Less than two weeks after coming up short on the Pro Football Hall of Fame, former Cowboys cornerback Everson Walls went into another prestigious Hall.
And Walls did so with Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson, as the former Cowboys defensive standouts were part of the 2018 Class for the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
Walls, star cornerback at Grambling, and Henderson, who played at Langston, were honored recently in Atlanta.
This year's class included former Eagles great Harold Carmichael (Southern), who actually finished his career with the Cowboys as well, and former Steelers great Greg Lloyd (Fort Valley State).
Other Hall of Famers were Raymond Chester (Morgan State), Coach Bill Hayes (Winston Salem-State and North Carolina A&T) and Leo Lewis (Lincoln).
"This class represents three Super Bowl rings, 18 Pro Bowl selections and several Black College Football championships," said BCFHOF Co-Founder and 2011 Inductee Doug Williams. "Take a look at what they've done off the field as well, and each has earned this incredible honor."
Walls, who was a teammate of Williams for one season at Grambling, led the nation with 11 interceptions as a senior in 1980, earning Kodak I-AA All-American honors. And despite being undrafted, Walls followed that up in 1981 with 11 picks as a rookie free agent with the Cowboys. It was one of three seasons in which Walls led the NFL in interceptions.
A finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame two weeks ago, Walls was left off the final vote. But a month before the final voting, he didn't seem too worried about it.
"Hey, whether or not I make it to Canton, I know I'm still a Hall of Famer," Walls said. "I just made it to the Black College Hall of Fame. And that's a really big deal."
Henderson, a former walk-on linebacker at Langston from 1971-74, was a two-time NAIA All-American and the Southwest District Defensive Player of the Year in 1974. A year earlier, he led Langston to an 11-2 record a playoff berth.
Unlike Walls, Henderson was able to get noticed by NFL teams, getting drafted by the Cowboys with the 18th overall pick in 1975. He was part of the "Doomsday Defense" in Dallas that won Super Bowl XII.
