Pyne named to 2017 ACC Football Legends class

The former Tech center enjoyed a standout career in the early 1990s and will be honored with 13 others at the league's Night of Legends before the ACC Championship Game

October 31, 2017

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Former Virginia Tech center Jim Pyne is one of 14 honorees to be recognized as part of the 2017 ACC Football Legends class announced Tuesday by the league office.

Pyne joins a contingent that includes Boston College’s Matt Hasselbeck, Clemson’s Homer Jordan, Duke’s Bob Harris, the late Monk Bonasorte of Florida State, Georgia Tech’s Keith Brooking, Louisville’s Joe Jacoby, Miami’s Bennie Blades, North Carolina’s Brian Simmons, NC State’s Levar Fisher, Pitt’s Jimbo Covert, Syracuse’s Tom Coughlin, Virginia’s Bob Davis, and Wake Forest’s Ryan Plackemeier.

Pyne, who played from 1990-93, became Virginia Tech's first unanimous All-American when he made all five major teams that were selected in 1993. In addition to All-America honors, Pyne was named winner of the Dudley Award as Virginia's Player of the Year.

During his four seasons at Tech, Pyne established himself as one of the Hokies' top linemen of all time, leading the charge for the 1993 team that rewrote the school record books for scoring and total offense. Pyne started 35 consecutive games and 41 of the 42 Tech games in which he played. He allowed just one quarterback sack in more than 2,700 career snaps.

Following his standout collegiate career, Pyne was drafted in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft and spent nine seasons as an NFL lineman with four different organizations – Tampa Bay, Detroit, Cleveland and Philadelphia.

The Virginia Tech Athletics Department later retired Pyne’s jersey No. 73, and in 2004, the department inducted Pyne into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame. He recently returned to Blacksburg to be one of many recognized as part of the football program’s 125 years of existence.

For more on the 2017 ACC Football Legends class, please click here.

This year’s Legends class will be honored during the ACC Night of Legends presented by the Charlotte Sports Foundation at the Charlotte Convention Center, on Friday, Dec. 1, and during the on-field pregame festivities at the 13th annual Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game set for the evening of Saturday, Dec. 2, at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium.

Reserved tables and seats for the ACC Night of Legends presented by the Charlotte Sports Foundation are available now. Fans are encouraged to secure their access to this event by visiting: www.theACC.com/NightofLegends.

For updates on Virginia Tech football, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_Football and on Instagram @HokiesFB