Cowboys DeMarcus Ware, Darren Woodson named Hall of Fame finalists

Woodson is a finalist for the first time after six times as a semifinalist. Ware made it all the way to the final vote last year. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Cowboys legends DeMarcus Ware, Chuck Howley, and- yes- Darren Woodson have taken a big step closer to Canton.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its finalists for enshrinement as part of the Class of 2023 on Wednesday night. The list of modern-day players includes Ware, who most feel should have been a shoo-in last year, and Woodson, who finally advances beyond the semifinalist stage for the first time after six previous tries.

Woodson is the Cowboys’ all-time leading tackler, a five-time Pro Bowler, a four-time first-team All-Pro, a three-time Super Bowl champion, and was just the 21st member of the Cowboys’ prestigious Ring of Honor.

Ware is a finalist for the second year in a row. After nine seasons in Dallas, seven straight pro Bowl appearances, and four first-team All-Pro nods, Ware played four more years as a Bronco and won a Super Bowl ring for the 2015 season.

He is the franchise leader in sacks, even factoring in those recorded by players before 1982, when the statistic was officially charted for the first time.

Linebacker Zach Thomas, the Texas Tech star who came home to the Cowboys for the 2008 campaign after a long career with Miami, was also named a Class of 2023 finalist.

This year’s 15 finalists will be discussed at length by the Hall’s 49-person selection committee, who will narrow the list down to 10, then five. Those remaining finalists are then voted on for induction, each on a yes-no basis, with an 80% “yes” vote required.

Chuck Howley was also named Wednesday as a senior finalist, advancing from a group of 12. He earned six Pro Bowl nods over 13 seasons and helped the Cowboys win their first Super Bowl. But perhaps the biggest claim to fame of his career came in Super Bowl V, when he became the only man to win the game’s MVP honors despite playing for the losing team.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will be revealed during Super Bowl week.

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