Syracuse, N.Y. -- Syracuse legend Dwight Freeney had his jersey honored at halftime of Syracuse's 31-28 win over No. 23 on Georgia Tech on Saturday, becoming the seventh player in program history to have his individual jersey placed in a position of prominence in the JMA Wireless Dome.
Freeney joined Larry Csonka (39), Tim Green (72), John Mackey (88), Donovan McNabb (5), Don McPherson (9) and Joe Morris (47). Syracuse has also retired the number 44, honoring the legacy of the number and players like Jim Brown, Ernie David and Floyd Little.
Freeney has enjoyed a memorable year, joining the College Football Hall of Fame and the Professional Football Hall of Fame within the past 12 months. He will be honored in Indianapolis tomorrow at halftime of the game between the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. He will receive his Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence.
"Man, this year I'm 44," Freeney said. "Obviously, 44 is special here. It's been a great year. It's been a ride. It just keeps going. I hope it keeps going."
On Saturday, Freeney walked with the team during its pregame Quad Walk. Once inside the JMA Wireless Dome he wore his gold NFL Hall of Fame jacket. He was invited by the team's coaches to share some of his knowledge with SU players before the game and opted to show off the spin move he perfected during his career.
He spoke briefly to the crowd at the JMA Wireless Dome at halftime, calling it "the loudest building I've ever played in in my entire life."
"It's kinda crazy," Freeney said. "You don't think about these things and then when they happen you get flooded with emotion."
The school played a video of his career highlights that was narrated by former SU strength coach Will Hicks, who currently works as a special assistant to head coach Fran Brown.
Freeney credits Hicks for much of his success and their relationship runs so deep that Freeney returned to the Syracuse campus every summer, even after reaching NFL stardom, in order to work out with his old strength coach.
Freeney was a dominant defensive player for the Orange from 1998 to 2001.
He sacked Michael Vick 4.5 games in a memorable game between Syracuse and No. 2 Virginia Tech in 2000, one remembered by many (including myself) as the loudest game they've ever attended.' That remains the Syracuse single-game sack record.
Freeney finished his Syracuse career with 34 sacks, including 17.5 sacks during his senior season. He also forced eight fumbles, helping the team to 10-win season.
Freeney went on to continue terrorizing quarterbacks in the NFL, finishing his career with 125.5 career sacks. That currently ranks 18th on the NFL's all-time sacks list.
Syracuse's celebration of Freeney was all the more joyous because of the team's win -- one that included excellent play from another defensive end, Fadil Diggs. It was the first win over a nationally-ranked team for Fran Brown in his Syracuse career.
Freeney said that Brown called him the day after he was hired and expressed a desire to have Freeney, and other former Syracuse players, around the program as much as possible.
"I don't know what it's going to end up being," Freeney said of the program under Brown. "But I have belief and faith that he has intangibles as a coach that mean a lot. He goes beyond the Xs and Os. It's about coaching, not only the player, but the person."