It’s not often a legend from one sport attends a different sport’s Hall of Fame ceremony. That was the case on Saturday, as NBA icon Michael Jordan was in Canton, Ohio for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2024 induction ceremony.
Jordan was on hand to support his friend and Hall of Fame inductee Dwight Freeney. But during his induction speech, Julius Peppers, who, like Jordan, attended North Carolina and played basketball for the Tar Heels before committing to football, gave Jordan a shoutout while thanking him for his inspiration.
“I’m not going to sit up here and act like my idol and one of the reasons I went to Chapel Hill is not in the building. … “MJ, I love you big bro,” Peppers said.
The 44-year-old Peppers is part of the generation that grew up with Jordan atop the pro sports landscape. From 1991-98, Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles despite Jordan taking an 18-month sabbatical from basketball to try his hand at baseball.
Jordan’s brilliant NBA career also included five NBA MVP awards, 10 scoring titles, a Defensive Player of the Year award and six NBA Finals MVP awards. Jordan’s Bulls were 6-0 in the NBA Finals. Oh, and Jordan also teamed up with Bugs Bunny to save the planet from outside invaders in the 1996 hit movie “Space Jam.”
While he has kept a low profile in recent years, Jordan obviously felt compelled to come to Canton to help honor Peppers, one of the NFL’s all-time great pass rushers who is currently fifth all time in career sacks.
