BIRMINGHAM, Ala. | One day after being selected a semifinalist for the National Football League (NFL) Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, former Alabama A&M University All-American Robert Mathis earned another accolade after he was selected to the Class of 2024 Alabama Sports Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
 
Mathis was among eight chosen to be induced into the hall of fame, joining Penney Hauschild Buxton, Larry Chapman, John Drew, David Palmer, Scott Sullivan and Mike Washington.
 
Mathis, a native of Atlanta, Ga., played football at Alabama A&M, starting all four years at defensive end and outside linebacker. During his senior season, he set the NCAA I-AA single-season sack record with 20 sacks. 
 
Mathis, a member of the Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020, was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. In 2006, Mathis started all 16 games for the first time in his career and recorded a career-high 65 tackles while helping lead his team to a Super Bowl victory over the Chicago Bears. 
 
Mathis was a five-time Pro Bowler and spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Colts. He holds the NFL record for most career forced fumbles (54). Mathis finished his NFL career with 538 tackles, 123 sacks, 54 forced fumbles, and 17 fumble recoveries. He retired in 2016 and has served as a pass rush consultant for the Colts since 2017.
 
Starting with the first class in 1969, this will be the 56th Class inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. The eight newly elected inductees will bring the total number of inductees to 401.
 
The 56th Annual Induction Banquet and Ceremony will be held in the Birmingham Ballroom, at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel, on May 4, 2024. For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Museum at (205) 323-6665.

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