Patrick Willis receives gold jacket during Pro Football Hall of Fame induction

The 2024 Hall of Fame class is being honored this weekend at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. A few legends were lucky enough to get their gold jackets on Friday night, including Ole Miss legend Patrick Willis, one of the greatest linebackers to ever play the game. Fittingly enough, he was given his gold jacket by Mike Singletary, another Hall of Famer at the position.

The final Gold Jacket of the night goes to @PatrickWillis52! Courtesy of @HaggarCo, he received it from Hall of Famer Mike Singletary.#PFHOF24 pic.twitter.com/5wfXHaiJ5M

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) August 3, 2024

Willis becomes just the third former Rebel enshrined in Canton, Ohio. He joins Bruiser Kinard (1970) and Gene Hickerson (2007). 

Willis was an all-American linebacker as a Rebel

He won both the Butkus Award and Lambert Trophy as a senior. Willis registered at least 100 tackles in six of his eight seasons.

He starred for Ole Miss from 2003 to 2006. No Rebel has been named to more All-American teams (13) in a single season, and he twice led the SEC in tackles. Willis was a first-team All-American in 2005 and 2006 and a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

He’s sixth in Ole Miss history in career tackles (355) and tied for sixth in career tackles for loss (33). Willis was the recipient of the 2006 Conerly Trophy, which is handed out annually to Mississippi’s best college football player. Willis, that same year, was also the recipient of Ole Miss’ Chucky Mullins Courage Award. He was inducted into the Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

NFL career timeline for the Hall of Famer

He was selected in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. They decided to take him with the No. 11 overall selection in the first round.

He won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. 

Willis was a seven-time Pro Bowler, as well as a five-time All-Pro. He finished his NFL career with 950 combined tackles (732 solo, 218 assists), 20.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, five fumbles recovered, eight interceptions and two defensive touchdowns.

“This wasn’t something I just woke up one day and had an injury and decided I’m through,” Willis told Le Batard of his decision to retire. “I’d been dealing with this. I told myself when my feet go out, that’s going to be the tell of when it’s time for me. 

“It was just taking a whole lot mentally and physically for me just be able to get up and play at that level. The game meant too much. I could have stayed around and done this and that, but that’s not how I’m built. That’s not how I’m wired.”

Willis is joined in the 2024 class by Dwight Freeney, Devin Hester, Andre Johnson, Julius Peppers, Randy Gradishar (senior) and Steve McMichael (senior). He finally made it in after missing out during each of the previous five selection processes.

On3’s Ben Garrett also contributed to this article.