Seahawks Legend Kenny Easley will have a former coach by his side when he is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, where Tommy Rhodes — Easley's high school coach — will present the former NFL safety as part of the Class of 2017, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced this week.
The Chesapeake native Easley, 58, played for Rhodes at Virginia's Oscar Smith High School. The pair's friendship has spanned four decades.
"We have a 40-year relationship, and he was instrumental in my decision about where to go to college," Easley, a UCLA product, said via The Virginian-Pilot. "I thought coach Rhodes deserved to be the person to do this."
As Easley's presenter, Rhodes will join Class of 2017 enshrinees on stage at the Enshrinees' Gold Jacket Dinner on Friday, Aug. 4 before being featured in a video presentation introducing Easley during the Enshrinement Ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 5, when Rhodes will join Easley on stage and unveil the bronze bust of the former Seahawk.
Easley is part of a seven-person Hall of Fame class that will be inducted next month. It's a list that includes Easley, Morten Anderson, Terrell Davis, Jerry Jones, Jason Taylor, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Kurt Warner.
Easley, who enjoyed seven productive seasons with the Seahawks, will become the fourth player in the Hall of Fame to have spent his entire career in Seattle. He'll join fellow Ring of Honor members Steve Largent, Cortez Kennedy, and Walter Jones.
Here's a look at each of the Hall of Fame presenters for the Class of 2017:
- MORTEN ANDERSEN – Sebastian Andersen, Morten's son
- TERRELL DAVIS – Neil Schwartz, Terrell's agent & friend
- KENNY EASLEY – Tommy Rhodes, Kenny's high school coach
- JERRY JONES – Gene Jones, Jerry's wife
- JASON TAYLOR – Jimmy Johnson, Jason's coach with Dolphins
- LaDAINIAN TOMLINSON – Lorenzo Neal, LaDainian's teammate with Chargers
- KURT WARNER – Brenda Warner, Kurt's wife
Take a look back at some of the best moments from the career of former Seahawks safety Kenny Easley, who was announced as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2017 on Saturday, February 4, 2017 in Houston, Texas the night before Super Bowl LI.
Seattle Seahawks Kenny Easley (45) is upended by an unidentified Los Angeles Raiders player during the first quarter of the AFC wild card game at the Kingdome in Seattle, Wash., Dec. 22, 1984. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Los Angeles Raiders veteran running back Frank Hawkins (27) pushes his way across the goal line for his second touchdown of the day despite the defensive efforts of Seattle Seahawks Kenny Easley during first half action at the Coliseum on Sunday, Jan. 8, 1984 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo)
Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley (45) takes down Los Angeles Raiders tight end Todd Christensen (45) in a 30-14 loss to the Los Angeles Raiders in an AFC Championship game on January 8, 1984 at Los Angeles, California. 1983 AFC Championship Game - Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Raiders - January 8, 1984 (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Seattle Seahawks Kenny Easley came up with two interceptiions, looks for someone to lateral the ball to in a 35-13 win over the Los Angeles Raiders on October 25, 1987 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Raiders - October 25, 1987 (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Seattle Seahawk safety Kenny Easley during a 14-10 loss to the Los Angeles Raiders on October 12, 1986 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Raiders - October 12, 1986 (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley (45) sets for play Dec. 29, 1984 in an AFC divisional playoff game in Miami. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Los Angeles Rams running back Eric Dickerson (28) tries to break a tackle by Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kenny Easley (45) during the NFL Pro Bowl football game between the AFC and the NFC in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 29, 1984. The NFC won the game 45-3. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley (45) sets for play in 1987. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley (45) celebrates a turnover in 1983 in Miami. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley (45) sets for play in 1987. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley (45) takes the field for play in 1987. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley (45) sets for play in 1987. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley (45) sets for play in 1987. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley (45) sets for play in 1987. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
LOS ANGELES - OCTOBER 7: Safety Kenny Easley #45 of the Seattle Seahawks stops running back Derrick Jensen #31 of the Los Angeles Raiders at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 7, 1984 in Los Angeles, California. The Raiders defeated the Seahawks 28-14. (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Houston Oilers safety Keith Bostic shakes the hand of Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley, both playing for the AFC, during the NFL Pro Bowl, a 15-6 AFC victory on February 7, 1988, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Head coach Pete Carroll chats with Seahawks legend and Ring of Honor member Kenny Easley before the game. Easley raised the 12 Flag before the game.
