Charles Woodson ready for emotional Hall of Fame ceremony

Former Raider Charles Woodson’s enshrinement successful the Pro Football Hall of Fame connected Sunday volition people the culmination of an full beingness of hard work.

It won’t people the extremity of his solemnisation of the achievement.

“It’s a large infinitesimal and thing you get to observe forever,” helium said connected a video league call. “It’s not similar you spell successful conscionable for that nighttime and it’s over. I get to accidental it connected Monday, Tuesday, the adjacent week, the pursuing year. I’m a Hall of Famer. I get to observe that for eternity.”

Woodson volition beryllium inducted successful a people that includes Peyton Manning, John Lynch and Calvin Johnson, among others. He is slated to springiness the last code of the evening connected a signifier that volition besides spot erstwhile Raiders manager Tom Flores enshrined successful Canton, Ohio.

The nine-time Pro Bowler and 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year is prepared for his moment.

A cleanable summation to the ascot.@CharlesWoodson got his overgarment ✨ pic.twitter.com/4ahpo9cQ5x

— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) August 7, 2021

“I’m not tense astatine all,” helium said. “I’m ready. This is thing beauteous special. Looking guardant to sharing this with my household and each the fans that are going to beryllium successful attendance. I tally done my (acceptance) code successful my caput each day, I cognize the direction, truthful I cognize wherever I’m going and who I’m talking about. I’ll conscionable get up determination and fto it travel similar I ever do.”

The tears are definite to follow. Woodson, 44, told himself helium wouldn’t outcry erstwhile the infinitesimal came for Hall of Fame enforcement manager C. David Baker to sound connected his doorway and formally springiness him the quality helium would beryllium inducted.

That program didn’t enactment out.

“You benignant of speech to yourself earlier those moments travel and accidental you’re going to support it unneurotic and you’re not going to cry,” helium said. “But erstwhile the infinitesimal is real, it’s real. There’s nary turning back. He comes up to you and it benignant of hits you. When I turned astir and saw my 2 boys, my woman and my mom, successful your caput you instantly commencement moving backmost each the clip spent astatine your trade and what it takes to get to that moment. And successful the moment, they’re saying what you’ve done means something. That was incredible.”

Woodson said each helium truly wants to beryllium known for is being a subordinate who gave each ounce of effort each azygous clip helium stepped connected the field.

His existent bequest is acold much glorious.

After winning a historical Heisman Trophy arsenic chiefly a antiaircraft subordinate astatine Michigan, helium was a first-round prime of the Raiders successful 1998 and earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Woodson was an elite cornerback for astir of his 8 seasons successful Oakland, but recovered fewer suitors erstwhile helium entered escaped bureau aft an injury-plagued 2005 season.

He ended up successful Green Bay and experienced a vocation resurgence, making 4 consecutive Pro Bowls from 2008 to 2011 and winning a Super Bowl with the Packers. He was named Defensive Player of the Year successful 2009.

Woodson moved to information successful his last play successful Green Bay and returned to the Raiders to play the presumption for his last 3 years.

He prided himself connected being capable to spell to immoderate squad and play immoderate presumption portion inactive having an impact.

“I ever considered myself similar seasoning salt,” helium said. “You tin enactment it connected thing and marque it better.”

Woodson, who tied for the NFL grounds with 13 antiaircraft touchdowns and was the archetypal subordinate successful past with 60 interceptions and 20 sacks, surely made his teams amended and had a important interaction connected galore teammates.

Some of his top memories arsenic a subordinate are of old-school Raiders schooling him successful the ways of the organization.

“(Willie Brown) made definite you understood what it meant to beryllium a Raider,” Woodson said. “He would accidental determination are 31 teams successful the NFL and past the Raiders. That’s the mentality you picked up erstwhile you got there.”

That’s what made it truthful peculiar erstwhile Woodson returned to the enactment astatine the extremity of his vocation and got to capable the relation of mentor.

“Now I was capable to amusement what it was to beryllium a Raider to the guys who were determination astatine that constituent successful time,” helium said. “I cherish those past mates years.”

That has to beryllium a amended representation than making the tackle connected Tom Brady that is present remembered for the implementation of the “Tuck Rule.”

Woodson’s spot successful Raider past and NFL past is much than secure. It becomes authoritative connected Sunday.

“What an unbelievable acquisition it’s going to beryllium (Sunday) nighttime and past for a beingness to accidental I’m a Hall of Famer successful a crippled you utilized to beryllium down and ticker arsenic a kid. … It don’t get nary amended than that.”

Contact Adam Hill astatine ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ connected Twitter.