Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1985 celebrates 40-year anniversary

Hall of Famers Published on : 7/22/2025

By Nick Licata
Pro Football Hall of Fame

On Aug. 3, 1985, a revolutionary commissioner, an electric halfback, a reliable offensive lineman and two decorated quarterbacks were enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

This year, offensive lineman FRANK GATSKI, quarterback JOE NAMATH, commissioner PETE ROZELLE, halfback O.J. SIMPSON and quarterback ROGER STAUBACH are celebrating the 40-year anniversary of their induction into the Hall.

Frank Gatski played in 11 championship games in 12 seasons for the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions, winning eight times. Gatski, a durable and dominant offensive lineman, never missed a game or practice in high school, college or the pros. He was named to the All-NFL honor roll in 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1955 and was elected as the starting center in the 1956 Pro Bowl. During his time anchoring the Browns line, the franchise won all four AAFC championships and were in the title game their first six years in the NFL. Frank earned his eighth championship ring in 1957 when he was traded to the Lions who overwhelmed his old team, 59-14, in Gatski's final game in the NFL.

Joe Namath was immortalized after guaranteeing an upset win in Super Bowl III against the heavily favored Baltimore Colts. Namath led the AFL’s New York Jets to a 16-7 title-game victory and earned Super Bowl MVP honors. In 1967, “Broadway Joe” became the first quarterback to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a single season. One year later, Namath was named the AFL’s Player of the Year and a unanimous All-Pro selection. Namath earned all-league honors four times and was an All-AFL and Pro Bowl selection five times. He is the only player in pro football history to lead both the AFL (8.2 in 1967) and the NFL (8.7 in 1972) in yards per passing attempt.

During his 30 years as commissioner of the National Football League, Pete Rozelle guided the league through a period of unprecedented growth. The NFL expanded from 12 to 28 teams under Rozelle’s leadership. He navigated the AFL-NFL merger and the initiation of the Super Bowl. Rozelle is credited with the creation of Monday Night Football, which has become the longest running primetime non-news program and the longest running sports series airing on U.S. television. Vying for competitiveness and stability, Rozelle convinced NFL owners to equally share their television revenues. Before his election to the NFL commissioner role, Rozelle was a sports information director at the University of San Francisco and the public relations director and later general manager of the Los Angeles Rams.

O.J. Simpson was a two-time unanimous All-American and 1968 Heisman Trophy winner at the University of Southern California before being selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 1969 NFL/AFL Draft. Simpson tallied 11,236 rushing yards, 2,142 receiving yards and 76 total touchdowns. In 1973, Simpson won MVP honors after he became the first halfback in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards. His 143.1 rushing yards per game that season remains the highest mark in league history in a single season. Two seasons later, Simpson notched a career-high 2,243 yards from scrimmage and scored a then-single-season-record 23 touchdowns (16 rushing, seven receiving).

Roger Staubach quarterbacked the Dallas Cowboys’ explosive offense to victories in Super Bowls VI and XII and four NFC Championships from 1969 to 1978. Staubach’s passing was unmatched, as he garnered 22,700 passing yards and 153 touchdowns and led the NFL in passing four times in his career. Although he established himself as a passer, it was his game-changing scrambling threat that separated him from other quarterbacks. Staubach netted 2,264 rushing yards with 20 rushing touchdowns over his nine seasons at the helm of the Cowboys. He was an All-NFC selection five times and was selected to play in six Pro Bowls. Staubach was a Heisman Trophy winner at the U.S. Naval Academy before taking a four-year hiatus from football to serve in the U.S. Navy, including serving in Vietnam.

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