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Known as Weapon X when he was a dominant safety Adidas Jonathan Drouin Jersey , Brian Dawkins recognizes it could have been Weapon P, as in Philadelphia.

Dawkins, who enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday night, spent 13 seasons as the leader of the Eagles defense, the emotional center of a team that made four straight NFC championship games and one Super Bowl. The connection with Philly will never fade for a guy who grew up in Florida and attended Clemson.

"They loved me and they will be here to be inducted together with me," Dawkins said Friday about Eagles fans and the city he grew to love. "I made it and now they have made it and will experience the Hall of Fame. Enjoy it.

"I played with emotion and passion. The other thing is they recognized I don't make mistakes. You can boo me for one thing I did wrong, but you won't ever boo me again because I would not make it again.

"I gave 100 percent of my 100 percent every game. I didn't back down from anyone or anything in a football game. I was a worker who didn't make excuses, and that's Philly."

Dawkins, who closed out his career with three seasons in Denver, where he also was supremely popular, made five All-Pro teams and was voted the Eagles' defensive MVP five times. He said making the hall never was on his mind until very late in his career.

"I was thinking it would be cool and wonderful if that happened," he noted, "but I didn't understand at that point it could be possible."

Hey Brian, it's possible and true.

WHO'S AN OLD MAN?

Randy Moss is 41, the same age his quarterback during Moss' greatest season, Tom Brady, reached Friday. Brady shows no signs of slowing down, and Moss believes he could still be effective at wide receiver at his advanced (for football) age.

"My last year (2012 with San Francisco), I didn't really get the chance to show I could still play http://www.49ersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-tarvarius-moore-jersey ," Moss said. "At 41 now, I still could play and believe I could score 10 touchdowns. The game itself came easy and I really feel that I could bring that much to the game."

In his final season, Moss had only 28 receptions and three scores. During his heyday with Minnesota and then New England, he was the most dangerous deep threat in the sport. In 2007, when New England went unbeaten before losing the Super Bowl to the Giants, he had a stunning 23 touchdowns on 98 receptions, gaining 1,493 yards. He was targeted 160 times by Brady that year.

"It was a great ride," Moss said.

CHUCK NOLL AWARD

The South JeffCo Mustangs from Littleton, Colorado are the winners of the Chuck Noll Hall of Fame Game for Life Award.

The group will be presented with a $10,000 check from The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation.

The award, established last summer, recognizes 50 youth football leagues around the country for their commitment to coaching education; best practices in player safety; teaching lessons about how to win rather than emphasizing winning; and nurturing a culture that celebrates preparation, discipline, accountability and respect through the fun and fitness of football and how it applies to success beyond the field.

Former NFL player Merril Hoge created the award to celebrate the legacy of Noll, the Pro Football Hall of Fame coach who transformed the Pittsburgh Steelers from a downtrodden franchise to one of the most dominant teams in NFL history.

PASSION OVERFLOW

If there have been two more passionate defensive players in recent NFL annals than Ray Lewis and Brian Dawkins, they're hard to identify.

They never were teammates on the Ravens, the only team Lewis played for, but enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame together in the class of 2018. What if they had been on the field together?

"With all the energy he exudes and all I exude Cheap Dante Pettis Jersey ," Dawkins said, "it would've been tough on the other guys (to match). I would've loved to have played with him, but man."

Lewis, who has campaigned for Ed Reed to make the hall when the former Ravens star safety becomes eligible, also has the utmost regard for Dawkins.

"I knew he had a similar chip on his shoulder and that's why I love BDawk," Lewis said. "He's one of the guys I'd love to have played with. I can't imagine a football field with me and BDawk on the field together.

"It's an honor to go into the Hall of Fame with a guy like Brian Dawkins."

WILL THE TEARS FLOW?

Brian Urlacher says there's no threat of crying when he practices his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech. As for when he delivers it ...

"When I go over it, I am OK," Urlacher explained. "But all the guys are telling me I am going to cry during the speech."

Lots of inductees do, even the toughest of former players. So Urlacher would join a long list of weepers.

Some have joked about an over/under number for how many times Ray Lewis breaks down.

As for Brian Dawkins, he guarantees he'll cry.

"Tear up? No question. The people I will talk about meant so much to me," he said Friday at a news conference. "I'm about to cry now."

Terrell Owens always likes being the center of attention. His decision to skip the induction ceremony for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August will keep him far from the spotlight.

Owens was voted into the hall in February after being denied in his first two years of eligibility. His announcement Thursday is unprecedented by an enshrinee.

”Hopefully, the story this summer will remain about those that will be there instead of the one that will not,” said Howard Balzer of SiriusXM Radio, a 15-year voter for the Hall of Fame.

In a statement released Thursday by his publicist, Owens said: ”While I am incredibly appreciative of this opportunity, I have made the decision to publicly decline my invitation to attend the induction ceremony in Canton.

”After visiting Canton earlier this year, I came to the realization that I wish to celebrate what will be one of the most memorable days of my life, elsewhere,” Owens added. ”At a later date http://www.patriotsauthorizedshop.com/authentic-danny-shelton-jerseyy , I will announce where and when I will celebrate my induction.”

The hall confirmed that the former All-Pro receiver informed them he would not be on hand Aug. 4 for the enshrinements.

”We are disappointed but will respect Terrell’s decision not to participate in the enshrinement,” Hall of Fame President & CEO David Baker said.

”While unprecedented, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the nearly 5,000 volunteers and the entire community are committed to celebrating the excellence of the Class of 2018 that will kick off the NFL’s 99th season.

”As we do not want to detract from this great honor being enjoyed by the seven other members of the class of 2018 – Bobby Beathard, Robert Brazile, Brian Dawkins, Jerry Kramer, Ray Lewis, Randy Moss and Brian Urlacher – their family, friends, and fans, the Pro Football Hall of Fame will have no further comment on the decision made by Terrell Owens.”

Owens entered the league as a third-round pick by San Francisco in 1996 and developed into a star known for some memorable playoff appearances, including his winning 25-yard TD catch to beat Green Bay in 1999; his 177 yards in a comeback win against the Giants in 2003; and his nine catches for 122 yards in the 2004 Super Bowl against New England just seven weeks after breaking his leg.

He ranks second to Jerry Rice with 15,934 yards receiving and is third on the all-time touchdowns receiving list with 153.

Owens heavily criticized the voting process when he failed to be elected in 2016 and 2017. Among the reasons he fell short were his being considered a divisive teammate and negative presence in the locker room.

Still, he received strong consideration for the hall before getting in last February, along with Moss, another standout receiver.

”I think T.O. actually was disappointed when he got in this year,” said Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News Mark Andrews Jersey Elite , who presented Owens’ case for induction and has been on the selection committee for 16 years. ”I think he was happier when he got snubbed and could play the part of the persecuted victim and moan on every radio talk show that was willing to bring him on about the unfairness of the process.

”Maybe he was worried that he would become forgotten after the induction ceremony. This way, he gets his gold jacket, but still will be remembered as the guy who told the hall to go stuff it.”

Another Owens supporter in the hall voting, Jarrett Bell of USA Today, has been on the selection committee for 21 years and was ”at a loss to understand” why Owens would decline to attend the inductions.

But Bell, like Baker, stressed Owens’ absence would not affect the ceremony much.

”Think of the other members of the class of 2018,” Bell said. ”They deserve their upcoming honor and the celebration. There’s no stain on them because someone doesn’t want to show up.

”Think of the players who gave their all to the sport, including many worthy of Hall of Fame consideration, who will never be enshrined. Think of the family members of former players, coaches and officials – many of whom have passed away – pushing for their loved ones to receive special recognition for career accomplishments. Then think of Terrell Owens. In that order.”

As perhaps an indicator he might skip the August ceremony, Owens didn’t attend the announcement that he’d been selected to the hall.

”All these years Owens wanted to go to the hall and was quite vocal about it,” said Rick Gosselin, a hall voter for 23 years. ”Now he doesn’t want to go to the hall? It’s kind of puzzling. … I wonder what all of his new teammates wearing those gold jackets think.”

Owens did thank the 49ers, Eagles, Cowboys, Bills and Bengals in his statement and called becoming a Hall of Famer ”an honor to be part of such elite company. This honor is something that I will cherish forever.”

He just won’t be on hand to see his bust unveiled in August.

”But don’t think of even considering it a sad day for the Hall of Fame,” Bell said. ”The hall will always be bigger than one person.”

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