DeMarcus Ware, Andre Johnson and Devin Hester, all in their first year of eligibility, are among the finalists to enter the Football Hall of Fame in 2022.
The 15 modern-day players who will be considered by a selection committee on January 18 also include tackle tackle Tony Boselli, who is in his sixth year as a finalist, and defensive lineman Richard Seymour, in his fourth. year.
The other finalists announced Thursday are safety back Leroy Butler, receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne, linebackers Sam Mills, Zach Thomas and Patrick Willis, defensive linemen Jared Allen and Bryant Young, cornerback Ronde Barber and as tackle Willie Anderson.
A maximum of five modern-day players can be elected in August at the Temple, which is located in Canton, Ohio. The inductees will be announced on February 10, during the presentation of the individual honors for the 2021 season.
Three other finalists, head coach Dick Vermeil, builder Art McNally and senior player Cliff Branch are also among the candidates for the 2022 induction. Voting on these three finalists will be done on an individual basis.
Hester is a rare finalist to have made his mark mostly on special teams. He started the 2007 Super Bowl with a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the only one scored that way in Super Bowl history.
Hester has been named to the NFL All-Star three times, was a 2010 Team Member of the Decade, and is one of two kick return specialists to make the 100 years of the NFL.
Thomas, who was named to the All-Star team on five occasions, made his mark as one of the NFL’s top tackles as an outside linebacker, between 1996 and 2008.
Boselli is one of a strong group of offensive linemen who have been considered for the Football Hall of Fame for the past several years. Kevin Mawae, Steve Hutchinson and Alan Faneca made their debut recently. Boselli was inserted into the team in the 1990s even though he only played for half of that decade.
Like Boselli, Butler is in his 16th year of eligibility. The Green Bay Packers safety back has been named to the NFL All Star four times and was a team of the 1990s. He is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the game. history of sport.
Mills, who passed away in 2005, is in his 20th and final year of eligibility as a Modern Era candidate. A three-time all-star nominee, he helped the Carolina Panthers advance to the National Association finals in just their second season in the NFL.
Ware, a four-time all-star team nominee, led the Dallas Cowboys quarterback for eight seasons and reached the 20-sack plateau in 2008. He won the Super Bowl after the 2015 season, with the Denver Broncos. He was selected on the team of the decade 2000.
Johnson has been on the All-Star squad twice. He led the NFL in receptions twice, in 2006 and 2008, and in receiving yards on two occasions, in 2008 and 2009. He ended his career with 1,062 receptions for gains of 14,185 yards and 70 hits.
Two of his contemporaries, Holt and Wayne, are also finalists. Holt was drafted to the 2000s Team of the Decade and won the Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams in 1999. Wayne announced his retirement when he was ranked second in all-time record. caught in the playoffs, with 93, and he won the Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts.
Anderson has been considered one of football’s top right-tackle blockers in his 13 professional seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.
Allen has been named to the All-Star Team four times and led the NFL in sacks in 2007 and 2011. Seymour was named to the 2000s Team of the Decade and he appeared in four Super Bowl games with the New England Patriots.
Young made the Comeback of the Year in 1999 and was named to the Team of the 1990s. Willis won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2007 and was a member of the team. of the decade 2010.
Barber was one of the NFL’s most tenacious cornerbacks in coverage in his 16 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was selected to the All-Star Team three times and was part of the Team of the 2000s. Barber won the Super Bowl with the Buccaneers.
