Ex-Georgia Tech, NFL star Swilling headed to Hall of Fame

Georgia Tech great Pat Swilling was sitting on his front porch at his home in New Orleans on Wednesday when a box from the NFL arrived.

He assumed it was something from the player’s association, so he let it set for a spell. He finally got around to opening it later in the day and was surprised by the contents.

Inside was a football with the inscription, “College Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2009.”

His election was announced Thursday.

“Out of 4.8 million kids who have played college football, to be one of the 900 elected to the college football hall of fame, I’m in shock. I can’t believe it,” said Swilling, a Toccoa native who was a four-year letterwinner (1982-85) for the Jackets at defensive end.

“It’s exciting for me and the Georgia Tech family.”

Swilling, a member of the halls of fame for the state of Georgia, as well as Georgia Tech, set the Tech single-season record for sacks (15) in 1985, and is fifth in career sacks (23). He had seven sacks alone against N.C. State in 1985. He also helped lead Tech to back-to-back victories over Georgia his junior and senior seasons. His coach at Tech, Bill Curry, said Swilling was a “program changer.”

He is the 17th Tech player to be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. He is one of 15 players and two coaches who are a part of the 2009 class.

“He was a dominant force in all the right ways, at a time when we desperately needed him to be just that,” Curry said. “He was a warrior on the field, and he did the work in the classroom. He was great player and great leader, and I am very, very proud of him.”

Swilling went on to play 12 seaonss in the NFL, mostly with the Saints. He finished with 107.5 sacks.

The Hall of Fame is located in South Bend, Ind. Inductions will be held Dec. 7-8 in New York, and another ceremony will be held in early January in Arizona before the Fiesta Bowl.