Former Florida A&M football player and Cincinnati Bengals defensive back Ken Riley finally got his day at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Riley, who died in 2020, was among nine former coaches and players enshrined in the Hall of Fame on Saturday in Canton, Ohio.
The late Riley was enshrined for his 15-year NFL career on the field by his wife, Barbara Riley, and his son, Ken Riley II.
Riley, who played quarterback at FAMU and was later drafted by the Bengals in the sixth round as a defensive back, was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
“It’s been a long time coming, Dad. But you made it.”
Ken Riley II speaks on behalf of his late father and @Bengals legend, Ken Riley.
📺: #PFHOF23 Enshrinement on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/0ZkdBN7CKY— NFL (@NFL) August 5, 2023
During his NFL career, Riley was named All-Pro four times and retired with the fourth most career interceptions, with 65 in 14 seasons.
“The good ones make it look easy,” Ken Riley II said. “Some say the players like my dad are born with natural talent. That is true, but they don’t see the blood, sweat and tears that make that talent shine. He was a Hall of Famer on and off the field.”
The recognition was long overdue for Riley, who retired 40 years ago.
“It’s been a long time coming, but Dad, you made it,” Riley II said.
