Former Syracuse pass rusher Dwight Freeney is set to be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Freeney spent four seasons with SU from 1997-2001 totaling 34 career sacks, enough for second all-time in Orange history.
Syracuse went 10-3 in Freeney’s final season. He set the single-season record with 17.5 sacks in his senior year. Freeney forced eight fumbles, too.
The Bloomfield, CT native was drafted 11th overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2002 NFL Draft. He tallied 13 sacks as a rookie. In 2005, he was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Year.
Freeney won Super Bowl XLI with the Colts in a 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears in 2006.
He spent 11 seasons with the Colts, two years with the San Diego Chargers, and one season each with the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks, and Detroit Lions.
Freeney ranks 18th on the NFL’s all-time sacks list with 125.5 in a 16-year career.
The defensive end becomes the ninth Orange player to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame. Freeney joins Jim Brown, Al Davis, Marvin Harrison, Floyd Little, John Mackey, Art Monk, and Jim Ringo.
Freeney becomes one of seven inductees into the Class of 2024. He joins Julius Peppers, Patrick Willis, Randy Gradishar, Devin Hester, Andre Johnson, and Steve McMichael.
Besides the Hall of Fame induction, Freeney has received other accolades recently.
He was inducted into the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame alongside the likes of Reggie Bush, Luke Kuechly, and Tim Tebow.
Freeney will be the seventh player in Syracuse history to have his jersey retired. The celebration will take place next season during head coach Fran Brown’s first year.
For now, Freeney can gear up for the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction which takes place on August 3 in Canton, Ohio.
