Tag: Hall of Fame

Notre Dame great among 15 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists

Will this be the year for a Notre Dame and 49ers legend?

Bryant Young was a force on the 1993 Notre Dame team that nearly won a national championship and carried on immediately in the NFL as he was a rookie with the San Francisco 49ers when they won their last Super Bowl in January of 1995.

Young finished his NFL career with 89.5 career sacks, the second most in 49ers history.  He was also voted to four Pro Bowls and was named the 1999 NFL Comeback Player of the Year after suffering a nasty knee injury the year before.

Now Young is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the second time.  Joining him on the list of finalists is another 49ers legend in linebacker Patrick Willis.

The official modern-era 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame class will be revealed on Thursday, Feb. 10.

Notre Dame currently has 13 former players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame which ties it with USC for the most ever by one college.

Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists: 2 49ers in 2022 class

Two of the 15 finalists for the 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame class are #49ers legends.

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The 49ers have a chance to be well-represented at the Class of 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. Two 49ers legends, Bryant Young and Patrick Willis were among the 15 finalists to be inducted in next year’s class.

For Young this is his 10th year of eligibility and the second time he’s reached this stage of the selection process. He was a finalist in 2020 as well but fell short of getting his gold jacket.

Young garnered all of his Hall of Fame credentials in a 49ers uniform after they selected him No. 7 overall in the 1994 draft. Across 14 seasons Young posted 89.5 sacks and 93 tackles for loss. He was a four-time Pro Bowler, a First-Team All-Pro selection once, a Super Bowl champion and a member of the Hall of Fame’s All-1990s team.

For Willis this is his third year of eligibility and the first time he’s been named a finalist.

His relatively short eight-year career is the only thing keeping him from Canton at this point. In those eight seasons he was the 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year, a seven-time Pro Bowler and a five-time First-Team All-Pro. Willis led the NFL in tackles twice, had 100-plus tackles in six of his eight seasons, notched eight interceptions and 53 pass breakups, and forced 16 fumbles while racking up 20.5 sacks.

There was nothing Willis couldn’t do as the cornerstone of a dominant 49ers defense that helped define the early 2010s. For his contributions Willis was named to the Hall of Fame’s All-2010s team.

For both Young and Willis, a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame feels more a matter of ‘when’ than ‘if.’

Here’s a list of the 15 finalists for the 2022 class:

Jared Allen
Willie Anderson
Ronde Barber
Tony Boselli
LeRoy Butler
Devin Hester
Torry Holt
Andre Johnson
Sam Mills
Richard Seymour
Zach Thomas
DeMarcus Ware
Reggie Wayne
Patrick Willis
Bryant Young

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022 will be revealed on Feb. 10.

Retired Packers S LeRoy Butler is a Hall of Fame finalist for third straight year

Is the third time the charm for retired Packers S LeRoy Butler and the Pro Football Hall of Fame? He’s a finalist again.

For the third straight year, former Green Bay Packers safety LeRoy Butler is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Butler was announced as one of 15 modern-era finalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2022 on Thursday.

He joins Jared Allen, Willie Anderson, Ronde Barber, Tony Boselli, Devin Hester, Torry Holt, Andre Johnson, Sam Mills, Richard Seymour, Zach Thomas, DeMarcus Ware, Reggie Wayne, Patrick Willis and Bryant Young.

Butler, now in his 16th year of eligibility, is one of seven finalists who have been a finalist at least three times.

Butler played 181 games over 12 seasons with the Packers. He was a four-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro and a member of the 1990s NFL All-Decade Team.

Butler’s Hall of Fame bio:

One of the most prolific defensive backs in the Packers’ storied history and among premier safeties of his era … Led the team in interceptions five times … Key member of defense that guided team’s resurgence that included seven playoff appearances in nine-season span … Helped lead Packers to three straight division titles (1995-97) and two Super Bowl appearances … Started at strong safety in three consecutive NFC Championship Games and Super Bowls XXXI and XXXII … Had seven tackles and one sack in Packers’ 35-21 victory over New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI …  Intercepted a pass in every season but his last … Career stats: 38 interceptions for 533 yards … Only pick-six came on 90-yard return versus San Diego Chargers, Sept. 15, 1996 … Registered 20.5 career sacks and one fumble recovery for a TD … Selected to four Pro Bowls … All-Pro four times (1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) … Named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s.

The Hall of Fame Selection Committee will meet again to discuss finalists on Jan. 18. Up to five players can be elected, but the player must receive at least 80 percent of the votes.

Legendary Saints linebacker Sam Mills named Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist again

Legendary Saints linebacker Sam Mills has been named a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist for the third year in a row:

Sam Mills’ legacy has endured in fond memories for fans of both the New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers, and now the late Dome Patrol standout’s family has another opportunity to see him enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Mills was announced Thursday as a finalist for the Hall of Fame Class of 2022, the third consecutive year in which his bid has made it this far.

And the stakes are high. This is the last time Mills will be eligible as a modern-era candidate. If the voters don’t do the right thing and put his bronze bust in the hall next to his iconic teammate Rickey Jackson, Mills’ supporters have an even longer road to travel as he would be reclassified as a senior candidate.

Hopefully this third time is the charm. Mills is one of 15 candidates on a loaded ballot, featuring NFL legends like wide receiver Andre Johnson, return man Devin Hester, linebacker Patrick Willis, and pass rusher DeMarcus Ware. It’s great company for Mills to be a part of.

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Zach Thomas named a finalist for Pro Football Hall of Fame 2022 class

Dolphins legend Zach Thomas has been voted one of 15 finalists for the 2022 Hall of Fame class

Zach Thomas was one of the best linebackers in the NFL during his time with the Dolphins and he’s being rightfully recognized for his greatness. The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 15 finalists for the Class of 2022 and Thomas was among them.

Thomas spent 12 years with the Dolphins before finishing his career with the Cowboys for one season in 2008. With Miami, Thomas made the Pro Bowl seven times and was voted a first-team All-Pro five times. He was also part of the Hall of Fame’s All-2000s team.

In his career, Thomas made 1,734 total tackles, picked off 17 passes and forced 16 fumbles. He also had 20.5 sacks and twice led the NFL in combined tackles.

This is Thomas’ third straight year being voted a finalist, putting him on the doorstep of Canton once again. With the resume he put together, he’s certainly deserving of a gold jacket.

Watch Spiller’s Hall of Fame Press Conference and 1-on-1

Tuesday is a day C.J. Spiller, his family and Dabo Swinney will never forget as the former Clemson great enters the College Football Hall of Fame. Watch Spiller’s press conference and a 1-on-1 interview from the National Football Foundation. Video’s …

Tuesday is a day C.J. Spiller, his family and Dabo Swinney will never forget as the former Clemson great enters the College Football Hall of Fame.

Watch Spiller’s press conference and a 1-on-1 interview from the National Football Foundation.

Video’s courtesy National Football Foundation

Saints Ring of Honor to induct Hall of Fame semifinalist Sam Mills vs. Cowboys

Saints Ring of Honor to induct Hall of Fame semifinalist Sam Mills vs. Cowboys

The New Orleans Saints are playing on another big stage this week after honoring Drew Brees at halftime of their Thanksgiving Day nightcap, and they’re taking the opportunity to recognize another iconic former member of the black and gold: “Dome Patrol” linebacker Sam Mills, who will be posthumously inducted to the team’s Ring of Honor during their game with the Dallas Cowboys.

Mills made it to the semifinalist stage in Pro Football Hall of Fame voting again this year, his fifth appearance since first making the cut in 2016. Hopefully the Hall of Fame voters will come together and insure Mills’ legacy lives on, joining his legendary teammate Rickey Jackson. Former Saints cornerback Eric Allen is also among the Hall of Fame semifinalists on the 26-man ballot.

In any case, Mills and Jackson will be together in the Saints Ring of Honor — an exclusive tradition separate from the team’s hall of fame, featuring Pro Football Hall of Famers like Jackson, Morten Andersen, and Willie Roaf, as well as Archie Manning, Will Smith, and Tom Benson. Maybe this added recognition for Mills’ achievements can help get him over the hump and into Canton.

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Former Jags Tony Boselli, Fred Taylor advance to 2022 Pro Hall-of-Fame semifinal round

Taylor and Boselli are once again in the semifinalists round together and now must wait until January to see if they will advance to the finalists round for the 2022 HOF class.

The Pro football Hall-of-Fame narrowed their list down to 26 semifinalists for the 2022 class this week and two Jacksonville Jaguars greats were among the group. Those players were running back Fred Taylor and Tony Boselli.

With both advancing, Boselli has now been a semifinalist for seven consecutive seasons, while Taylor has been named one the last three consecutive seasons. Boselli has also been among the finalists the last four seasons.

Boselli was the Jags’ first-ever draft selection during their inaugural season as the team took him with the No. 2 overall selection in the NFL Draft of 1995. He then played for the team until 2001 and was able to become a five-time Pro Bowler (1996-2000) and a three-time All-Pro (1997-99). Ultimately, his career was cut short due to shoulder injuries, which has been a big factor in him not being able to acquire a gold jacket.

Taylor was drafted three seasons later in 1998 and was the Jags’ ninth overall selection out of the University of Florida. Throughout his career (1998-2010), he was one of the top running backs in football and exited his NFL tenure with 11,695 rushing yards and 66 touchdowns throughout 13 seasons. He also was a Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro in 2007.

Up next for both former Jags greats will be to advance to the finalists round, which will require 11 more eliminations. To find out the other players who advanced to the semifinalists round with both Taylor and Boselli, click on the link above.

DeMarcus Ware, Darren Woodson among 2022 Hall of Fame semifinalists, Romo out

Two Cowboys are among the 26 semifinalists for induction in 2022, including Ware in his first year of eligibility. Here are their bonafides. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has whittled down their initial list of contenders, and things are once again interesting in Cowboys Nation. After releasing a list of 123 nominees being considered for induction into their 2022 class back in September, the esteemed group has narrowed their focus to just 26 players.

Dallas had several players under consideration who did not make it to the next round. DT La’Roi Glover failed to make the cut, as did RB  Herschel Walker and more notably quarterback and current CBS analyst Tony Romo. Two noteworthy Cowboys did make the cut, and they are safety Darren Woodson and edge rusher DeMarcus Ware.

Woodson has now reached the semifinal round six times in his career. He was a semifinalist for 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 and now once again for the 2022 class.

Drafted in the second round of the 1992 NFL draft, Woodson was a part of three championships with the Cowboys. The safety was known for his ability to also play man-to-man coverage, often dropping into the slot to defend opponents receivers. His coverage ability, play diagnosis and hard-hitting nature earned him three All-Pro nominations and five Pro Bowl appearances.

For his career Woodson totaled 23 interceptions, 12 forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries, 11 sacks and 967 total tackles. He started in 162 of 178 career games, and each of them was in a Cowboys uniform.

Ware has a much more likely chance of making it to the final group as well as being inducted overall.

Ware is a four-time First-Team All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowler, who left Dallas after nine seasons to finish his career with the Denver Broncos. The move worked as Ware was a member of the 2015 world champions.

Ware’s career stats closely resemble those of Jared Allen, a first-year finalist this year, but stunted by the star-studded class. Ware has 138.5 career sacks to Allen’s 136 and has a slightly higher Career AV of 128 to Allen’s 125.

Pro-Football-Reference’s Hall of Fame Monitor ranks Ware as the ninth-best OLB, with a score of 95.33. The average Hall of Fame OLB’s score is 106.19.

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DeMarcus Ware named semifinalist for 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

DeMarcus Ware: Super Bowl 50 champion, soon-to-be Hall of Famer.

Former Denver Broncos outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware is among 26 modern-era semifinalists for the 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, the Hall of Fame announced Wednesday.

Ware played for the Dallas Cowboys from 2005-2013 before signing with the Broncos. He spent three seasons in Denver, helping the Broncos win Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.

The list of players who spent time in Denver who did not make the cut down to 26 semifinalists includes wide receiver Rod Smith, defensive lineman Neil Smith, wide receiver Wes Welker, defensive lineman Michael Dean Perry, cornerback Dre’ Bly and pass rusher Simeon Rice.

Broncos senior candidate Randy Gradishar and coach candidate Mike Shanahan were also snubbed by voters this year.

Denver’s list or representatives who are already recognized in Canton already includes running back Floyd Little, quarterback John Elway, late owner Pat Bowlen, safety Steve Atwater, tight end Shannon Sharpe, guard Gary Zimmerman, running back Terrell Davis, cornerback Champ Bailey, quarterback Peyton Manning and safety John Lynch (more here).

This list of 26 semifinalists will later be narrowed down to 15 finalists and then a finalized list of the 2022 class will be announced in February.

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