On Monday, Panthers and owner David Tepper announced that the team would add four new members to the team’s Hall of Honor in 2019. Quarterback Jake Delhomme, tackle Jordan Gross, wide receiver Steve Smith and tight end Wesley Walls will all be inducted as the 2019 class of the Panthers Hall of Honor at either the October 6 or November 3 Panthers home games.
Prior to now, the Panthers only had one player in its Hall of Honor, linebacker Sam Mills. Delhomme, Gross, Smith and Walls will have their names displayed in the upper bowl in Bank of America Stadium like the current honorees and the four former players will also have bronze busts made and receive Panther blue jackets when they’re inducted.
“It’s something that was so overdue,” Tepper said via press release. “I mean, to have one player in the Hall of Honor after 25 years? It was time. It was past due time. One year in, when I got to know a little more about the team, a little more about the history, I think it was the right time.”
Tepper personally delivered the news to the four players who will be inducted with FaceTime calls earlier this spring.
“It was great. It surprised me, how some of the guys reacted, how they were choked up,” Tepper said. “Anybody whose heart is not warmed a little by that, they’ve got a hard heart. Listen, all four of these guys are great guys. I’ve gotten to know them a little bit. I couldn’t be prouder to have them in the Hall of Honor.”
No individual has been inducted since 1998 when Mills, executive Mike McCormack and the team’s PSL holders were inducted as a group. After 21 years after not having anyone inducted into their Hall of Honor, Tepper thought it was time to make a change.
Introducing the 2019 Hall of Honor Class:
🔹Steve Smith Sr.
🔹Jake Delhomme
🔹Jordan Gross
🔹Wesley Walls pic.twitter.com/LcRR8biDWN— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) May 6, 2019
No one will argue that Delhomme, Gross, Smith, and Walls should be inducted. Outside of Julius Peppers, the four aforementioned names are arguably among the best players to put on a Panthers uniform. Although Peppers has just retired, he will likely be inducted in the years to come because the long-time defensive end just retired this offseason – the Panthers began the process of the 2019 class while Peppers was still an active player last season.
Delhomme, along with Smith and Gross, helped lead the Panthers to their first Super Bowl appearance in 2003. Delhomme played for the Panthers from 2003-09 as he won five playoff games with the team and was a 2005 Pro Bowl selection.
Smith is probably the player who is most associated with the Panthers and had fans clamoring for more involvement with the team – he has caught 836 receptions,14,731 yards and 67 touchdowns during his 13 seasons with the team. Not only is the five-time Pro Bowler now a Panthers Hall of Honor member, but he could potentially be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day.
As the team’s left tackle from 2003-13, Gross protected the blind side of Delhomme and current Panthers starting quarterback Cam Newton for a number of years as he started in 167 games. Gross was a three-time Pro Bowl selection (2008, 2010, 2013) during his 11 seasons in the league.
Walls was a five-time Pro Bowl selection with the Panthers (1996-1999, 2001) as he was one of the better tight ends during the 1990s. He played for the Panthers for seven seasons as he caught 324 receptions as he recorded 3,902 yards and 44 touchdowns – most of those celebrated by his signature shotgun celebration. Walls also earned four All-Pro honors while with the Panthers.
Steve Smith, Sr. may have said it best when he spoke to Max Henson of Panthers.com.
“It’s good to be back.”
