Will Shields: Twitter Reacts To Chiefs Guard’s Hall Of Fame Selection
By Brett Gering
Jan 31, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees pose at a press conference to introduce the 2015 class at Symphony Hall. From left: Jerome Bettis and Tim Brown and Charles Haley and Bill Polian and Tyler Seau (representing father Junior Seau) and Will Shields and Mick Tingelhoff and Ron Wolf. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Will Shields, a guard plucked in the third round of the 1993 draft, was listed as a backup in his first NFL game; he started in the 223 that followed.
Saturday night, the NFL announced that in his fourth year of eligibility the 12-time Pro Bowler will finally be inducted into the Hall of Fame—an honor long overdue.
When asked about Shields, former Kansas City Chiefs GM Carl Peterson put the guard’s dominance into context, telling The Kansas City Star‘s Randy Covitz:
"“NFL Films miked Ray Lewis during the game, and Ray Lewis is coming out and screaming at the other defensive players, ‘Why can’t we stop them? I’ve got two, three guys blocking me. … Somebody has to be able to make the tackle!’“The truth was, he didn’t have two or three guys blocking him. He had one guy most of the time. It was Will Shields and sometimes it was Brian Waters on the other side. But Will Shields that night owned Ray Lewis.”"
As expected, the football community (local and otherwise), amongst others, showed its support via Twitter.
The NFL:
Will Shields is heading to the @ProFootballHOF! #PFHOF15 pic.twitter.com/mS1gCe6IFJ
— NFL (@NFL) February 1, 2015
The Chiefs:
Congrats to Will Shields on being elected to the @ProFootballHOF Class of 2015.
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 1, 2015
READ: http://t.co/BGSv1DYvn5 pic.twitter.com/BsFnsdAjeo
Former Chiefs quarterback Rich Gannon:
Congratulations to every member of the HOF Class of 2015 especially my former teammates Will Shields and Tim Brown!#WellDeserved
— Rich Gannon (@RichGannon12) February 1, 2015
Former player, scout and current NFL Network analyst Bucky Brooks:
Congrats to the 2015 @ProFootballHOF class. Really happy for 2 of my ex-teammates Will Shields & Tim Brown. Kudos to @packers GM Ron Wolf
— Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks) February 1, 2015
Comedian Larry the Cable Guy:
Congrats to @Wshields68 ! #gbr #huskers
— Larry The Cable Guy (@GitRDoneLarry) February 1, 2015
Former columnist for The Kansas City Star, Joe Posnanski:
Will Shields, one of the most interesting, contradictory and remarkable athletes I've covered goes to Hall. Congrats Will.
— Joe Posnanski (@JPosnanski) February 1, 2015
Former columnist for The Kansas City Star and current sportswriter for ESPN, Jason Whitlock:
Play-by-play announcer for the Chiefs, Mitch Holthus:
SoSo proud of Will Shields-a great player-a great man,husband and father and a great friend-rejoice Kingdom-one of our best gets his reward!
— Mitch Holthus (@mitchholthus) February 1, 2015
From Brian Waters to Willie Roaf, the Chiefs own a rich history of offensive line play.
But while the former ultimately left the club and the latter did the opposite, Shields, a native of Fort Riley, Kansas, remains in Kansas City to this day.
#Chiefs HOF'er Will Shields on staying in KC after retiring:
— Chiefs Reporter (@ChiefsReporter) February 1, 2015
“The easy part was staying. It’s got a strong hold on our heart.”
Next: Justin Houston Says He Wants To Stay In KC