Former Buffalo Bills special teams ace Steve Tasker has some company this year.
For the eighth time, Tasker was named a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday as the 2021 class is in the process of being selected. But for the first time, former Bills linebacker Cornelius Bennett is among that grouping, too.
Here’s the full list of 25 players named to the modern-era player semifinalists:
Along with Bennett, Eric Allen, Willie Anderson and Rodney Harrison are among non first-year eligible players to advance to the semifinal stage of the Hall of Fame voting process for the first time.
In 2021, Tasker is the only one of the 25 players listed as a player who falls under the “special teams” category. Tasker was most recently named a semifinalist the past two years of voting. He also was in 2004, 2008-2010, 2012-13.
Of all 25, only former safety and current 49ers general manager John Lynch (9) is the only player to have more nominations to the semifinals than Tasker.
In the next round of the process, the 25 will be cut down to 15, then 15 to 10, and 10 to five. The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021 will be enshrined Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021 in Canton as part of the 2021 Enshrinement Week.
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