Biletnikoff to be Honored for HOF Induction Anniversary

Las Vegas Raiders Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff will be honored at the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the 35th anniversary of his enshrinement.

Las Vegas Raiders legendary wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on July 30, 1988, for his 14-year career with the Silver and Black.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame revealed on Tuesday that Biletnikoff would be returning to Canton for this year's Enshrinement Week, as he will be recognized for the 35th anniversary of his enshrinement.

Biletnikoff, MVP of Super Bowl XI, the Raiders' first Super Bowl title, was one of the first staples in the franchise's historic success.

When Fred Biletnikoff broke into the NFL, critics said he was too slow, too small and not strong enough to compete at the highest level.

Those takes aged poorly.

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of Biletnikoff's Enshrinement, he'll again be honored in Canton this summer. pic.twitter.com/WJ9ygbYIdE

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) June 27, 2023

However, his accolades came before that title, as his Super Bowl ring would come in the twilight of his career -- a well-deserved and long-anticipated award for his years in Oakland.

Biletnikoff entered the league as the 11th overall pick of the 1965 AFL Draft and began his career as a flanker for the Silver and Black.

Hall-of-Fame career Biletnikoff would go on to have would have never been foreseen by his critics, who believed the Florida State product didn't have the speed, size, or strength needed to excel as a pro.

But after a breakout third season in which he totaled 876 receiving yards and led the AFL in yards per reception (21.9) en route to his first Pro Bowl, those doubts were put to rest.

Biletnikoff would be selected for his second Pro Bowl two years later while earning first-team All-Pro honors.

From there, he was selected to four more Pro Bowls in five years, and in between, was named to his second All-Pro First Team.

In the 1971 season, Biletnikoff would lead the league with 61 receptions.

The Hall of Famer's Super Bowl XI performance in January of 1977 was highlighted by a game-leading 79 receiving yards on just four receptions.

The 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week will go from Tuesday, Aug. 1 to Sunday, Aug. 6. 

The Hall of Fame Game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns will be played on Thursday of that week at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

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