It took awhile, but Harold Carmichael is heading to the Hall of Fame.

The former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in a surprise announcement this morning.

Hall President and CEO David Baker delivered the news via telephone, on Wednesday morning.

“I never thought this would happen, but ...” a emotional Carmichael told Baker, who then officially welcomed the former wide out into this year’s Hall of Fame class to be inducted this summer.

Carmichael was a wide receiver with the Eagles for 13 seasons from 1971 to 1982, and was named to four Pro-Bowls during his career.

Overall he hauled in 590 passes for 8985 yards and 79 scores. He led the NFL in catches and yards in 1073 with 67 catches for 1116 yards that season.

"I feel like I am dreaming, I feel so numb," Carmichael said.  "I just thinking about the people I would like to share this with, it wasn't me by myself."

"This is such an honor, something that everybody that plays in the NFL, this is where they want to get."

Carmichael was a seventh-round draft pick out of Southern in 1971, but started out as a tight end before moving to wide receiver the next year.

He was named a member of the 1970's NFL All-Decade team, the Philadelphia Eagles 75th Anniversary team and the is a member of the Eagles Hall of Fame.

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