Robert Brazile was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018 by the Hall's board of selectors Saturday. Here's what you need to know about Brazile, who will be inducted in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 4:
Résumé: Outside linebacker, Houston Oilers, 1975-1984
Why he was selected: The late Bum Phillips referred to Brazile as "Lawrence Taylor before Lawrence Taylor." Brazile, the Houston Oilers' great who played 10 years in the NFL, revolutionized the outside linebacker position in a 3-4 defense. He had a rare combination of speed, strength, tackling and coverage ability.
Brazile won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award in 1975, then was selected to the Pro Bowl for seven consecutive seasons. He was named to six consecutive All-Pro teams (first and second team) from 1976 to '81. He is a member of league's 1970s All-Decade Team. He never missed a game and was known as an Energizer bunny.
Brazile has an unofficial career sack total of 48 -- because sacks weren't an official stat until 1982. He was a complete linebacker who was credited with 1,281 tackles, second most in Oilers/Titans history.
Remember this? Brazile is known as "Dr. Doom" by most who remember him from the "Luv Ya Blue" Oilers of the late-1970s.
The Dr. Doom nickname originated before Brazile entered the NFL. Then-USC linebacker Richard Wood was talking to sportscaster Howard Cosell during a breakfast before the college all-star game. Wood called Brazile over with a nickname idea, Dr. Doom, which he picked up from a Chicago Tribune cartoon character.
Brazile was initially skeptical, but Cosell stepped in with just the analogy to convince him: "Take that Doom. It means 'death on offensive men.' It fits you."
"I said, 'OK, I can live by that,' " Brazile said. "People still want me to sign autographs as Dr. Doom."
He said it: "This is my home. I want to become a Hall of Famer here," said Brazile, a Mobile, Alabama native. "Y'all don't know how many people in my little neighborhood will show up to Canton. I may load some up in the boat, tie the boat up to the Winnebago, fill up the Winnebago and pull them there.
"It touches so many people other than me -- for my college, for my city. This is all the weight on my shoulders. This is the reason why since August I haven't been able to sleep because of me being selected as a finalist."