelphia Eagles (1976-1979) … Inducted into the ECSU Hall of Fame on October 25, 1985 … Born October 4, 1947.

COACH PETE RICHARDSON (Coach)

Coach … Winston-Salem State University (1988-1992) Southern University (1993-2009) … Compiled a record of 169–76–1… Won three Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) conference championships … Richardson never had a losing season while at WSSU … During his 17 years as head coach at Southern, the Jaguars football teams won five Southwestern Atlantic Conference Championships, including a three-peat from 1997-99 … Four black college national titles (1993, 1995, 1997 and 2003) … Four Heritage Bowl titles … 12-5 in the Bayou Classic … Born October 17, 1946.

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Published Dec 8, 2022

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