The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 24 finalists for the Class of 2023 in the senior and coach/contributor categories on Wednesday, and two former Rams players were among those in contention as senior candidates.
Cornerback Eddie Meador and linebacker Maxie Baughan made it to the next step as finalists, and they’re joined by 10 other players in the senior category. A senior is considered any player who last played in the NFL no later than the 1996 season.
Baughan played five years with the Rams from 1966-1970, making the Pro Bowl four times and a total of nine times in his career. He also had 18 interceptions in 12 NFL seasons.
Meador played 12 seasons with the Rams, making the Pro Bowl six times and being named a first-team All-Pro twice. He finished his career with a whopping 46 interceptions, with 24 of those coming in a three-year span from 1966-1968.
Former Rams head coach Clark Shaughnessy is also a finalist in the coach/contributor category. He coached the Rams for two years from 1948-1949, going 14-7-3 at the helm.
A maximum of three senior finalists will be elected to the Hall of Fame this year, while only one coach/contributor will be in contention for the Class of 2023.