terrence metcalf 2025 NFF COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS

terrence metcalf

By Matt Fortuna

Terrence Metcalf always kept Hugh Nall's advice close to heart.

"No matter who people are, you always treat people right," Metcalf said of his offensive line coach at Ole Miss. "And that was his code. He didn't care if you were poor, rich, Black, White, Chinese. His whole thing is treat people right. If he ever felt like you were being disrespectful in any kind of way, you were going to hear about that. And so, I love that. Football led me to men who could show me a different way. And so, for that, I'm grateful for the game."

Those words guided Metcalf as he began his college football career with the Rebels. They guided him when he was drafted by the Chicago Bears. And they have absolutely guided him as a parent. Metcalf is the latest Ole Miss player to make the NFF College Football Hall of Fame, becoming the 10th former Rebels player to make the Hall, and the first since Patrick Willis in 2019.

When Willis was inducted six years ago, he went out of his way to thank Langston Rogers, the sports information director during Willis' playing days in Oxford, Miss. Metcalf couldn't resist mentioning Rogers as an influence as well, one of several he had in a college career that kept him close to home.

"You could be missing that parental guidance if your dad is not in your life, and my (middle school) coach went above and beyond to show me his commitment to me as a player. His name is Aaron Holden," Metcalf said of his influences. "He was my O-line and D-line coach in high school, and he just went above and beyond, making sure that I was focused and doing things the right way, not only on the football field, but in the classroom.

"And then my mom played the main role in my life. She was a single mother with five kids, and we had no issues. She was able to feed us, house us, and clothe us. There are just so many people. Langston Rogers, when I came to Ole Miss, basically told me: 'If you do the things the right way in the classroom, on the football field, I'm going to do my job to make sure that everybody knows who Terrence Metcalf is.' And, man, to this day, when I see him, I always thank him for his consistent commitment in my life. People always talk about giving people their coins while they're alive, and Langston was very instrumental in so many of our lives at that time playing at Ole Miss during the decade we were playing."

The 6-foot-4, 315-pound Metcalf blocked for future NFL stars at quarterback (Eli Manning) and running back (Deuce McAllister). He served as team captain. Metcalf earned a number of individual awards, including Co-Offensive Player of the Year honors from the Rebel Club of Jackson in 1997 and SEC Most Valuable Lineman honors in 2001 from the Birmingham Monday Morning Quarterback Club, an NFF Chapter since 2019.

"We had a really good group of young players and guys that were in there," Metcalf said. "My fondest memories would be just us being in the summertime - nobody's on campus but the football team - and just us developing a mindset of, 'Hey, we're here at Ole Miss, we want to change the program.' And so guys like Deuce McAllister, guys like Derrick Burgess, Romaro Miller, Ken Lucas - Eli hadn't come in yet (until 1999) - we knew we were going to be able to change the program if we had enough time with the coaching staff that we had, but they decided to leave and go to Auburn."

Chicago drafted Metcalf in the third round in 2002, leading to a seven-year career with the Bears. The Clarksdale, Miss., native has kept busy post-retirement, coaching at Oxford High School, Pearl River Community College and as the head coach at Coahoma Community College in his hometown. His son, DK, continued his legacy at Ole Miss before becoming an All-Pro NFL receiver.

"I can guarantee you this: Without football, coming from where I am, either you're going to choose one or the other," Metcalf said. "And I submerged myself in football and weight training and my academics to avoid anything possibly turning toward street life. And so, football gave me everything that I ever desired, from developing my mind, developing my discipline and strength and camaraderie, to how to work well with others.

"I can teach these things to my son, and I took the exact same approach with my son that Hugh Nall and Aaron Holden took with me about work and outworking the next person. And I did the exact same thing with each of my children - my son, my daughters, my younger daughter, my two younger sons - and I continue to just preach that same message, because it holds true."