Four quarterbacks enter NFL Hall of Fame
Marino, Young lead the charge at Canton, Ohio

CANTON, Ohio -- He licked his fingers, a trademark of his 17 seasons as the NFL's most prolific quarterback, then turned to one of his favorite receivers, Mark Clayton, in the audience.
"Go deep, Mark," Dan Marino commanded.
Clayton sauntered up the aisle, turned and latched onto -- what else? -- a perfect spiral.
"Of course, in the end, every quarterback wants one more Sunday with a football in his hands and going deep," Marino said. - NFL Football -
And that's exactly what he did this Sunday, wrapping up his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the best way possible: with a long completion.
Thousands of fans clad in No. 13 Dolphins jerseys shook Fawcett Stadium with cheers, remembering how sweet it was to see Marino setting all his records.
"I'll remember this day for the rest of my life," Marino said. - NFL Football -
Marino joined Steve Young, Fritz Pollard and Benny Friedman in the shrine.
Paying tribute to his Western Pennsylvania roots, Marino noted that John Unitas, Joe Namath, Joe Montana and Jim Kelly all came from the region. All are Hall of Famers.
"When I was younger, there's no doubt I thought about being Joe Namath," Marino said, adding that joining them in the Hall "definitely makes an impact on you.
"I've accomplished many things, but what I cherish more than any record I hold, fourth-quarter comebacks or any wins I was involved in, is the relationships."
Young suggested it was the first time only quarterbacks entered the Hall in one class, and he was partly right. Pollard was a running back who sometimes played QB.
While Marino and Young had diverse styles, they both spent years at the top of their profession. Marino set NFL marks of 4,967 completions, 8,358 passes, 61,361 yards (nearly 35 miles) and 420 touchdowns. Marino also owned 21 NFL marks when he retired.
"We didn't win a Super Bowl, something I'll always regret," Marino said.
Young, the 1992 and '94 league MVP after taking over for Montana in San Francisco, and the career passing efficiency leader, guided the 49ers to the '94 NFL championship. He also is the first left-handed QB in the Hall. - NFL Football -
"I can taste the pride I felt to be able to put on a 49ers jersey with all of their titles," Young said. "In San Francisco, I found football in its newly enlightened form. I found heaven on Earth for football." - NFL Football -
Young began his career in the USFL with the Los Angeles Express, followed by two seasons with the Buccaneers before Bill Walsh acquired him in 1987. It wasn't until Montana was injured in 1991 that Young became the starter.
He never looked back. - NFL Football -
"I'm not sure where a Hall of Fame career starts," Young said. "I've been the recipient of the best coaching one individual has ever had," mentioning LaVell Edwards, John Hadl, Sid Gillman, Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan and, of course, Walsh.
Pollard, like Friedman, was a pro football pioneer and the first black NFL head coach. After a sensational college career at Brown, where he became the first black to play in the Rose Bowl, the running back led the Akron Pros to the 1920 championship. They went undefeated.
He later organized the Chicago Brown Bombers, an independent team of black players that barnstormed the country from 1927-33, routinely beating white teams while often trying to hold down the score. - NFL Football -
Friedman, who died in 1982, probably was the first great pro passer, and his 20 TD throws in 1929 were considered phenomenal because the ball he threw barely resembled the modern football. The record stood for 14 years.

Barry Wilner
ASSOCIATED PRESS