Two days from now, two Pro Football
players with ties to the Tampa
Bay area will become two of just
371 players forever enshrined in
the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Bucks legend Rendez Barber will accept
the honors this Saturday in Canton.
OH, and after 35 years of eligibility,
Bartow native Ken Riley will
also be honored posthumously.
10 Tampa Bay Sports Director
Evan Klosky is in Kent tonight.
Just days ago,
he spoke to O'reilly's wife about
the feeling of finally seeing
her late husband enter the Hall
in 2015. Bartow native and Bengals
legend Ken Riley enjoyed his induction
into the Black College Football
Hall of Fame right here in Canton.
But he always wanted that gold jacket.
The moment where he can stare
at his bust and know he was with
all the legends of this sport.
He never had that day and his family will,
which creates A bittersweet occasion
come enshrinement on Saturday,
especially for his wife Barbara.
Let me take this opportunity to
welcome your board for 1969.
The path to a playing career in
the NFL is different for everyone
who has suited up in the league,
but that's what they start calling
the Ratla Code of Fam Youth.
That includes how you get there,
how long you stay there and the
impact you make upon leaving.
This is when he retired. That was the
last game he played in in Cincinnati.
Out of the 25,000 plus players who
have ever lined up in this league,
only 371 can steer their
career into the Pro Football
Hall of Fame and call it home.
The newest addition here,
Bengals legend and Bartow native
Ken Riley, is member 368.
Oh my goodness, we are Overture
it right now for him. Barbara
Riley is Ken's wife. Oops.
Her husband's number one fan who
has diligently documented his
success throughout the years.
And this is the second one.
The stats seemingly speak for itself,
which is why she'll never understand why,
35 years after his eligibility opened, Mrs.
Riley now has to speak for
him. Why did it take so long
for Ken to get this recognition?
That was a $65,000 question. Ken's
65 interception still ranked in a tie
for fifth most ever in NFL history.
In his 15 year career with Cincinnati,
he recorded a pic every season
playing a total of 207 games.
Consistent, productive,
Game changing and for many,
including the Riley's overlooked.
Is that why aren't they speaking?
You know why? What are they looking for?
The sad reality is there's no true answer.
Something can realize before his
death in June of 2020 after suffering
a heart attack at 72 years old. And
it's still sad.
And I still say, oh, it's so sad.
That will complete his career and
he knew he was one of the best,
but they didn't see it
like we saw it at the time
until it was too late. No knock,
just tears shed between Ken's
former teammate Anthony Munoz
and his son, Ken Riley Jr. I
was been praying for this call.
I'm sorry that you know that he is not
here to accept all the accolades and
the interviews and things for himself
and the put on that gold jacket and
say to himself, I did it, I'm here.
Barbara feels closest to her late
husband of 51 years walking to the
laundry room, seeing this photo.
She couldn't wait to tell him the good news.
When I look at it and I said,
you know, you finally made it into,
you know, the Hall of Fame, You know
Barbara will see her husband much
differently on enshrinement day,
unveiling his bust for the very first time.
When I get there and I see it,
I know it's going to be emotional.
His bus and his name will be in there
forever. The people come and see.
That's something his new home in
Canton will be able to share with
his childhood home in Bartow.
There was an address change
made on June 3rd of this year.
It was good. It was a good
moment, a prom moment.
When Barbara walked past her photo,
there's a quote saying even when they
are gone, we can still look back and
clearly see the trail they left behind.
You know, everybody pushing, just pushing
and keeping his name out there.
So found it did happen.
For those closest to Ken,
the trail was always there for many.
They're finally seeing it
at the end, he said.
I'm done waiting. I'm done.
Well, Barbara will unveil Ken's bust.
It will actually be her son, Ken Riley Jr.
making a speech on his behalf.
I asked Barbara if you knew
anything that was coming.
In the speech, she says she has no idea,
but she's confident it will be good.
From Kenton Evan Klosky,
10, Tampa Bay, Really
an important time for the family there at 10.
Tampa Bay sports reporter David
Cheley joins us right now.
David Denley bittersweet moment
here for the whole family. Yeah,
I mean, absolutely, because you miss
him dearly, right?
But you also get a chance to celebrate
him and that that's what's
awesome for the family.