As Jerome Bettis made his way through the sea of returning Hall of Famers, all of them congratulating him, hugging him and welcoming him to the family, his smile got wider and wider.
It was real. He was headed through that gauntlet of football legends, including fellow former Steelers Joe Greene, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann and Mel Blount.
And now he too, is one of those legends.
“That is what made it so sweet,” said Bettis. “I got welcomed by players that I watched when I was a kid. That is when it becomes very special.