CANTON, Ohio – Troy great DeMarcus Ware was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday at Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Ware becomes the first Troy player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, just the 16th from an Alabama high school or college and the first who played in the Sun Belt Conference.
“I’m proud to be a Troy Trojan,” Ware said during his induction speech. “I had an amazing college family. Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Larry Blakeney, Ms. Judy, Richard Shaughnessy, my Troy teammates and may other. I learned the value of building relationships. I’m proud to tell you today that I made it. All my hard work at Troy brought me to this.”
A Super Bowl champion, nine-time Pro Bowler, four-time first-team All-Pro and member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, Ware ranks ninth in NFL history in career sacks with 138.5 (the stat became official in 1982). Additionally, he tied the NFL record by leading the league in sacks twice and was a two-time Butkus Award winner.
The Dallas Cowboys selected Ware with the 11th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft, becoming the first-ever first round pick from Troy or the Sun Belt Conference.
Ware was instrumental in Troy’s transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2001 and finished his Trojan career as the program’s all-time leader in tackles for loss with 55.5 in addition to totaling 27 sacks for a loss of 198 yards to rank among the all-time greats in Troy history.
Ware became a starter in 2002 and quickly made an impact in the trenches by finishing fifth on the team with 72 tackles. Along with the former Troy and NFL star Osi Umenyiora, the duo combined to record 25 sacks and 40 tackles for a loss.
In his sophomore campaign, Ware tied for 15th in the country with nine sacks, while his 19.5 tackles for a loss tied for ninth in the nation. In 2002, Troy’s defense finished fourth in the country in total defense as the Trojans allowed 276.8 yards per game.
In 2003, Ware secured a selection to the NCAA Division I-A All-Independent Team by making 62 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss and six sacks. As a junior, Ware led the Trojans with 32 quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
A Sun Belt Conference All-Decade Team member, Ware was a finalist for the 2004 Hendricks Award, presented annually to the nation’s top defensive end.
