Five of the greatest players in University of Miami football history are set to be inducted into the Hurricanes’ Ring of Honor this season. Michael Irvin, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Warren Sapp and Sean Taylor will be recognized for their brilliant careers during the Hurricanes’ game against Georgia Tech at Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m.
A Freshman All-America in 1985 and a second-team All-America in 1987, Irvin is one of the most decorated wide receivers in Miami history. Irvin’s 26 receiving touchdowns are the most in Hurricanes history; his 2,423 receiving yards are the third-most; his 143 career receptions are tied for fourth, and he led the Hurricanes in receiving yards in each of his three seasons. After winning a national championship with the Hurricanes, Irvin was drafted in the first round by Dallas in 1988 and went on to win three Super Bowls while starring for the Cowboys.
Lewis earned All-Big East recognition in 1994 and 1995, compiling one of the most dominant careers by a linebacker ever at The “U.”
Lewis, who ranks sixth all-time in career tackles at Miami with 388, has the two most prolific seasons in history to his name, having recorded 160 total tackles in 1995 and 152 in 1994. A two-time Super Bowl champion and 13-time NFL Pro Bowler, Lewis was drafted in the first round by Baltimore in 1995 and played all 17 seasons with the Ravens, compiling over 2,000 career tackles.
One of the best safeties to ever play the game, Reed was a consensus first-team All-America honoree in his final two seasons at Miami, including a 2001 season where he helped lead the Hurricanes to a national championship. Reed was an All-Big East selection in his final two seasons, and still holds the Hurricanes’ record for career interceptions with 21 and interception return yards with 389. Reed won a Super Bowl with Baltimore in 2012, was named to nine Pro Bowls and was selected the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2004.
The first Hurricane to ever win the prestigious Lombardi Trophy, Sapp was the unanimous 1994 Big East Defensive Player of the Year before being selected in the first round by Tampa Bay in the 1995 NFL Draft. Sapp was also named Defensive Player of the Year by Sports Illustrated, the Football Writers’ Association of America (FWAA) and ABC Sports, among others, and led a Miami defense that ranked first in the NCAA in total defense and scoring defense in 1994. Sapp, who also won the Nagurski Trophy, was selected to seven Pro Bowls and won the Super Bowl with Tampa Bay in 2002.
A Miami Hurricanes legend who passed away in 2007, Taylor led the nation in interceptions in his final season in 2003 and set a Miami record by returning three of those picks for scores. Taylor, who was selected in the first round by Washington in the 2004 NFL Draft, was a consensus All-American in 2003, a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and was named the 2003 Big East Defensive Player of the Year. He ranks fifth at Miami in career interceptions (14) and second in interception return yards (306), won a national championship in 2001 and made two Pro Bowls with the Redskins before his tragic passing.
All five inductees are members of the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame, while both Irvin and Sapp are also members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The group of five Hurricanes will bring the total of Ring of Honor inductees to 23, as they join Class of 1997 inductees Jim Dooley, Ted Hendricks, Georgia Mira and Vinny Testaverde, Class of 1999 inductees Ottis Anderson, Don Bosseler, Bernie Kosar and Burgess Owens, Class of 2008 inductees Edgerrin James, Jim Kelly, Cortez Kennedy, Jim Otto and Gino Torretta, Class of 2009 inductees Bennie Blades, Eddie Dunn and Steve Walsh, and Class of 2014 inductees Jerome Brown and Russell Maryland.
