Hall of Fame Finalists Include Colts Connections
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThis year's list of finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame includes three connections to the Indianapolis Colts. Former Head Coach Tony Dungy, Wide Receiver Marvin Harrison and General Manager Bill Polian are among 18 coaches, players and contributors on this year's ballot. January 8, 2015
News Release
CANTON, Ohio – Three first-year eligible nominees – Junior Seau, Orlando Pace, and Kurt Warner – are among the 15 Modern-Era Finalists who will be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the Hall’s Selection Committee meets in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday, January 31, 2015.
Joining the first-year eligible nominees, are nine other modern-era players and three coaches. The 15 Modern-Era Finalists join the senior finalist announced in August 2014 (former Minnesota Vikings center Mick Tingelhoff) and two Contributor finalists announced in October (team executives Bill Polian and Ron Wolf) to comprise the list 18 finalists who will be considered for Hall of Fame election when the 46-member Selection Committee meets.
The 15 Modern-Era Finalists were determined by a vote of the Hall’s Selection Committee from a list of 113 nominees that earlier was reduced to 26 semifinalists, during the multi-step, year-long selection process. Tingelhoff was selected as the Senior Finalist by the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee. The Seniors Committee reviews the qualifications of those players whose careers ended more than 25 years ago. Polian and Wolf were selected as the Contributor Finalists by the Hall of Fame’s Contributor Committee. Contributors are persons who made outstanding contributions to professional football other than players and coaches.
To be elected, a finalist must receive a minimum positive vote of 80 percent.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee’s 18 finalists (15 Modern-Era players and coaches, one Senior Finalist* and two Contributor Finalists**) with their positions, teams, and years active follow:
Morten Andersen, Kicker – 1982-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-2000, 2006-07 Atlanta Falcons, 2001 New York Giants, 2002-03 Kansas City Chiefs, 2004 Minnesota Vikings
Jerome Bettis, Running Back – 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers
Tim Brown, Wide Receiver/Kick Returner/Punt Returner – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/ Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Don Coryell, Coach – 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978 -1986 San Diego Chargers
Terrell Davis, Running Back – 1995-2001 Denver Broncos
Tony Dungy, Coach – 1996-2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2002-08 Indianapolis Colts
Kevin Greene, Linebacker/Defensive End – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers
Charles Haley, Defensive End/Linebacker – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys
Marvin Harrison, Wide Receiver – 1996-2008 Indianapolis Colts
Jimmy Johnson, Coach – 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996- 99 Miami Dolphins
John Lynch, Free Safety – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos
Orlando Pace, Tackle – 1997-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Chicago Bears
**Bill Polian, Contributor – 1978-1982 Kansas City Chiefs, 1984-1992 Buffalo Bills, 1993-94 National Football League, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers, 1998-2011 Indianapolis Colts
Junior Seau, Linebacker – 1990-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-05 Miami Dolphins, 2006-09 New England Patriots
Will Shields, Guard – 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs
*Mick Tingelhoff, Center – 1962-1978 Minnesota Vikings
Kurt Warner, Quarterback – 1998-2003 St. Louis Rams, 2004 New York Giants, 2005-09 Arizona Cardinals
**Ron Wolf, Contributor – 1963-1974, 1979-1989 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1966 American Football League, 1976-78 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1990-91 New York Jets, 1991-2001 Green Bay Packers
Although they have been nominees in previous years, this is the first time that Terrell Davis, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Polian, Mick Tingelhoff and Ron Wolf have been finalists.
YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for election, modern-era players and coaches must have last played or coached more than five seasons ago. Since contributors need not be retired to be eligible, there is no specific year of eligibility for Polian or Wolf.
Year of Eligibility Finalists
1st Orlando Pace, Junior Seau, Kurt Warner
2nd Tony Dungy, Marvin Harrison
3rd Morten Andersen, John Lynch
4th Will Shields
5th Jerome Bettis
6th Tim Brown
9th Terrell Davis
11th Kevin Greene, Charles Haley
16th Jimmy Johnson^
28th Don Coryell^
32nd Mick Tingelhoff
^Although in 2007 the Hall of Fame By-Laws for selection were modified to provide that a coach must be retired five seasons to be eligible, both Coryell and Johnson first became eligible under the old rules that did not require the five-year waiting period. Thus, Coryell has been eligible since his retirement from coaching in 1986 making him eligible for 28 years. Johnson was eligible for one year between the Cowboys and the Dolphins plus ever since he retired after the 1999 season. Therefore, his total years of eligibility are 16.
– See more at: http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/2015/1/8/class-of-2015-finalists-announced/#sthash.lMf0I5n1.dpuf