Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Drew Pearson has been named a finalist for induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2021, the Hall of Fame announced.

Pearson was selected as the Senior Finalist by the Hall of Fame’s Senior Committee, which met on Tuesday.

Pearson, undrafted out of Tulsa, played his entire career with Dallas. Over 11 seasons, he amassed 489 receptions for 7,822 yards (16.0 yards per catch) and 48 touchdowns. He was named to three All-Pro teams, three Pro Bowls, and the 1970s All-Decade Team.

In 22 postseason starts, Drew Pearson caught 68 balls and scored eight touchdowns. He helped lead the 1977 Cowboys to the Super Bowl XII title, topping the NFL in receiving yards (870 in 14 games) that season.

His two biggest seasons, statistically, came in 1974 (62 receptions, 1,087 yards, 14 games) and 1979 (55 receptions, 1,026 yards, eight TDs).

Pearson, 69, had previously been inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor, but he has waited decades for induction into the Hall of Fame.

“Thank you for the call. You made my day, and you made my life,” Pearson said on a call with Hall of Fame President and CEO David Baker. “How can I thank you? I’m crying, and I haven’t cried in a long time…Happy tears. I’ve been waiting for this call for so long.”

The Senior Committee, comprised of nine members of the Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee, reviews players whose careers ended at least 25 years ago.

“I know there is one more hurdle to get over, but this is the closest I’ve been,” Pearson said. “This is a dream come true.”

The 2021 enshrinement ceremony will take place on Aug. 8, 2021.