What Is Michael Jordan’s Relationship With NFL Legend Dwight Freeney? Exploring Their Years-Old Bond

Michael Jordan‘s public appearances are quite rare now, but Dwight Freeney’s Hall of Fame has done the trick. The former NFL star recently got inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which so far has just 378 members. And Freeney has reportedly been number 372 to be inducted into this prestigious category of stars. The ceremony held this Saturday, witnessed the presence of the Chicago Bulls legend.

Not only did Mike attend the induction ceremony, but also joined Freeney on the stage and shared a hug with him. But how did the two stars coming from completely different sports get so tight, you ask? Well, the two have reportedly been friends for almost 20 years now, which started with their shared love for golf. So let’s have a closer look at the kind of bond the two developed two decades in.

It was Michael Jordan who planned the surprise reveal of HOF for Freeney

There is a ritual as per which an already-inducted Hall of Famer notifies the future inductee. For Dwight, Tony Dungy did the honors, but it was all planned out by Mike himself. As revealed by NFL Network’s Steve Wyche, MJ, along with Freeney’s wife, planned the surprise reveal for the former NFL star.

The 58-year-old reporter revealed that Freeney and Jordan play golf on MJ’s course at least four days a week. “To Dwight Freeney, it was a routine golf outing with Michael Jordan. But MJ and Dwight’s wife and a couple of people set it up so that Tony Dungy and our crew and Jim Porter would be there to surprise him…” Wyche said on ‘The Rich Eisen Show‘.

The only hint Dwight could have had from MJ was to dress up nice and not just in a t-shirt. But His Airness covered that up saying he had planned a special picture session for Grove 23. “And Dwight walks in the door and there’s Tony [Dungy],” Wyche recalled. Notably, it was Dungy who drafted Freeney in the 2002 NFL draft. Speaking on a similar line, Wyche highlighted how tough it would have been for Dungy as well to keep it together with the news.

“Dwight Welcome to the Pro-Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2024. Welcome to the family,” Dungy said after MJ’s surprise reveal, shared by Indianapolis Colts on their YouTube channel. Further during the interaction, the former Colts head coach stated he had some great players on the team, but Dwight was the first player that got picked when he was there. The 68-year-old described the feeling of seeing that first pick become a HOF as remarkable.

And even Freeney responded with similar emotions, stating he would not be here if it was not for Dungy. Further in the video, the crew also had a discussion with Michael Jordan. The 6x NBA champ mentioned he is really glad that his friend got into the HOF, as he had to console him for not making it last year. “He was not talking about it this year. He was afraid to,” MJ added.

“He’s always been there for me”: Dwight Freeney talks about his bond with the Chicago Bulls legend

During a recent episode of ‘RG3 and The Ones‘, the former NFL star talked about MJ’s surprise revelation and his bond with the 6x NBA champ. Speaking with Robert Lee Griffin III, the Super Bowl XLI champ mentioned Mike is like his big brother. He also expressed his disbelief in how once even he was an MJ fan, and now after linking up over golf multiple times, there is a bond that stands real strong.

“… One of those bonding type of things where… We hanging out… playing golf. We hanging out… playing cards… It’s just, he’s a good dude, man. He’s a good dude,” Freeney said on the show. During nearly decades of their friendship, Jordan has seemingly witnessed everything the ex-NFL star went through with his game. Even how he felt when he did not make it last year to the Hall of Fame.

And although the former Colts star did not lean into MJ much for his game related advice, he revealed His Airness always supported him. “He’s always been there for me whenever I needed him. And, you know, he’s just a great dude,” he added.

The two stars are teammates at Jordan’s exclusive golf course situated in Hobe Sound, Florida — The Grove XXIII. As per the information given to Golf Digest by Freeney, he is one of the 100 people who have an exclusive invitation to play at the club. But what about Mike’s competitive urge during their time on the golf course?

Well, Michael Jordan, over the years, has become a synonym for competitiveness. And as revealed by Dwight, this does not go away on the course either. “He’s not a bad golfer, he’s a great golfer. But the fact that he could turn it on so similar to how he turned it on the basketball court and just do amazing stuff where you’re like there is no way, you know on hole 18 he’s 160 yards out and he holds it in, he hits it in the hole,” Freeney said.

Well, that explains their friendship and understanding, and MJ’s appearance at Freeney’s HOF ceremony.

Stay tuned for more such updates. Join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.