On a Hickam Air Force Base field on Thursday, Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown saluted Charles Woodson of the Green Bay Packers.

Sort of.

"He’s the second-best corner in NFL history," Brown said, laughing.

Woodson said: "I can let him talk to me that way."

Brown said: "I can say that because we drafted him No. 1. I worked with him from day one."

The mentor and the student then embraced.

Brown was the director of staff development when the Oakland Raiders drafted the 1997 Heisman Trophy winner with the fourth overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft.

Brown volunteered to work with Woodson.

"I didn’t have to do much, believe that," Brown said.

For Woodson, it was akin to taking a class from a famed artist.

"Van Gogh," Woodson said of Brown’s mastery of the cornerback position.

"He was always in my ear about staying focused," Woodson said. "He’s a man-to-man guy. He had to keep me focused on being a man-to-man guy and not trying to do other things. He wanted me to focus on the (receiver)."

Woodson developed into one of the NFL’s top cover defenders.

After the 2005 season, Woodson signed a free-agent contract with the Green Bay Packers.

"It was like losing a son," Brown said. "He was going away. You hate to see your son go. I cried. The wife cried. The neighborhood cried. But, hey, it worked out for him."

Woodson recently completed his 14th NFL season. He will play in his eighth Pro Bowl on Sunday at Aloha Stadium.

"He’s still at the top of his game," Brown said. "Every time I get a Green Bay tape, I watch him in particular to see how he’s doing."

Woodson now plays safety in certain defensive packages, but still has the skill to play man coverages against speedy receivers.

"You get smarter the longer you play," Woodson said. "As long as your mind is strong, you can stay around."

Woodson said he would like to at least match the 16 years Brown played in the NFL.

"I’m motivated by winning and having fun," Woodson said.

"I’m doing both of those things. I’m looking forward to a couple of more good years."

Woodson maintains an intensive workout schedule during the offseason.

"I work hard," Woodson said. "It’s something I’ve been doing all my life. … I might be in my La-Z-Boy (to rest), but I get out of mine when I do work."