Tag: Hall of Fame

“Don’t get me started on the Hall of …

“Don’t get me started on the Hall of Fame,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said before Friday’s game against the Spurs at AT&T Center. “Why is it that college coaches — and nothing against the college coaches — but they’re coaching and they’re Hall of Fame coaches? Why isn’t Pop in the Hall? Well, he has his own reasons. But Rudy T isn’t in the Hall? That’s a joke, just a complete joke. In college, if you win two national titles, you can lose every game for the rest of your career and you still get to go to the Hall of Fame.”

3 former Seahawks among 25 Hall of Fame semifinalists

Former Seattle Seahawks Steve Hutchinson, Ricky Watters and Edgerrin James are among the 25 modern-era semifinalists for the Hall of Fame.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame reduced the list of 122 modern-era nominees to 25 on Tuesday, and three of the eight former Seattle Seahawks remain: guard Steve Hutchinson and running backs Ricky Watters and Edgerrin James.

The original class of 2020 ballot also included quarterback Dave Krieg; running backs Shaun Alexander and Chris Warren; center Ray Donovan; and punter Jeff Feagles.

Hutchinson is the likeliest of the trio to gain Hall of Fame status this winter, having finished as a finalist in each of the past two years. The guard was a seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro in his 12-year career.

James only appeared in seven games for the Seahawks in the 2009 season, rushing 46 times for just 125 yards. He is 13th all-time in rushing yards, however, and has a decent chance of hearing his name called this year.

Watters’ success came primarily as a member of the 49ers, but he did post four quality seasons with Seattle from 1998-2001, rushing 994 times for 4,009 yards and four touchdowns.

A Pro Bowler in each of his first five NFL seasons, Watters is 24th all-time in rushing yards and 22nd in rushing touchdowns.

The ballot will be pared down again, this time from 25 to 15, and they will be announced in January. The final ballot with five inductees will be announced the Saturday before the Super Bowl. As part of the Hall’s special 20-member class of 2020, they will be joined by 10 “senior” players (who have been retired for more than 25 seasons), three “contributors” (neither a player nor coach) and two coaches.

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Ex-Broncos safeties Steve Atwater and John Lynch named Hall of Fame semifinalists

Former Broncos safeties John Lynch and Steve Atwater have been named semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2020.

Former Denver Broncos safeties Steve Atwater and John Lynch have been named modern-era semifinalists for the 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. There are 25 total semifinalists — that list will be trimmed down to 15 finalists in January.

This marks the ninth time Atwater has been named a semifinalist and the eighth time Lynch has been a semifinalist. The Pro Football Hall of Fame will announce a 20-person class of 2020 in February.

Atwater earned eight Pro Bowl nods during his time with the Broncos and helped the team win back-to-back Super Bowls in the late 1990s.

Lynch won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before going on to play the final four years of his career in Denver. Lynch made the Pro Bowl in each of his four seasons with the Broncos.

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Former Jags RB Fred Taylor named to Hall of Fame semifinalists list with OT Tony Boselli

The Jags now have two players who could make the cut for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2020.

Former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor has been vocal about his place in the NFL’s history and people are beginning to hear him. The Jags great was named to the Hall of Fame’s semifinalist’s list for the 2020 class on Tuesday, joining offensive tackle Tony Boselli in the process.

This year makes for the fifth consecutive year in which Boselli has been a semifinalist. He’s been named a finalist four times, including last year.

Boselli was the Jags’ first-ever draft selection in team history in 1995 and played for them until 2001. In 2002, Boselli was drafted by the Houston Texans in the expansion draft, but would later retire due to a labrum issue.

Boselli had 90 career starts during his time in Jacksonville under coach Tom Coughlin and went to five Pro Bowls. He was named an All-Pro three times and is a current member of the Jags’ Hall of Fame known as the “Pride of the Jaguars.”

Taylor played alongside Boselli during the early stages of his career with the Jags. His nomination as a semifinalist marks his first. He was drafted by the Jags in the 1998 NFL Draft (No. 9 overall) and spent 11 seasons with the Jags. Afterward, he spent two seasons with the New England Patriots before retiring.

Taylor finished his career with 11,695 total rushing yards and 66 touchdowns. He also accumulated 2,384 receiving yards and eight touchdowns as a pass-catcher.

While it took a while for him to get recognition from the league, we ranked Taylor No. 1 on our list of the top-25 Jaguars of all time earlier in the year. Boselli was also on the list at the No. 3 spot.

Former Viking Steve Hutchinson among 25 semifinalists for Hall of Fame Class of 2020

Throughout his career, Hutchinson made seven-straight Pro Bowls from 2003-2009 and was named an All-Pro in 2003, 2005 and 2007-09.

Former Vikings guard Steve Hutchinson is one of 25 former players to be named finalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

Hutchinson spent five seasons with the Seahawks, six with with the Vikings and one with the Titans from 2001-12. Over that time, he made seven-straight Pro Bowls from 2003-2009 and was named an All-Pro in 2003, 2005 and 2007-09.

It feels like there’s a pretty good chance that Hutchinson will get in on his third year on the ballot.

Hutchinson was a huge part of the success of Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander and later Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.

Former Badger Troy Vincent doesn’t make the cut for Hall of Fame

Former Wisconsin Badgers defensive back Troy Vincent did not make the Hall of Fame Modern-Era committee’s top 25 semifinalists this year.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Modern-Era ballot was cut from 122 initial candidates down to just 25 on Tuesday, and former Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Troy Vincent was among the 97 players who didn’t make the cut.

Here is a look at the 25 players who did make the cut, including safety Troy Polamalu, linebacker Patrick Willis and safety John Lynch.

Vincent played 14 seasons in the NFL from 1992-2006, after starring at Wisconsin for four years from 1988-1991.

Vincent was named to five straight Pro Bowls from 1999-2003, and was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2002. He was a ball-hawking cornerback who led the league in interceptions in 1999 and passes defended in 2001.

Vincent starred at Wisconsin before getting drafted seventh overall by the Dolphins in the 1992 NFL draft. He was named the BIG-10 defensive player of the year in 1991, and also excelled as a punt returner while with the Badgers.

However, he’ll have to wait until next year to see if he can make it to the next round of voting and, eventually, into the Hall of Fame.

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Ricky Watters named Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Ricky Watters is one of 25 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s modern era ballot was cut from 122 all the way down to 25, but former Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Ricky Watters made it through the second round of cuts, and is still eligible for induction as a member of the class of 2020.

The ballot will be pared down to 15 at some point in January, before the five inductees are announced on the Saturday before the Super Bowl.

Watters was named to five straight Pro Bowls from 1992-1996, and was a Super Bowl champion in 1994 with the San Francisco 49ers. His career was cut short by injuries, but he was arguably a top-two running back in the NFL in the early-1990’s, and still finished with 10,643 rushing yards and 78 rushing touchdowns, both just outside the top-20 of all-time.

Watters starred at Notre Dame before getting drafted 45th overall by the 49ers in the 1991 NFL draft. He rushed for 1,814 yards and 21 touchdowns with the Irish, while also hauling in 610 receiving yards.

He also excelled as a punt returner, leading the NCAA in punt return touchdowns in 1988, with two.

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Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt among 2020 Hall of Fame semifinalists

Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce are Hall of Fame semifinalists for the 6th time.

Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt are once again among the 25 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame unveiled its list of the 25 modern-era semifinalists on Tuesday, and Bruce and Holt were the only former Rams representatives to make the cut. This is the sixth time they’ve been named semifinalists.

Holt played 10 years with the Rams, catching 869 passes for 12,660 yards and 74 touchdowns. He also played one season with the Jaguars to close out his career, catching 51 passes for 722 yards in 2009.

Bruce has been a Hall of Fame finalist three times, and he’ll try to make it four next year. He played 14 seasons with the Rams, hauling in 942 passes for 14,109 yards and 84 touchdowns. All-time, he ranks 13th in career receptions, fifth in yards and 12th in touchdown catches.

The selection committee will narrow the list down to 15 finalists in January before eventually selecting five modern-era players to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Bill Russell: In a private ceremony …