Tag: HOF

Former Steeler great Alan Faneca passed over for Pro Football Hall of Fame again

Alan Faneca doesn’t get into the HOF.

Four times, former Pittsburgh Steelers guard Alan Faneca has been a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And now four times Faneca has been denied entry into the Hall. The HOF announced their 2020 class, and unfortunately, Faneca was once again on the outside looking in.

It isn’t hard to make a case for just how great Faneca was as a player. In terms of interior offensive linemen, he is easily one of the best of his generation. But Faneca being named an All-Pro eight times and making the Pro Bowl nine times can’t change the fact he plays one of the least glamorous positions in the NFL and is part of a very crowded group waiting to get in.

This year, it was a case of Faneca or Steven Hutchison because they weren’t going to put two guards in with the same class. Their careers are practically identical but this year Hutchison got the nod.

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Troy Polamalu in the HOF is a given but not Alan Faneca

Will Alan Faneca make the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

It has been a huge offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers in terms of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Thanks to the centennial class for 2020, former head coach Bill Cowher and former safety Donnie Shell will both be inducted in the special 2020 class.

This still leaves safety Troy Polamalu and guard Alan Faneca on the ballot for modern-era finalists. If you assume Polamalu is going in on the first ballot it only leaves Faneca as a potential unknown. Does Faneca make it?

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Faneca was named to the Pro Bowl nine times and was an All-Pro eight. His resume and endorsements from other NFL greats are without question. But the reality is Faneca finds himself in a crowded and talented group once again against players who played much higher-profile positions in the NFL.

But I want to hear from you. Cast your vote and tell me if you think Faneca makes it four former Steelers in the HOF this year?

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Steelers president expects team to play in Hall of Fame game

Steelers president expects team to play in Hall of Fame game

Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher has already booked his spot in Canton. Former players Troy Polamalu, Donnie Shell and Alan Faneca could be next. The 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame class could be packed with black and gold.

With so many Steelers possibly heading into the HOF in a single class, the Steelers are odds on favorites to play in the 2020 Hall of Fame game at Canton. This is an assumption Steelers President Art Rooney II backed up this week.

“There’s a pretty good chance we will be playing the Hall of Fame Game this year,” Rooney told Stan Savran.

“There’s nothing firm yet, but we have been giving indications so we should probably be planning on it. It’s not official yet, but I think it’s more than likely — let’s put it that way.”

The Steelers have played in the game six times. If the Steelers do play in this game their preseason will start a week early and Pittsburgh will end up with five preseason games.

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Former Steelers HC Bill Cowher was prepared to not make the HOF

Bill Cowher was ready to not get the call on the HOF.

On Saturday night, former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher got a huge surprise on live television when Pro Football Hall of Fame president David Baker showed up on set to let Cowher know he was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the 2020 centennial class. It was an awesome and emotional moment that Cowher said he had come to terms with the notion of it not happening.

Sunday the CBS crew talked to Cowher once again about his HOF honor and Cowher expanded on how he had reconciled the idea of not making the Hall. He even spoke to his wife about it on Saturday morning, just hours before getting the good news.

Cowher spent 15 seasons as the head coach of the Steelers after working mostly as a defensive assistant prior. He brought the 3-4 defense to the forefront with the Steelers and led the team to a 149-90-1 record. Cowher was also the Steelers head coach when they won Super Bowl XL and it was a team he built that won Super Bowl XLIII after he retired.

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Former Steelers HC Bill Cowher selected for HOF

Check out Bill Cowher being surprised on set as he joins the HOF.

There were probably plenty of Pittsburgh Steelers fans who weren’t even watching football on Saturday night. So if you happened to miss the CBS broadcast, you missed former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher being given the news he was selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of their Centennial class.

Cowher was in the midst of a breakdown with his CBS crew when David Baker, President of the Pro Football Hall of Fame came out on set to give Cowher the news. It was an amazing sight and you got to see some serious emotion from Cowher. He was then joined by his family who was of course in on the whole thing.

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2 former Seahawks among 15 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists

Former Seahawks OL Steve Hutchinson and RB Edgerrin James are among the two modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 15 finalists for the modern-era ballot and two former Seattle Seahawks, running back Edgerrin James and guard Steve Hutchinson, remain eligible for enshrinement.

The list originally featured 122 names, including six other Seahawks: quarterback Dave Krieg; running backs Shaun Alexander, Ricky Watters and Chris Warren; center Ray Donovan; and punter Jeff Feagles.

Watters was among the 25 semifinalists, but was cut when the list was whittled down to 15, leaving just Hutchinson and James among former Seahawks.

Hutchinson seems like the likeliest of the pair 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.

The final ballot will include five inductees, and 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.

Two former Seattle coaches, Mike Holmgren and Tom Flores, are among the coaches who could be enshrined as well, giving the Seahawks four potential inductees this year.

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