Newest member of Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor is South Carolina football legend

The most underrated player in South Carolina football history is Bobby Bryant. The dynamic cornerback played for the Gamecocks in the mid-1960s and was an All-American performer (he also was an All-ACC baseball player) and was selected as the ACC's Athlete of the Year for the 1966-1967 academic year, yet he is often neglected when discussing the greatest Gamecocks in team history.

Bryant's role as an unsung hero continued into his NFL days. After being a 7th-round NFL Draft selection of the Minnesota Vikings but having to play his first year with the minor league Des Moines Warriors, Bryant became a star on the Purple People Eaters defense in Minnesota, though, he often was overshadowed by other players with more famous names.

This week, Bobby Bryant officially was chosen as the next inductee into the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor (you can watch him learning the news here) , putting him into the same fraternity as other legends like Fran Tarkenton. Bryant's selection is late but well-deserved.

During his career with the Vikings, he teamed up with fellow defensive back Paul Krause to form one of the most formidable corner-safety duos of all-time. The two men lead the Vikings organization in career interceptions (53 for Krause, 51 for Bryant) and postseason picks (6 for Bryant, 3 for Krause), and Bryant retired with the 10th-most interceptions of all-time.

The Macon, Georgia native was known for his knack for making big plays in big moments for the Vikings. While he was with the team, Minnesota played in the franchise's only four Super Bowls, and Bryant was one of just eleven players to play in each of those games. He was largely responsible for sending his team to the fourth of those Super Bowls as he had a blocked field goal return touchdown and two interceptions in the Vikings' NFC Championship Game win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Bryant was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and an All-Pro and was an even better player in the postseason. He has an outside chance of being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and this Ring of Honor selection will only help that cause.

Bobby Bryant will be inducted into the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor on September 22nd when the team plays against the Houston Texans.