Former Walter Camp All-Americans Enshrined to Pro Football Hall of Fame
Three former Walter Camp All-Americans were enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, August 8.
Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh, 2003 Walter Camp Player of Year/First Team All-American
Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was the first sophomore the Walter Camp Player of the Year award in 2003. Fitzgerald was virtually unstoppable in 2003 during his sophomore campaign, compiling 92 catches for 1,672 yards (18.2 avg.) and 22 touchdowns.
The third overall selection in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent his entire 17-year pro career with the Arizona Cardinals (2004-20). An 11-time Pro Bowler and member of the NFL 100 All-Time Team, he ranks second in NFL history in receiving yards (17,492) and receptions (1,432). In 2018, Fitzgerald was named as the Walter Camp Alumni Award winner.
Luke Kuechly, Boston College, 2010 and 2011 First Team All-American
Luke Kuechly concluded his career at Boston College as one of the most accomplished defensive players in college football history. In 38 career games, including 37 starts, he amassed an ACC and school-record 532 total tackles, the second-highest total in NCAA history. As a junior in 2011, Kuechly earned the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation’s top defensive player, the Butkus Award as the nation’s outstanding linebacker and the Rotary Lombardi Award as the nation’s top lineman or linebacker.
In eight seasons with the Carolina Panthers, Kuechly was a seven-time All-Pro, a seven-time Pro Bowler, Defensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Super Bowl runner-up. He was named to the All-Decade team for the 2010s. Kuechly led the NFL in tackles in 2012 as a rookie with 202 stops, a Panthers franchise record, and again in 2014. In addition, Kuechly won the Butkus Award given to the NFL’s top linebacker three times in his career (2014, 2015, 2017) and received the Art Rooney Award for sportsmanship in 2017.
Drew Brees, Purdue, 1999 and 2000 Second Team All-American
At Purdue, Drew Brees led the Boilers to their second-ever Rose Bowl to close out the 2000 season. He was an Academic All-American as a senior, as well as the 2000 Maxwell Award winner (nation’s most outstanding player). His name tops numerous career passing categories in Purdue’s record book: yards, completions, attempts and touchdowns.
The San Diego Chargers selected Brees in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. His career started slowly, finally gaining some momentum in 2004, when he earned the 2004 AP Comeback Player of the Year award, PFWA Most Improved Player of the Year award and a Pro Bowl invitation. After joining the New Orleans Saints in 2006, Brees began to flourish. Over the next 15 seasons, he led the league in passes completed and passing percentage (including five seasons in excess of 70.6 percent). He led the NFL in passing yards seven times and tallied five seasons in which he exceeded 5,000 yards passing. In the 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012 seasons, Brees led the league in passing touchdowns.
Throughout the course of his 20-season career, Brees accumulated 80,358 yards passing and 571 passing touchdowns — both second all time for NFL quarterbacks. His on-field efforts led to 13 Pro Bowl selections, AP first-team All-Pro recognition (2006), two AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year awards (2008, 2011), and a Super Bowl XLIV title and MVP award. In 2009, Brees earned the Bert Bell Award as the NFL Player of the Year.
