HOF Artifact of the Week
This week's featured artifact is a jersey worn by Sam Baker who was a tackle for the Atlanta Falcons from 2008-2014. Baker is the son of current Pro Football Hall of Fame President David Baker.
Baker was drafted in the 1st Round (21st pick) by the Atlanta Falcons in 2008. He blocked for some of the best teams in Falcons history. In 2009 Baker helped lead the franchise to its first back-to-back winning seasons in team history (11-5 in 2008 and 9-7 in 2009). From 2008 to 2012 Baker started 57 games for Falcons teams that went to the playoffs four times.
Baker started all 16 games for the Falcons in 2010 and 2012 when the team finished both seasons with the NFC's best record at 13-3. Unfortunately, Sam battled many injuries during his career and made many heroic comebacks. He was eventually forced to retire before the start of the 2015 season. As a collegiate athlete at USC (2003-2007), Baker earned All-American honors three times as a tackle. He started as a redshirt tackle for the Trojans' 2004 National Championship team.
Our weekly artifacts and other unique items are featured daily in our docent presentations for visitors of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Plan your visit to the Hall to learn more about the collection in our archives.
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