Michigan’s 1997 National Championship will go down as one of the program’s most glorious in its books. But in that squad, iconic QB Tom Brady was just a footnote. Today, he is a reason to talk about Michigan football. However, one of the most crucial men who supported him on the field during his Michigan dominance is now finally getting some worthy recognition. It’s an honor that even Brady himself is yet to be bestowed with.

The 1998 season completely turned around Tom Brady’s career. He was no longer going to be a lesser-known QB languishing in the below ranks. But while he stunned college football fans, there was one man who helped him do so from the trenches. The co-captain of the 1997 Wolverines squad and former OT Jon Jansen is inducted to U-Mich’s Hall of Honor, the school announced on August 20. Jansen, at one time, was a record holder at Michigan, having started for 50 games straight. That’s a major aspect of the OT’s fame at Ann Arbor.

The year Tom Brady made himself known to college football, the OT was named the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year. Jansen was picked in the second round of the 1999 draft and played for 11 seasons in the league. He held the position of captain for the Redskins as well, for 7 seasons. Jansen was part of Michigan’s most glorious days in recent history, with the program going 39-11 during his career. He now hosts a podcast called In The Trenches, and also calls Michigan games.

Tom Brady has a longer career than that of Jansen’s, but it’s still going to be some time to once again be among Michigan’s greats. Jansen joins fellow 1997 player and Heisman winner Charles Woodson by winning this prestigious title. Jon Jansen was a quiet leader for Michigan football, but led them to glory nonetheless. At Washington too, he had the same, consistent performance.

Jon Jansen’s consistent appearances created a quiet legacy at his NFL home

Jansen made it to the 1999 NFL All-Rookie Team, which is proof enough of how his career panned out. He spent 10 seasons with the Redskins, and was only named to the Pro Bowl once, in 2005. He started in roughly 91% of all his games, indicating that Jansen was never going to back down from work. In 2000, while the Redskin O-line got littered with injuries, Jansen held down the fort. His reputation of starting in every single game since his high school days helped him keep the nickname of the ‘Rock,’ even in his Washington days.

Despite being a reliable force in the O-line, not many accolades came Jansen’s way. He was always in talks for a Pro-Bowl nomination until his eventual pick in 2005. Before that, Redskins players themselves voted him as the ‘Unsung Hero’ of the squad in 2002. Regarded with Chris Samuels as one of the best Washington OTs ever, he shares far lesser popularity than his teammate. In 2004, Samuels told NBC, “I think he definitely deserves more praise than what he gets.” Samuels was a 2000 draft pick, and had earned 2 Pro-Bowl honors by then, and earned his 3 with Jansen.

Today, Jan Jansen goes behind the mic to call Michigan games. The Hall of Honor mention was due for a long time for the OT, especially for his Wolverine legacy. He was a star before Tom brady outshined everyone else in the program, and more importantly, helped him the be the phenom he was for Michigan.