Mike Bass and the Washington Ring of Fame, 2022

On September 11, 2022, Mike Bass was inducted into the Washington Commanders Ring of Fame at the season opener at FedExField. For a cornerback who last played for the team in 1975, it was a long-awaited and very public thank-you. Here's what the honor is, how the day went, and where it sits in the rest of Mike's story.

The record behind the honor

The current Ring of Fame roster lists Mike as a cornerback for Washington from 1969 through 1975. The numbers back it up. In seven seasons he started 104 consecutive games, including the playoffs, according to the team's own announcement. He played 98 regular-season games for Washington from 1969 through 1975 and finished with 30 interceptions, which the team lists as fourth in franchise history.

And on January 14, 1973, he scored Washington's only touchdown in Super Bowl VII on a 49-yard return with 2:07 left. That play is the one most fans picture first, but the Ring of Fame honor rests on the whole body of work.

The announcement and the coverage

The news came out in August 2022, and the coverage ran into September. The Washington Commanders published a release headlined "Washington Commanders to induct Mike Bass into Ring of Fame during 2022 season opener." The Washington Post, in August 2022, ran its own story under the headline "Bass to be added to Ring of Fame at FedEx Field." Both are worth looking up if you want the details as they were reported at the time.

The day at FedExField

The celebration brought together family, teammates, friends and fans, and Mike's Ring of Fame page tells the day in photographs. There he is at the podium giving his induction speech, there he is holding the plaque, and there is the banner on the stadium that reads "41 MIKE BASS." The plaque carries his number, his name and the years 1969 to 1975. The page runs to dozens of photographs from the day, with the field, the podium and the people who came to see him honored.

On the stadium, Mike's banner hangs next to the one for George Allen. It's a fitting pairing, because Mike credits Coach Allen with giving him the knowledge and experience to become a consummate pro on defensive football and at the cornerback position.

The Washington Post told another side of the story in September 2022. Its headline was "A fan's perseverance helped put Mike Bass in Washington's Ring of Fame." We'll leave the reporting to the Post, but the headline alone says something about how long Mike's name stayed in the conversation. Somebody kept pushing, and the induction came.

The honors in order

The Ring of Fame wasn't Mike's first recognition from the team. It helps to read the list in order. He joined Washington in 1969 and became the starting right cornerback. In 1971 he led the team with eight interceptions, among the NFL leaders that year. In 1974 he was named All-NFC first team and AP All-NFL second team.

In 2002 Washington named him one of the 70 Greatest Redskins. Twenty years after that, the 2022 induction added the stadium honor that fans can actually see on game day. Each recognition came from a different angle, and together they cover the playmaking, the consistency and the big game.

One of the highlights of his life

Mike has described the induction as one of the highlights of his life. He puts it alongside the 2023 reunion in Freeport, Grand Bahama, where former players welcomed him back to honor his contribution to American football on the island. One honor came from the franchise he played for and the other from players he coached after the NFL.

That pairing says a good deal about how he thinks of his career. The Washington years and the Bahamas years sit side by side, and neither one is an afterthought.

See it for yourself

If you'd like to see the day, the Ring of Fame page carries the induction photographs and links to the Commanders release. It's a good way to see what a long career looks like when a franchise finally puts its name on the wall, with the number 41 right beside it.