Pro Football Hall of Fame 2016: Ceremony Recap, Speech Highlights and Reaction

The Pro Football Hall of Fame grew by eight members following Saturday's enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

Brett Favre was one of the headliners for the 2016 class. The 46-year-old retired as the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards (71,838) and touchdowns (508), though Peyton Manning has since broken both records.

A testament to his famed risk-taking style, Favre also threw more interceptions (336) than any other quarterback.

He brought that unpredictability to his Hall of Fame speech, per NFL Network's Rich Eisen:

The back-and-forth over his retirement and eventual return to the field soured some fans on Favre late in his career. He began his speech with a comedic nod to the protracted drama, per Pro Football Talk:

Favre was often emotional, and at one point, he had to call upon one of his sworn enemies, Kevin Greene, for help. NFL Network provided a replay of the special moment:

Favre spoke at length about his relationship with his father. He explained how his dad helped motivate him to become one of the best quarterbacks in history. The NFL offered a second look at Favre's heartfelt anecdote:

Favre provided some moments of levity, particularly with this comment about his mother-in-law, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:

He also complimented former Green Bay Packers general manager Ron Wolf, who helped build the team into a Super Bowl winner in 1996 and entered the Hall of Fame last year. Favre singled out the signing of Reggie White as a masterstroke by Wolf, per NFL.com's Kevin Patra:

After missing out on the Hall of Fame in past years, Orlando Pace and Marvin Harrison received deserved recognition in Canton on Saturday.

Harrison combined with Manning to form one of the most lethal aerial duos in league history. He reached eight straight Pro Bowls from 1999 to 2006 and recorded 1,102 receptions, 14,580 receiving yards and 128 touchdowns over a 13-year career.

The wide receiver position has created a number of entertaining stars, but Harrison was known more for his reserved style. As Yahoo Sports' Eric Edholm tweeted, Saturday may have been the longest most fans had heard Harrison speak at one time:

Charlotte Hornets center Cody Zeller reminisced about growing up as an Indianapolis Colts fan:

NFL Network shared a part of Harrison's speech in which he thanked Colts fans and fellow wideout Reggie Wayne:

Pace, who spoke next, was one of the unsung heroes during the St. Louis Rams' Greatest Show on Turf era. Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce were synonymous with those Rams teams, but Pace's work on the left side of the line was invaluable to St. Louis' success.

He talked about what made the 1999 Super Bowl champion Rams special, per Around the NFL:

Pace thought that title took on added importance with the Rams' move to Los Angeles, per SB Nation's Ryan Van Bibber:

"

Pace thanks St. Louis fans
"we brought a championship to that city. Nobody can take that away."

— ryan van bibber (@justRVB) August 7, 2016"

Being enshrined in the Hall of Fame brought Pace's football career full circle. He went to high school in Sandusky, Ohio, roughly two hours away from Canton. He then starred with the Ohio State Buckeyes before becoming the No. 1 pick in the 1997 NFL draft.

Pace mentioned that another Ohio native and former Buckeyes star, Korey Stringer, was his inspiration on the field, per ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert:

Dick Stanfel was one of two posthumous inductees along with Ken Stabler. Stanfel played seven years in the NFL from 1952 to 1958. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and earned first-team All-Pro honors on five occasions.

Former NFL head coach Marv Levy heaped major praise upon Stanfel when introducing him, per the Green Bay Press-Gazette's Ryan Wood:

Stabler was one of the most identifiable quarterbacks of the 1970s, and he was the perfect man to lead the renegade Oakland Raiders under the stewardship of head coach John Madden. Stabler also helped deliver the franchise's first Super Bowl win in 1976.

ESPN's Jim Trotter remembered Stabler's late-game heroics:

NFL.com's Chris Trapasso made sure to highlight that The Snake was more than just hype:

Accessories can make or break an outfit. Greene earned the title of best-dressed inductee Saturday night. The NFL offered a look at the linebacker from head to toe:

When Greene's bust is moved into the Hall of Fame, it'll sit right next to Favre's. During his speech, Greene said he wouldn't have it any other way, per NFL on ESPN:

Tony Dungy and Eddie DeBartolo rounded out the 2016 class. While they served different roles in the NFL—Dungy first as a player and then as a head coach and DeBartolo as a team owner—ESPN's Ed Werder saw a connection between the two:

The moment was particularly special for DeBartolo. Last year, he was presenting Charles Haley for Hall of Fame enshrinement, and Haley made it a point to ask why DeBartolo didn't have a bust of his own in Canton.

Under DeBartolo's ownership, the San Francisco 49ers won five Super Bowls and redefined how football is played.

Dungy, meanwhile, won a Super Bowl as a player with the Pittsburgh Steelers and then coached the Colts to their second Super Bowl triumph. Before that, he turned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into a perennial title contender. Although the franchise finally got over the hump with Jon Gruden prowling the sidelines, Dungy unquestionably deserved a share of the credit.

With this year's ceremony over, football fans can start looking ahead to who might fill out the 2017 Hall of Fame class.

Hines Ward, Jason Taylor, Donovan McNabb and LaDainian Tomlinson are among the stars who will enter their first year of eligibility, and Warner, Don Coryell, Terrell Owens and Terrell Davis could see their chances of enshrinement rise with another year on the ballot.