Dwight Freeney, the No. 11 pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, has dominated since he stepped foot on a football field. With his NFL career behind him, it’s only fitting that the legacy of his playing days is honored.
Remembered mostly for his time with the Indianapolis Colts, here’s a look back at why Freeney is now a member of the NFL Hall of Fame.
Dwight Freeney’s Collegiate Career
From his high school days, Freeney seemed destined for the NFL. He ranks second in the state of Connecticut for most sacks in a high school career (60). Bloomfield High retired his No. 44 jersey. Freeney received an athletic scholarship from Syracuse Orange, where he played from 1998 to 2001. He set a school record with 17.5 sacks during his senior season.
He was Syracuse’s premier pass rusher, sacking Virginia Tech star quarterback Michael Vick 4.5 times in one game and having a 17-game sack streak at one point. Following his senior season, he was recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American.
Freeney was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 class and his No. 54 is retired at Syracuse.
Freeney’s Stats and Career Accomplishments
Drafted No. 11 overall by the Colts in 2002, Freeney set a rookie record with nine forced fumbles. Freeney was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up to fellow 2024 Hall of Fame classmate Julius Peppers. He was named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie team, though.
In 2004, Freeney led the NFL in sacks with 16. He would become the third-fastest player to amass 40 sacks. He made his second Pro Bowl and earned first-team All-Pro honors for the first time. He was part of the Colts squad that defeated the Chicago Bears to become champions in Super Bowl 41. He recovered a fumble in the game.
Freeney signed a six-year, $72 million contract extension in 2007 with $30 million in guarantees, making him one of the highest-paid defensive players at the time. In 2009, he finished the season with 13.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 22 QB hits. He was voted to his fifth Pro Bowl and earned his third First-team All-Pro honor.
MORE: Which NFL Player Has the Highest Career Earnings?
After Chuck Pagano took over as head coach in 2012, Freeney attempted to move to outside linebacker in Pagano’s defense. However, injuries and struggles to adjust to the new role produced an underwhelming season, and Freeney would not get re-signed in 2013. Teammate Robert Mathis would break Freeney’s franchise season sack record and take over as the Colts’ franchise leader in sacks the following season.
In 2013, he signed a two-year deal with the San Diego Chargers but suffered a season-ending quad injury in Week 4 against the Dallas Cowboys. In 2014, Freeney was used as a pass rush specialist in his return from injury. He finished the season with 10 tackles and 3.5 sacks.
Following the 2014 season, Freeney signed a flurry of one-year deals, first with the Arizona Cardinals. Then, in 2016, he joined the Atlanta Falcons for their Super Bowl run, which fell devastatingly short. In 2017, he signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks, played in four games, and was released. Finally, he played five games with the Detroit Lions late in 2017.
Following the 2017 season, Freeney announced he was signing a one-day contract with Indianapolis to retire as a Colt. In 2019, he was inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor, which encircles Lucas Oil Stadium. He was a seven-time Pro Bowler and NFL 2000s All-Decade team member.
Dwight Freeney’s Road to Canton
Getting inducted in his second year of eligibility, Freeney didn’t have to wait too long to get his golden jacket. Former Colts general manager Bill Polian raved about Freeney ahead of the induction ceremony.
“We all believed Dwight had the ability to be a force in the league,” Polian told The Associated Press. “The spin move was one Dwight executed perfectly and really perfected, so it was fine with us. But his base move was the bull rush, and he was so strong and fast he could run by most slow offensive tackles and guys who weren’t as strong.”
For the very first time, Hall of Famer @dwightfreeney trades in his suit jacket for a Gold Jacket. Courtesy of @HaggarCo.
Hall of Famer Bruce Smith helped Freeney put it on for the very first time.#PFHOF24 pic.twitter.com/xr2ShrWw0l
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) August 3, 2024
“Dwight deserves everything he’s getting,” former receiver and current Colts assistant Reggie Wayne said of the first defensive teammate he’s seen enter the Hall of Fame. “We knew if we scored enough points, Dwight was going to be able to cut it loose. We knew on third down Dwight was going to make a play for us. We knew those guys were going to go after the quarterback to get the ball back, especially Dwight with the spin.”