Tag: hall of fame semifinalists

Couple Raiders legends remain among modern-era semifinalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame

The latest trim down to 25 modern-era semi-finalists, leaves two Raiders nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2025.

Wednesday the Pro Football Hall of Fame trimmed their list of nominees down to 25 semi-finalists. Among them are a couple Raiders legends.

Making the list are Raiders greats CB Eric Allen and G Steve Wisniewski.

Allen finished out his career in Oakland, playing for the Raiders for four seasons from 1998-2001. This is his fifth time being named a semi-finalist.

Wisniewski played his entire career for the Raiders, starting in Los Angeles in 1989 and retiring after the 2001 season. This is his second time as a semifinalist.

This round saw Marshawn Lynch trimmed from the list of nominees for the Raiders. He was in his first year of eligibility.

This list will be trimmed down to a shorter list of finalists later this year. They will be combined with the senior finalists for a list of 20 modern-era and senior finalists, with the list of inductees announced prior to Super Bowl LIX in February.

Raiders great CB Eric Allen among 25 modern-era semifinalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2024

Raiders great CB Eric Allen among 25 modern-era semifinalists for Hall of Fame

Tuesday the Pro Football Hall of Fame trimmed it’s list of nominees for the class of 2024 down to 25 semi-finalists. Among them is former Raiders CB Eric Allen. You can see the full list here.

Allen spent the final four years of his career with the Raiders from 1998-2001. And that stretch was the most successful for the Raiders over the past four decades.

The six time Pro Bowler added 15 interceptions to his career total of 54 interceptions in his four seasons in Oakland. This included six interceptions in 2000 and another in the playoffs. He took three of those interceptions back for touchdowns.

Allen has been a semifinalist for the Hall of Fame four times over 18 years of eligibility.

From here the list will be trimmed to 15 modern-era finalists.

Along with the modern-era finalists, there are four senior committee finalists including Raiders’ legendary wide receiver Art Powell.

Then the inductees will be announced at the NFL Honors show in Las Vegas on Feb 8 prior to Super Bowl LVIII.

Raiders greats Art Powell, Albert Lewis among Senior semifinalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame

Legendary Raiders receiver Art Powell is among Hall of Fame senior semifinalists.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced their semifinalists for the class of 2024 Thursday. Among them are Raiders greats WR Art Powell and DB Albert Lewis.

To be eligible for the senior committee, a player must have played their last game in 1998 or earlier. That was Lewis’s final season in the NFL, which was his fifth as a member of the Raiders.

Lewis played 16 years in the NFL, his first 11 with the Chiefs. He collected 42 interceptions, heading to four Pro Bowls and once an All Pro. He also appeared in six playoff games, all with the Chiefs.

Powell is one of the greatest receivers in Raiders history. He spent just four seasons with the Raiders, but made the Pro Bowl in every season and was an All AFL performer in 1963 when he caught 73 passes for a league-leading 1304 yards and 16 touchdowns.

His 16 receiving touchdowns in a season is still the most in Raiders franchise history — and he did in in 14 games.

Powell played a total ten NFL seasons with the Eagles, New York Titans, Raiders, Bills, and Vikings.

Roger Craig is also among the semifinalists. He played one season with the Raiders in 1991 as his career was winding down.

The rest of the semifinalists are Ken Anderson, Maxie Baughan, Randy Gradisher, Joe Jacoby, Steve McMichael, Eddie Meador, Sterling Sharpe, Otis Taylor, and Al Wistert.

Former Raiders head coach Mike Shanahan was among the coaches/contributor semifinalists.

Shanahan coached the Raiders for just 20 games before butting heads with Al Davis and being fired. He then went on to have a very successful career as the head coach of the Denver Broncos, including winning two Super Bowls.

Other coach/contributor semifinalists are Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Buddy Parker, Dan Reeves, Art Rooney Jr, Marty Schottenheimer, Clark Shaughnessy, Lloyd Wells, and John Wooten.

Shane Lechler not among Raiders named semi-finalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2023

Eric Allen and Albert Lewis among semi-finalists for Hall of Fame. Shane Lechler snubbed.

Tuesday the Pro Football Hall of Fame narrowed the list of nominees for the class of 2023 to 28 semi-finalists. Among those to break through are Raiders cornerbacks Eric Allen and Albert Lewis.

Notably not among the list of names was Shane Lechler.

Statistically the greatest punter in NFL history, his cut is indicative of the continued disrespect the punter position gets.

Even Ray Guy had to wait until the senior committee to become the first ever pure punter to be enshrined in Canton. And if Lechler’s cut from the list is any indication, he could wait a while too. If he ever gets in at all.

Seven other former Raiders were cut from the nominees including LB Navorro Bowman, DI La’Roi Glover, CB Terry McDaniel, WR Andre Rison, ED Pat Swilling. ED Justin Tuck, and G Steve Wisniewski.

You can vote for your favorite among the full list of 28 semi-finalists here. Though they say plainly, the vote is irrelevant to who is named a finalist.

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