Jack Coleman was a dual-sport athlete at Louisville, where he played football and basketball, but it was the latter where he became a nine-year professional.

Coleman might be best known for being on the wrong end of a Bill Russell block in 1957 when his Hawks lost to Russell’s Celtics, but Coleman was a two-time NBA Champion, having anchored the Rochester Royals to a title in 1951 and the Hawks to one in 1958.  An expert rebounder, Coleman averaged over ten boards a game in the first five seasons, which was tracked, and was also high on the Field Goal Percentage leaderboard regularly.  Coleman’s was also above-average defensively.

An All-American at Louisville, where he eventually joined their Ring of Honor, Sam Madison joined the Miami Dolphins as a Second Round Pick in 1997.  Madison started three games as a rookie and became the Dolphins' starting right cornerback in his second year. From that year to 2002, he was one of the best shutdown defensive backs in football.

Madison had eight picks in 1998 and was a Pro Bowl snub, though was rewarded with a Second Round pick and was sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.  Madison then led the NFL in Interceptions in 1999 (7) and began a string of four Pro Bowls and two First Team All-Pros.  Paired with Patrick Surtain, the duo played a large part in Miami’s regular trips to the postseason in that period.

Madison was released by the Dolphins and signed with the New York Giants, adding veteran depth to their secondary. He helped them win Super Bowl XLII in that shocking win over New England and retired a year after with 36 career Interceptions.

The term “Mountain of a Man” is often misused, but for the 375-pound Ted Washington, that was accurate.

“Mount Washington” was San Francisco’s late First Round Pick in 1991, and became their starting Nose Tackle in his second season.  Traded to the Denver Broncos in 1994, Washington signed with the Buffalo Bills in 1995 where he had the best run of his career.  With Buffalo, Washington went to three of his four Pro Bowls and became known as one of the best rush defenders in football.  With his immense size, it was an arduous task, and once he got a hand on you, chances were that you were going to hit the dirt.

Washington’s best season was in 2001, his first of two seasons with Chicago where he was a First Team All-Pro and finished in the top ten in Approximate Value.  He later was with New England, where he won a Super Bowl (XXXVIII) and closed out his career with two seasons each in Oakland and Cleveland.  Considering his immense stature, the durability to last until 38 is a testament to Washington’s physical presence. 

Bruce Armstrong would start all 212 of his games at Left Tackle in a career that was spent exclusively with the New England Patriots.  Armstrong's career predated the Brady dynasty, so he is not as celebrated as he should be, but this is a six-time Pro Bowl Selection who was also a Second Team All-Pro twice.  He was also a member of the All-Rookie Team in 1987.

Undrafted out of Louisville, Frank Minnifield quickly found a home in the USFL, where he played for the Chicago Blitz and the Arizona Wranglers briefly before he sued his way out of the league to play for the Cleveland Browns.  

Offensive linemen are often the unsung heroes of football, but one group of linemen bucked that trend: the "Hogs" of the Washington Redskins. The "Hogs" were a legendary offensive line that played together in the 1980s and early 90s, and they were known for their toughness, physicality, and dominance on the field.

One of the linemen who stood out from the rest was Joe Jacoby. Jacoby was not a highly sought-after player when he entered the league; in fact, he went undrafted out of Louisville. But he didn't let that stop him. He worked hard and earned a spot on the Redskins' roster, eventually becoming one of the most beloved players on the team.

Jacoby was a force to be reckoned with on the field. He was a talented blocker who earned the respect of his peers and opponents alike. He wasn't the most naturally gifted tackle, but he made up for it with his work ethic and his punishing blocks. He was fearless and mean, and few players could beat him on running plays. His contributions were instrumental in helping the Redskins win three Super Bowls, each with a different quarterback who is not in the Hall of Fame.

Despite his impressive career, Jacoby has yet to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. His teammate Russ Grimm was recently honored with induction, but many believe that Jacoby should be there too. While it's unlikely that any other "Hogs" will be voted in, Jacoby's legacy as one of the greatest linemen of his era deserves recognition.

One of the best Place Kickers of his day, David Akers, had to wait for a little to prove his worth in the NFL.  Akers was undrafted out of Louisville in 1997, and after trying out for the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers, he was signed by the Washington Redskins but played only one game and missed both Field Goals (though they were 48 yards plus).

Dan Marino may have been one of the greatest Quarterbacks in National Football League History, but it sure helped that he had Mark Clayton lined up with to throw Touchdowns to.

The second best player ever to come from Louisville, Darrell Griffith led Coach Denny Crum’s Cardinals to their first National Title and was the National Player of the Year in 1980.  Griffith had incredible leaping ability and used this to finish plays with style.  He also was a potent jump shooter though he never became the superstar many thought he would be out of college.  Griffith still had a very solid NBA career but was overshadowed by his great career at Louisville.