Freedom grad Jimbo Covert selected to Pro Football Hall of Fame – The Times

Freedom High School grad Jimbo Covert, who played for the Chicago Bears from 1983-1990, has been selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Shortly after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday morning while in his hotel room in San Francisco, Jimbo Covert got a call on his cell phone. It was David Baker, president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

It didn't take long for Baker to explain why he called.

"I want to thank you for all you've done for the game, and I want to thank you for all you will do for this game," Baker said. "And I want to welcome you to Canton, Ohio, where we promise to guard your legacy forever."

With that, Covert, the pride of Conway and a Freedom High School graduate, learned that he'll be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Covert, an offensive tackle who played eight seasons with the Chicago Bears from 1983-1990, was elected to the Hall of Fame as part of special 20-member Class of 2020 to commemorate NFL's 100th season.

Covert is one of 10 seniors players whose careers ended more than 25 years ago -- who will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame in August and September ceremonies.

"Thank you," Covert said to Baker. "What a call.

"I don't know what to say. I'm shocked. Thank you so much. This is just incredible."

Covert, who now lives in Weston, Fla., was in San Francisco on business. Since retiring from football, he's enjoyed a successful career as an executive in healthcare sales, marketing and acquisition initiatives.

But it's his career in football that paved the way for his impending enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

After high school, where his exploits in football and wrestling made him a Freedom legend, Covert played college football at Pitt where he was a two-time All-American.

The Bears used their first-round pick in the 1983 NFL draft the sixth overall to select Covert.

He was a two-time first-team All-Pro who helped the Bears win six division championships, one NFC title and the 1985 Super Bowl. He ranks 13th on the Bears' all-time top 100 player list and was named to the NFL's 1980s All-Decade Team.

He'll be the fifth Beaver County product to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hell join Beaver Falls' Joe Namath (induction class of 1985), Aliquippa's Mike Ditka (1988), Hopewell's Tony Dorsett (1994) and Aliquippa's Ty Law (2019).

"That's good company," Covert said. "Getting into the Hall of Fame with those guys ... it 's hard to even imagine that. Growing up in Conway and going to Freedom High School, you never really think about things like this. You just love the game and appreciate how much the game means to you.

"I had a great high school career. I played for coach Chuck Lucidore. I went to Pitt and played for coach Jackie Sherrill and (O-line coach) Joe Moore. Then I went to Chicago and played for Mike Ditka.

"Maybe I wish I could have played a little longer. But I have no regrets. Getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it just centers you on looking back at your career. You play at a high level and get rewarded for it. I'm just ecstatic."

Covert, 59, will be one of 30 Bears in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the fifth player from the '85 Super Bowl team. Others Hall of Famers from that famed team are the late Walter Payton, Richard Dent, Dan Hampton and Mike Singletary, as well as coach Ditka.

"I just talked to Walter's son Jarrett a little while ago," Covert said. "I was really fortunate to be pretty close to Walter. I miss him every day. He was just a special person. He was the glue who held us together. Without him, we never win the Super Bowl in '85."

After the NFL announced the 10 senior members of its Centennial Hall of Fame class on Wednesday, Covert was bombarded with congratulatory phone calls, texts and emails.

"It's been a long day already," Covert said late Wednesday afternoon. "I've been up since 4 a.m. Pacific Coast time. But it's been an awesome experience and an awesome day. Early this morning when I talked to Dave Baker, it was pretty emotional.

"I'm almost speechless. I'm on cloud nine right now."

Covert has already been inducted into several halls of fame. Among them are the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame in 1996, Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1995 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

But in a few months he'll experience his greatest honor, induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Freedom grad Jimbo Covert selected to Pro Football Hall of Fame - The Times