Saturday headlines Georgia Sports Hall of Fame class

Jeff Saturday grew up a Georgia Bulldogs fans with hopes of one day wearing the team’s silver britches. He proved his worth in high school at Shamrock in Tucker earning all-state honors for head coach Ron Gartrell’s Vikings but was told by then Georgia head coach Ray Goff he was too short to play in the SEC.

Georgia Tech, at the time coached by Bill Lewis, showed him no love either and didn’t offer a scholarship.

Saturday did, however, have interest from Auburn, the service academies, Clemson, where he thought he would wind up, and North Carolina. After long discussions with his family, he chose North Carolina because of both the athletics and academic opportunities.

Wearing the sky blue and white for the Tar Heels of head coach Mack Brown, Saturday was a two-time team captain and two-time All-ACC selection at center and was an all-academic all-conference choice. During his four years in Chapel Hill, Carolina posted a 36-12 record and played in the Gator Bowl twice, as well as the Carquest and Sun bowls.

After graduating from North Carolina, he signed on with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent but was cut before playing in a game. After being waived by the Ravens, he took a job as a manager in an electrical supply company in Raleigh, North Carolina, but got another opportunity in the NFL when a former Carolina teammate recommended him to Indianapolis general manager Bill Polian.

Saturday got a tryout with the Colts, and as they say, the rest in history. Saturday got his first start at left guard in November of 1999 against Philadelphia. He took over as the Colts’ starting center in 2000 and started 85 consecutive games before missing two contests because of injury in 2004. During his tenure with Indianapolis, he started 188 of the 197 games and was the anchor of the offensive line that gave up the fewest quarterback sacks in the NFL in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Saturday was a Pro Bowler six times, earning the honor in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2012. In 2005 and 2007, he was named to the AP NFL All-Pro first team. In 2007, he was the Colts’ starting center on their Super Bowl XLI championship team that defeated the Chicago Bears. He is one of 12 Indianapolis players to be inducted into the team’s ring of honor.

While with the Colts, he was very much involved in community life in Indianapolis, especially charitable causes. He volunteered with the Kid’s Voice of Indianapolis, the People’s Burn Foundation, The Riley Hospital for Children and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Saturday was the key negotiator as a member of the NFL Players Association executive committee in the successful completion of the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFLPA in 2011. He is still involved in football today. He was named the head coach at Hebron Christian Academy in Dacula last month. He also works as an analyst for ESPN during the NFL season.

There is no doubt that he will one day be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he will first go into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. His induction comes Saturday night at the Macon City Auditorium. Saturday will be joined by a Georgia contingent that includes Garrison Hearst, Laura Coble, Liz Murphy and Manuel Diaz, Georgia Tech standouts Keith Brooking and Matt Harpring and Tennessee all-time great Willie Gault.

This story was originally published February 20, 2017 at 2:22 PM with the headline "Saturday headlines Georgia Sports Hall of Fame class."