Mike Saxon
Mike Saxon
Year: 1980-1981
Sports Played: Football
Induction Year: 2018

Saxon was the punter on the 1980 Metropolitan Conference champion Lancers football team and twice was selected All-MC in his two seasons. After PCC, Saxon went on to set numerous school records including highest average yards per punt and longest punt (80 yards) as a walk-on at San Diego State University, earning All-American honorable mention as a senior. He was drafted in the 11th round of the 1984 NFL Draft by Detroit. Embarking on an 11-year NFL career for three teams, Saxon had a major highlight in playing in Super Bowl XXVII as he earned a champion ring, punting for the Dallas Cowboys. Fittingly for Saxon, the 1993 contest was played just down the road from PCC at the Rose Bowl. Mike was best known for his ability to land punts consistently inside the opponent's 20-yard line. At the time of his retirement in 1995, he was sixth in the NFL all-time in that category. Saxon played for Coach Harvey Hyde, who is also in the PCC Hall of Fame. 

Trivia Note: Saxon told the HOF audience at the Aug. 25, 2018 ceremony that as a little kid he went with his father, a head football coach at El Monte High, to the school's practices and would "kick the ball" to pass time. But it was a wide receiver on the team, who gave him a tutorial on how to hold and properly punt a football as a spiral. He credits this person for teaching him how to punt and thus helping him turn into a pro player. The wide receiver? Baseball wonder kid and 1975 American League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player--Fred Lynn, who starred at USC before becoming an All-Star outfielder with the Boston Red Sox and California Angels. Another note was Saxon and fellow PCC Hall of Famer Mike Lansford are not only the lone punter and kicker in the PCC Hall of Fame, but both attended Arcadia High before becoming Lancers.

Mike Saxon at his 2018 induction ceremony with fellow kicking PCC Hall of Famer Mike Lansford (right).