CALVIN JOHNSON

Matthew Stafford got a call this week from a childhood friend who knows a little something about waiting a long time to win his first championship.

The NFL’s steady increase in offensive production took a step back this season.

Cooper Kupp is finishing up one of the greatest seasons by a receiver in NFL history.

Derrick Henry now has an extra game to help him surpass Eric Dickerson’s 37-year-old rushing record.

Peyton’s Place is now in Canton, Ohio, at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

For 18 seasons, whether playing cornerback or safety, Charles Woodson was as dependable as they come.

From bone-rattling tacklers Troy Polamalu, Steve Atwater and Cliff Harris to hard-charging runner Edgerrin James to the pass-catching brilliance of Isaac Bruce and Harold Carmichael, the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2020 has something for everyone.

Hall of Fame Football FILE - In this Nov. 4, 2018 file photo, former Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton manning talks prior to an NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and the Houston Texans in Denver. The roster of men entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend of Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, features everything from the prolific passer, to the dominant defender, and not to mention coaches. The group of men entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend features everything. “I never knew I was going to wind up a pro football player,” Manning told the Hall of Fame for its yearbook. ___AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton and Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed.

The group of men entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend features everything.

The Pittsburgh Steelers followed a stumbling first half with a strong final 30 minutes to beat Dallas 16-3 in the first NFL preseason game in two years.

The NFL could finally see its first 2,000-yard receiver.

Manning was selected Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2021. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File)NFL greats elsewhere, Peyton Manning and John Lynch shared a second career in Denver. Close friends Manning and Lynch, who joke about drinking Mai Tai cocktails together at Pro Bowls in Hawaii and then charging them to hotel rooms of other players, are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 2021. This is the ultimate that one player could ever achieve after their playing days are over.”Like Pearson, Flores and Lynch, Faneca had a lengthy wait. During the pandemic, Baker instead traveled to the houses of the four modern-day players and Flores, and he surprised Manning at the Broncos' stadium.

Charles Woodson beat out Peyton Manning for a prestigious college award. On Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, they likely will share an even more impressive football honor: entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Not three years later, Manning threw 55 touchdown passes — that record still stands as the most in a season — and started in the Super Bowl for the Broncos. But he guided the Broncos to a win in Super Bowl 50 — then left the field forever. He finished his career with 65 interceptions and 13 defensive touchdowns, tied for the career record with Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper.

Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson, Jared Allen and Calvin Johnson are first-year eligible players to make the list of 25 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fames class of 2021. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)TAMPA, Fla. – The Latest on the 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame class announced Saturday during the NFL Honors TV show (All times EST):___10:49 p.m.Peyton Manning is heading to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, an all-but-preordained honor for a quarterback who helped redefine offense in the 21st century. Manning spent his first 14 years in Indianapolis, where he won his first Super Bowl. ___10:08 p.m.Alan Faneca, the sturdy guard who spent years opening holes open for Jerome Bettis and protecting Ben Roethlisberger, is going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. ___9:33 p.m.Calvin Johnson, the receiver better known as “Megatron,” has been named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

More than two decades ago Charles Woodson beat out Peyton Manning for a prestigious college award. On Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, they likely will share an even more impressive football honor: entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File)More than two decades ago, Charles Woodson beat out Peyton Manning for a prestigious college award. On Saturday, they likely will share an even more impressive football honor: entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. When everybody is seeing it through the same eyes, it is a great way to play a football game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)TAMPA, Fla. – Making the playoffs for the first time in 13 years is just a start for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “There’s going to be a bunch of teams that make it this year, and there’s only going to be one team that ends up happy,” Brady said. The Bucs gained 410 yards in the first half against the Lions compared to 60 before halftime against the Falcons the previous week. STOCK DOWNDespite the shortcomings on special teams against Detroit, Arians feels good about where the team’s overall performance as it heads toward the playoffs.

Midway through the 2020 season, performance has altered perception all around the NFL. Here’s a look at who’s up and who’s down:UPDALVIN COOK: While running backs have generally been devalued during this pass-happy era, Cook is showing the impact a big-play back can make. He leads the NFL with 858 yards and 12 touchdowns despite missing one game with an injury. He’s the first NFL player with at least 50 catches, 600 yards receiving and eight touchdown receptions over his first six games of a season. Evans has been a productive threat near the end zone with seven TD catches, but six of those have come on passes from inside the 10.

FILE - In this Dec. 29, 2013, file photo, Oakland Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson (24) talks with Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) after an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif. Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson are among 14 first-year eligible candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson are among 14 first-year eligible candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The roster of nominees consists of 65 offensive players, 49 defensive players and 16 special teams players. A maximum of five modern-era players will be chosen when the selection committee meets the Saturday before the Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida. Eighteen finalists will be presented to the full 48-member panel: the 15 modern-era finalists, and the recently nominated Drew Pearson (senior); Bill Nunn (contributor); and Tom Flores (coach). Enshrinement at the hall in Canton, Ohio, will take place next August, when members of the 2020 class and a special centennial class also will enter the football shrine.