DeMarcus Ware was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, and he took a moment in his induction speech to honor several fallen teammates.
Ware reserved empty seats for several players he played alongside who died in recent years, taking a moment to acknowledge them during his speech.
.@DeMarcusWare reserved seats in Canton for his former teammates who have passed away. ❤️
📺: #PFHOF23 Enshrinement on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/YdDnR6wlJC— NFL (@NFL) August 5, 2023
“We lost some guys too soon. Demaryius Thomas, Ronnie Hillman, Marion Barber,” Ware said, his voice breaking. “I held some seats in my heart for you guys here today. Keep resting in peace, fellas.”
Thomas and Hillman were both Ware’s teammates on the 2015 Denver Broncos team that won Super Bowl 50. Thomas died suddenly in December 2021, while Hillman passed away from a rare kidney condition in December 2022. Barber, who played with Ware on the Dallas Cowboys, lost his life in June 2022.
A four-time All-Pro, Ware was indisputably a great player, but he was clearly a great teammate as well. His recognition of his late teammates shows as much.
