Dent Inducted Into Black College Hall of Fame
Courtesy Tennessee State Sports Information
Tennessee State legend Richard Dent received another honor over the weekend: a spot in the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
Dent was one of seven members enshrined in a ceremony in Atlanta, Ga. that was presented by the Atlanta Falcons.
The class includes Roger Brown (University of Maryland Eastern Shore), Richard Dent (Tennessee State University), L.C. Greenwood (University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) Ernie “Big Cat” Ladd (Grambling State University), Ken Riley (Florida A&M University), Donnie Shell (South Carolina State University) and Coach W.C. Gorden (Jackson State University).
Dent, a native of Atlanta, became the first former TSU player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. He played with the TSU tigers from 1979-82 and was drafted to the Chicago Bears soon after completing his last season with the Tigers.
Throughout his time at TSU, Dent was a three time All-American and is currently third in the school’s all-time sack list. While helping to lead the Tigers to three Black college National Champions, Dent finished his career with 39 sacks.
After playing Football at Tennessee State University, Dent was drafted to the Chicago Bears in the eighth round of the 1983 NFL Draft. In 1986, Dent won a NFL championship with the Bears and was named Super Bowl XX MVP. He is also the Only TSU tiger alum to be named game MVP.
Beyond the Bears, Dent spent one year with the 49ers before eventually returning to Chicago in 1995. While under contract with the 49ers in 1994, Richard Dent won yet another Super Bowl ring. In 1996 Dent played for the Indianapolis Colts and the Philadelphia Eagles in 1997 as a designated pass rusher for them both. Not long after his 1997 season, Dent retired and ended his lifetime career with 137.5 sacks and eight interceptions, which put him Third in NFL history behind Reggie White and Bruce Smith at the time of his retirement.
Votes were tallied from the 13-member selection committee, comprised of prominent journalists, commentators and historians, as well as former NFL general managers and executives, and from previous BCFHOF inductees to determine the class of 2015.
