Warrick Dunn to be inducted into Falcons Ring of Honor

Somehow, whenever we discuss who should be headed to the Falcons Ring of Honor, Warrick Dunn doesn’t come up. That’s an oversight on our part, collectively, but the Falcons fortunately aren’t making that same mistake.

Per ESPN’s Vaughn McClure, Dunn will be inducted into the Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor on December 7th. It’s a home game against the Saints, making it a fitting time to bring one of the best, most underrated players in franchise history into the fold.

How good was Dunn during his six seasons in Atlanta? His 5,981 yards on the ground are fourth all-time in franchise history, just five yards behind William Andrews, and he’s tied for 5th in rushing touchdowns. He’s also 27th in receiving yardage with 1,635, 34th in receiving touchdowns with six, and 17th in receptions with 204, all as a running back. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2005. That’s a short, truly remarkable career, one that makes a strong case for enshrinement on its own.

But you can’t talk about Dunn without noting that he’s one of the NFL’s great men. After his mother, a police officer, was shot and killed during an armed robbery, Dunn kept his family together and embarked on a life of giving that puts just about everyone else to shame. His foundations have helped raise millions of dollars to help those in need, and his Homes for the Holidays program has provided houses for hundreds of families in need, including Deshaun Watson’s. Dunn was recognized in 2005 as the Walter Payton Man of the Year, an award you could give to him just about every year even though he’s no longer playing. He’s a great dude, and someone I was always proud to have playing for the Atlanta Falcons.

So Atlanta’s doing the right thing here by putting a true legend in the Ring of Honor, a player who was a delight to watch on the field and a paragon of selflessness and virtue off of it. Congratulations, Warrick Dunn!