Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2005 celebrates 20-year anniversary

Hall of Famers Published on : 7/29/2025

The four members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2005 are being celebrated for their 20-year anniversary.

By Nick Licata
Pro Football Hall of Fame

On Aug. 7, 2005, three game-transcending quarterbacks and a pioneering player-coach were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Quarterback/running back BENNY FRIEDMAN, quarterback DAN MARINO, head coach/running back/quarterback FRITZ POLLARD and quarterback STEVE YOUNG are celebrating the 20-year anniversary of their enshrinement in the Hall.

Friedman earned First-Team NFL honors in his first four years of play between 1927-1931. In that time, Friedman tossed 53 total touchdown passes, leading the NFL each year. To date, Friedman is the only player in NFL history to account for the most rushing touchdowns and passing touchdowns in a single season, which he accomplished in 1928. En route to logging a then-record of 20 touchdown passes in 1929, Friedman tossed a record-breaking four touchdown passes in one game. Following the 1928 season, New York Giants owner Tim Mara purchased the Detroit franchise just to secure the services of Friedman.

Marino, at the time of his retirement, completed more passes (4,967), for more yards (61,361) and more touchdowns (420) than any player in NFL history. He led the league in passing yards from 1984-86 and again in 1988 and 1992. Marino was selected to nine Pro Bowls and was named an All-Pro selection by the Associated Press between 1983-86 and again in 1994 and 1995. He is a member of the NFL 100 All-Time Team and won MVP honors in 1984 after setting the NFL single-season records for passing yards (5,084) and touchdown passes (48).

Pollard evolved the early American Professional Football Organization as he simultaneously coached and played for multiple teams in the 1920s. The 5-9, 165-pound back led the Akron Pros to an undefeated 8-0-3 record in the inaugural season of the APFA, clinching the first APFA championship. Pollard was one of just two African American players in the APFA in 1920 and, one year later, became the first African American head coach in the young league’s history. One year later, the APFA became the National Football League, making Pollard the first African American coach in NFL history.

As a two-time league MVP, Young compiled six seasons where he threw for 3,000 or more yards and five seasons where he had 20 or more touchdown passes. Young also reimagined what the quarterback position was capable of, as he ran for 4,239 yards and scored 43 rushing touchdowns in his career. Young, one of the most accurate passers in league history, was named All-Pro in 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1998 and earned All-NFC honors three times. The dual-threat quarterback claimed three Super Bowl victories in 1989 (XXIII), 1990 (XXIV) and 1995 (XXIX).

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