Raiders legend Charles Woodson elected into Pro Football Hall of Fame

Charles Woodson is a new member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Of course he is.

The 2021 Hall of Fame class was announced on Saturday and the former Raiders’ defensive back was one of the modern-day players elected into the Canton, Ohio, museum. The class will be inducted this summer, depending on the the coronavirus.

There was no drama about Woodson’s candidacy. He, along with quarterback Peyton Manning — the two entered the NFL together in 1998 — were both long considered sure things in this election.

Woodson is one the greatest Raiders defensive players in recent memory. After being the No. 4 overall pick in 1998, the defending Heisman Trophy winner from Michigan quickly became a star for the Raiders. He was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1998 and he was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the Green Bay Packers in 2009.

Woodson, 44, played for the Raiders until 2005, before signing with the Packers in 2006. He spent his final three seasons back with the Raiders before returning after the 2015 season. Woodson made the Pro Bowl four times with the Raiders and five times with the Packers. He was a first-time All-Pro, twice with both Oakland and Green Bay.

Fans in two cities are celebrating this election, but Raiders fans will always revere this all-time great who began and ended his career with the Silver and Black.

I covered Woodson for two years on a daily basis and he was a Hall of Fame person as well as a Hall of Fame player. Congrats to Woodson and the franchise for this well-deserved honor.