Pro Football Hall of Fame 2015: Top Speeches, Highlights and Reaction

In addition to saluting the best NFL stars of present, Saturday was also about honoring the newest class to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

With the field trimmed to 15 finalists, the NFL revealed which former players, coaches and/or front-office members will be headed to Canton, Ohio.

ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted out the eight inductees:

The NFL provided a highlight of the octet officially being announced.

Among the bigger names from the modern era was Jerome Bettis. In 13 years with the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers, "The Bus" ran for 13,662 yards, which ranks sixth of all time, and 91 touchdowns, which puts him in a tie for 10th with Franco Harris.

Some questioned whether Bettis was truly worthy of the Hall of Fame. His style wasn't conducive to creating memorable runs, and he was more a model of consistency rather than an electrifying back who burned bright for a short time and faded fast late into his career.

Rotoworld's Matthew Pouliot posited that that consistency might have been evidence of how talented Bettis was:

Either way, the 42-year-old will be enshrined in Canton, and he took to Twitter to thank the voters:

Bettis also spoke to an assembled group of reporters after the class was announced:

Ed Bouchette, who covered Bettis for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, added how much it meant to him personally to make the case for Bettis' enshrinement:

Tim Brown and Charles Haley were also among the eight inducted, and for both players, earning the gold jacket was a moment that should've happened years ago. Sports Illustrated's Aaron Nagler spoke for football fans everywhere:

Brown ranks fifth in career receptions (1,094) and sixth in career receiving yards (14,934). Somehow, though, the Hall of Fame voters overlooked him for four years.

After the announcement, Brown admitted his wait was a bit frustrating but that he knew his time would come eventually.

"The five years have been pretty tough," he said, per Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News. "But when you have people like Andre Reed and Jerry Rice up there with you on the list of finalists, you have to wait your turn."

PAUL SAKUMA/Associated Press

The Oakland Raiders legend was a bit like Bettis in that his greatness is evident in the longevity of his career. Nobody can argue he isn't a deserving candidate.

Meanwhile, Haley had been one of the biggest snubs ever since becoming eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame over a decade ago. The five-time Super Bowl champion and two-time All-Pro was a fixture on the defensive line for the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.

PAUL SAKUMA/Associated Press

Haley credited former 49ers head coach Bill Walsh for much of his success on the field.

"He taught me so damn much. He was always asking how he could help me, even after I was done playing," he said,  per Purdy. "On his deathbed, he called me and talked to me about where I was going, what I was doing. I haven't had many people in my life be like that."

One of Haley's teammates and now fellow Hall of Famer, Ronnie Lott, congratulated him for his accomplishment:

Arguably the headliner of the 2015 class will be former linebacker Junior Seau. Seau was a 12-time Pro Bowler and a six-time All-Pro. Although he finished his career with stints in Miami and New England, he'll always be remembered for wearing the No. 55 jersey for the San Diego Chargers and is perhaps the most legendary Chargers player ever.

Although getting into the Hall of Fame is a well-deserved honor for Seau, ESPN's Jim Trotter felt the moment feels bittersweet:

Seau's eldest son, Tyler, was on hand on behalf of his father, per Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star:

Technically speaking, the eight members of the 2015 Hall of Fame class aren't yet Hall of Famers just yet. They'll have to wait until Aug. 8, during the official enshrinement ceremony in Canton.

That day can't come soon enough for those ready to add a gold jacket to their wardrobe.