Former UK guard Dermontti Dawson was inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame Sunday. Dawson was born in Lexington, KY and played at Bryan Station High School, he played at Kentucky from 1984-1987. He was named to the second team All-SEC team his senior year before being drafted in the 2nd round by the Pittsburgh Steelers.  All 13 years in the NFL Dawson only played for the Steelers, seven of those years he was selected to the Pro Bowl and he had 6 All Pro selections. Dawson is the second former Wildcat to be inducted into th hall of fame, joining former QB George Blanda.

       He thanked his college coach during the ceremony, "I want to thank my head coach Jerry Claiborne for repeating his motto 'be the best,' " Dawson said. "I heard that for five years when I attended UK. And then one day a light went off in my head and said, 'OK, why am I out here if I am not going to be the best player on the field?" He finished his speech in Canton by saying his own personal ethos, "Do everything with a purpose," Dawson said. "Live, act, play and work with a purpose, with a passion and more importantly with honor."

        Other players inducted in the 2012 ceremony were former Steeler QB Jack Butler, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy, Curtis Martin and Willie Roaf.