Former Minnesota Vikings guard Steve Hutchinson has been selected to go into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class.
Steve Hutchinson played for the Minnesota Vikings from 2006 until 2011 and was widely regarded as the best player operating at the position during his time with the franchise.
It proved to be third-time lucky for Hutchinson, who made it to Canton after two unsuccessful nominations in 2019 and 2018.
He boasts an exceptional resume having made the First-Team All-Pro roster on five occasions, in addition to seven Pro Bowl appearances, and the NFL’s Team of the Decade for the 2000s.
Hutchinson was a first-round pick following a standout college career at Michigan and he was selected 17th in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.
The offensive guard quickly emerged as a premiere run and pass blocker during his time with the Seahawks, which spanned from 2001 to 2005, before the Vikings offered Hutchinson an eye-watering, $49 million contract over seven years to entice him to come to Minneapolis.
This was the largest contract offered to a player at the position at the time. But Hutchinson proved well worth the money with a supreme level of consistency that also saw him emerge as a leader within the locker room.
He departed the Vikings in 2012 for a season with the Tennessee Titans before announcing his retirement from the game. Hutchinson is the fifth former Minnesota offensive lineman to be induced after Gary Zimmerman, Mick Tingelhoff, Ron Yary, and Randall McDaniel.
The four other modern-era players to make up the 2020 Hall of Fame class were former Indianapolis Colts running back Edgerrin James, former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, former Denver Broncos safety Steve Atwater, former and Los Angeles Rams receiver Isaac Bruce.
15 members of a special Centennial Class will also be inducted this year to mark the 100th NFL season. These new members will be selected by a prestigious committee of former players and coaches.