by: Lawrence Fernandez 15 hours ago lawandfern
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame has announced its Class of 2026 inductees. The group of eight includes three former NFL players, two of which played Alabama high school football.
In a report by WSFA 12 Sports, Evan Mathis and John Copeland are among the individuals that will be inducted on May 9, 2026. Mathis competed in football, wrestling, and track for Homewood before attending the University of Alabama.
The former third-round pick played for six NFL teams over 12 seasons. He earned his lone All-Pro selection in 2013 as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. Meanwhile, he won his only Super Bowl championship while with the Denver Broncos in the 2015 season. The six-foot-five guard from Birmingham also played for the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, and Carolina Panthers, the team that drafted him in 2005.