Ohio State Buckeyes Legend To Make History With Hall of Fame Induction

Ohio State Buckeyes legend Randy Grandishar will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this week.

Oct 1972; Columbus, OH, USA; FILE PHOTO; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Randy Gradishar (53) in action during the 1972 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports / Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Legendary Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Randy Gradishar will officially be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, making him just the fourth Ohio State player in history to represent the Buckeyes in both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Gradishar spent three seasons in Columbus before being selected by the Denver Broncos with the 14th overall pick of the 1974 NFL Draft.

He accumulated 320 tackles throughout his Ohio State tenure, which ranks 11th all-time in Buckeyes history. He even finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1973, a rare feat for a defensive player.

Gradishar didn't even know a whole lot about Ohio State at first, but he learned on the job pretty quickly.

“When I was growing up, I didn't know anything about Big Ten football, how big that was and nationally known and all that,” Gradishar said, via Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors. “So as I went through and grew and grew in my four years there, I learned a lot personally, and I have a lot of great respect for Ohio State for what they provided for me."

Gradishar went on to spent a decade in the NFL, with all 10 of his seasons coming with the Broncos. Throughout that time, he made seven trips to the Pro Bowl while also earning a pair of First-Team All-Pro selections. His crown jewel campaign came in 1978, when he won Defensive Player of the Year.

Now 72 years old, the Warren, Oh. native was a crucial member of Denver's famous "Orange Crush" defense.

“It's a huge blessing for me to be recognized,” Gradishar said. “I hope that through my recognition, not personally, but for the Denver Broncos Orange Crush, that maybe a few other guys may start being considered in order to have that kind of honor also.”

The Broncos made it to one Super Bowl during Gradishar's tenure, losing to the Dallas Cowboys in January 1978.