The National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame have announced nominees on the ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021. There are a few criteria that nominees must meet in order to receive consideration.
- You must have been named a First-Team All-American during your playing days.
- A minimum of 10 years must have passed since your final season of college football. No more than 50 years can have passed since your last college football game.
- Post-football record and academic record matters.
- Coaches can become nominated three years after retirement, but active coaches can be nominated if they reach 75 years old.
One current member and many former members of the Kansas Cty Chiefs franchise will be listed on the ballot for the 2021 class. Here’s a quick rundown the three most notable players and their descriptions from the NFF:
Colorado RB Eric Bieniemy (Current Chiefs offensive coordinator)
“1990 unanimous First Team All-American and finished third in 1990 Heisman voting…Played in two national championships, leading Buffs to 1990 national title…Two-time All-Big Eight pick, still holding eight CU records.“
California TE Tony Gonzalez (Former Chiefs tight end from 1997-2008)
“1996 consensus First Team All-American and First Team All-Pac-10 selection…Holds Cal record for receptions in a bowl game (9 in 1996 Aloha Bowl)…Posted 89 receptions for 1,302 yards and eight touchdowns during career.“
Michigan State K Morten Andersen (Former Chiefs kicker from 2002-2003)
“1981 First Team All-American who left MSU as the Big Ten’s all-time leader in field goals (45)…Set still-standing conference record with 63-yard field goal in 1981 and was a three-time All-Big Ten performer…Led the Spartans in scoring for three seasons.“
There are a few other names with ties to the Chiefs such as Jack Del Rio, who played in Kansas City in the late ’80s and Al Harris who coached defensive backs from 2013-2018. Former Chiefs GM John Dorsey is listed for his playing days as a linebacker at Connecticut.
Bieniemy is the only one on the ballot that is currently with the team. It’d certainly be exciting to see him reach the College Football Hall of Fame as a player. He just became a Super Bowl champion with Chiefs and could achieve one of the biggest honors at the collegiate level soon after.
Over 12,000 members of the NFF will cast a ballot. The data will be submitted to the NFF’s Honors Courts, who will get together and select the class. The NFF will then announce the 2021 College Football Hall of Fame inductees in early 2021.
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