Ole Miss Rebels legend Patrick Willis has once again been named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Ole Miss announced via social media on Thursday morning that Willis is officially a finalist for the Hall of Fame's Class of 2023. This is the second straight year in which the former Rebel has been named a finalist for Canton.
Willis spent eight years in the NFL, all with the San Fransico 49ers, and was selected to seven Pro Bowls and five First-Team All-Pro teams throughout his successful career. Willis also earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2007 and led the league in tackles twice (2007 and 2009).
The Bruceton, Tenn., native was selected in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the 49ers after having one of the greatest careers in Ole Miss football history.
In his four years at Ole Miss, Willis was named to two First-Team All-SEC teams, earned All-American honors in back-to-back seasons, and also racked up plenty of hardware. The former Rebel was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2006 and anointed the top linebacker in college football that same season, bringing home both the Butkus Award and Jack Lambert Trophy.
Willis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019 and will have another shot at his gold jacket after not making it through the final round of voting last year.
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