Bethea's helmet from '78

Class of 2003 enshrinee Elvin Bethea spent 16 seasons with the Houston Oilers from 1968 to 1983. This is the helmet that the defensive end wore during the 1978 NFL season. That year the Oilers posted a 10-6 record to finish second in the AFC Central Division to the eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Houston earned a wild-card spot to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the AFL-NFL merger. The Oilers downed Miami Dolphins in the Wild-Card Game and New England Patriots in AFC Divisional Playoff before falling to the Steelers in the conference championship game.