Four St. Louis Rams are among eight first-time eligible candidates who were named by Pro Football Hall of Fame voters as semifinalists for the class of 2015. Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt and Orlando Pace were part of the “Greatest Show on Turf” that won a Super Bowl and played in another during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The other four first-timers named semifinalists were Edgerrin James, Kevin Mawae, Junior Seau and Ty Law, rounding out a class
Courtesy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
that voter Dan Pompei called one of the strongest first-year eligible classes in a long time.
The NFL Network unveiled those eight and 18 more candidates who remain alive as semifinalists on Tuesday night during an hour-long special.
While it’s a strong first-year class, those candidates don’t have an easy ride to induction. Most see Seau as a lock and several more say Warner and Pace are likely candidates, as well, but their cases for enshrinement in their first years of eligibility are less certain. And they face tremendous competition among the 18 semifinalists who are beyond their first years of eligibility.
Those remaining candidates include three running backs, two wide receivers, three offensive linemen, three linebackers, three safeties, a kicker and three coaches. They are:
- WR Tim Brown
- RB Roger Craig
- RB Jerome Bettis
- WR Marvin Harrison
- RB Terrell Davis
- T Joe Jacoby
- T Mike Kenn
- G Will Shields
- LB Karl Mecklenburg
- LB Kevin Greene
- DE/LB Charles Haley
- S John Lynch
- S Steve Atwater
- S Darren Woodson
- K Morten Andersen
- Coach Tony Dungy
- Coach Jimmy Johnson
- Coach Don Coryell
The list of semifinalists was winnowed down from a list of 113 nominees. The 26 semifinalists will be narrowed by mail ballot by voters to 15 modern-era finalists who will be announced in early January.
The finalists will be voted on during Super Bowl weekend. Voters will reduce the class to 10 and then five who will be voted up or down. They need yes votes from 80 percent of the voters to earn enshrinement.
The voters can induct up to a total of eight players. Joining the five modern-era players up for a vote the week of the Super Bowl will be senior candidate Mick Tingelhoff and contributor candidates Ron Wolf and Bill Polian.
We took a stab several months ago at predicting the class here.
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How about that? They put in Woodson. Kudos to the selectors. Now they should make him a finalist and put him in the Hall of Fame.
Tim Brown, Charles Haley, and Kevin Green also deserve enshrinement this time.
Don’t necessarily disagree with any of your guys, but the guy I’m pulling for most this year is Will Shields. Has waited longer than he should have because a couple of elite first-year candidates got in the last two years, but he’s due to make it in.
Yeah, I support Will Shields too.
Good list. Nice to see Woodson and Kenn get a crack, though I doubt either will move on to the next round. It’s becoming clear that these last couple of spots on the semifinalist list is where the voters’ opinions start to vary. We’ve now seen several different guys rotate in and out of the list with Matthews, Lewis, Wisniewski and now Kenn/Woodson sneak in after several years of being overlooked. The question now is whether these two can stay on the list like Mecklenburg and Atwater or if they will go the way of the other three. Woodson is probably the better bet, but I think he’s facing an uphill battle leapfrogging Lynch and Atwater. All three are deserving, and I can only hope that the they don’t steal votes from one another the way the receivers did for years.
I am pulling for Shields, Haley, Greene, Seau and Harrison this year. There are a lot of 1st-year nominees on this year, but my guess is that half drop off on the next cut down (James, Holt, Bruce and Law).
I think this year may be more predictable then recent elections as there appears to be strong support for finalists not elected last year, especially for those who have made the final ten in last few years including Shields and Haley. and perhaps even Bettis. Throw in Seau, Harrison and perhaps add Brown to the mix you are starting to get down close to the five modern slots. Seems like one of those years to clear the slate of a some players who have been discussed and close for a few years and time to get them elected and move on. Their chances are helped by perhaps one of the weakest 1st year classes in recent years with really only Seau seen as a close to a lock as any of them. The wild card may be Warner as I have posted previously he makes one of the most interesting cases in recent HOF election history and the first QB to appear on the ballot in several years. I fully expect to see him as a finalist and would be interesting to see how the debate over his case goes and how the voters collectively judge his case.
It looks like removing the contributors helped open up the pool, as to be expected, but it seems to have been filled by first year guys.
good point on warner paul will they look at the bad portion of his career with the giants or overlook only member of the greatest show on turf I see getting in this year would be Orlando pace
Anyone have any thoughts on Mike Kenn? I have always been intrigued by his career. He’s unlikely to advance past the semifinal round, I would guess, based on the competition, but I like seeing a guy like him show up and get some recognition for a solid body of work.
Given the lack of QBs on the ballot during the last decade, and only Favre to appear in the near future (2016), with two MVPs, three SBs including one win/MVP, I think Warner will get in but it may take a few years.
Mike Kenn was a bit of a surprise for me but he was first team AP in 1980 and again in 1991(was also 1st team in 1983), so it shows he was good for a period of time. I am glad to see Kevin Mawae make it on first ballot. I miss watching him on the Jets but Nick Mangold(future HOF contender) has been an excellent replacement.
Mike Kenn And Joe Jacoby both had long periods of excellence and it would be nice to see both in the Hall of Fame but I have a feeling it is going to take senior selections after their original eligibility is up.
good to see some new names make it on to the semi-finalist list, but I am still staying with these predictions:
Final 15
Morton Anderson
Jerome Bettis
Tim Brown
Don Coryell
Terrell Davis
Kevin Greene
Charles Haley
Marvin Harrison
Edgerrin James
John Lynch
Orlando Pace
Junior Seau
Will Shields
Kurt Warner
Tony Dungy
Elected (5) Predictions
Jerome Bettis
Charles Haley
Marvin Harrison
Junior Seau
Will Shields
There will be great names left out of final 15. Morten Anderson made it as a finalist his 2nd season. He might not make it to the HOF for another 7 years because of the names on the ballot now and in future.
Looking forward at least to 2016 and 2017 the list of strong 1st year nominees is weaker (2016 – Brett Favre, Terrell Owens; 2017 – Jason Taylor, LaDainian Tomlinson), so I can see plenty of space in the next few years for those from the final 15 not elected in 2015, including some of this year’s 1st year nominees and carryovers from recent elections.
I’m not sure I’d put Terrell Davis through as a finalist. Only 3 truly elite seasons (with a decent 1100 yard, 7 td season season tacked on) falls short of the Gale Sayers Mendoza line for longevity, which is 5 elite seasons, and Sayers had 5 first team All Pro selections. Since the voters have made him a semi-finalist for several times but never a finalist, maybe they agree with me; or maybe with contributors out they’ll slide him through this year, but I’d hate to see that finalist spot wasted on someone who doesn’t meet what I and many others consider to be a basic qualification for Canton.
I have no strong feelings regarding electing or not electing Terrell Davis, but as member of the 1990s all decade team, NFL MVP, two time SB winner and SB MVP I would have no problem seeing him get into the room to be discussed as a finalist, does not have to be this year but some day as he earned the opportunity. Hard to write the history of the NFL in the 1990s and not include his name in that discussion as those qualifications I outlined earlier in my view make up for a basic qualification to at least be considered for the HOF.
That Broncos group has inducted John Elway, Gary Zimmerman and Shannon Sharpe from that group of Multi-Super Bowl Winners. It does seem like they are missing some dominant players from that stretch run. A list that for me includes Terrell Davis, Rod Smith and Steve Atwater. Arguments could also be made for Neil Smith and Tom Nalen.
2015 Finalists to be announced on NFL Network show, evening of January 8th.
Julius Peppers now has 11 ints to go along with 124 sacks. 4/8/00s/DROY is strong. Could he be a first ballot? He is very versatile.
How long you think it will take Kevin Mawae to make Finals?
Peppers is building a strong HOF portfolio but whether he makes 1st ballot will really depend on others on the ballot that year.
As to Mawae, it took four years for Dawson to get in so I can see similar wait for Mawae as HOF voters seem to treat centers and OG as second class players.
Getting back to another topic someone brought up before, 85% of Rob Gronkowski’s games he gets 50 yards or more. I understand who is QB is, but it’s not like he has played only one season. He is on pace for the HOF. He won’t be matched against Tony Gonzalez. He is 2000s. Rob is 2010’s. Rob’s only issue is that he gets hurt a lot. His stats despite of his injuries are very good for anyone.
As to Gronk, come back in here in another 8 or so years and let’s have that discussion. The league and this board are littered with the names of many players who some anointed as sure HOFers after only a few years in the NFL, only to see them crash and burn. Some of the most recent of those include RGIII and Cam Newton. Players have to stay healthy and be productive for a sustained period of years with season and career numbers and post season successes and awards. All to often easy to get off to a great start to a career only to see it head off the rails pretty fast and sometimes unexpectedly.
Cam Newton is still young and Panthers haven’t helped him out with WRs this year. Cam has the team lead in rushing TDs with 2. That speaks to what year everyone is having. Defense has been giving up a lot of points to boot. Jury still out but Cam’s first 3-4 seasons is better than most. Keep in mind this: Panthers went 2-14 and scored a whopping 17 TDs the year before they drafted him. Cam put up 14 rushing TDs alone his rookie year. I would say Rob has a better shot for sure ,even as a Jet fan but, Cam’s career isn’t etched in stone quite yet.
You are right that time will tell with Cam Newton, but after four years he has had two very good seasons (2011, 2013) but career numbers in terms of passing completion percentage and rating that are pretty average. Normally you would expect an upward direction in terms of growth and improvement, and I know he has not been helped by a poor supporting class, but compared to 2011 when (like RGIII’s rookie season) many were expecting immediate greatness and path to the HOF, it is becoming more uncertain. I would say his first four years collectively may be better then most, but it is pretty average and certainly not HOF quality. When it comes to new players, especially QBs, I like to have at least 7-8 years into a career before suggesting anyone is on their way to the HOF, as history will show that for vast majority of eventual HOFers if they have not shown that level of play by then they likely will not improve enough to get in the HOF.
Charles Woodson had a fringe HOF start after the 2006 season but as we know, time told us he is for sure one. He is possibly a first ballot HOFer. 4/8/00s/DROY/DPOY is stellar.
I meant after 2005 season.
Fringe HOF start? In his first four seasons he already had 3 all pro and 4 PBs
He made first team 2 times according to pro-football-reference, but anyway he didn’t make 1 single pro bowl/AP 2002-2005. 2/4 isn’t a weak case but not strong either. He certainly increased his chances tremendously with the Packers.
I agree, but his first four years were an impressive start – certainly not enough alone to get him into the HOF as he certainly needed that mid-late career push he found in GB, but he showed great potential early as a potential HOFer (more so than many other recent highly praised rookies such as RGIII and Cam Newton who can not match Woodson’s first four years).
Is Tim Brown getting in next season with Harrison most likely getting in this year?
I think that is how it may play out, but the window of opportunity it closing quickly for Brown with T Owens (2016), H Ward (2017) and R Moss (2018) all appearing on the ballot soon. So he will have to continue to fight it out among the other HOF quality WRs on the ballot, although I am not so sure that 80% of the HOF voters would select Owens, Ward or Moss as 1st year eligible HOFers (Moss probably will have the best chance for such a selection). Either way the HOF ballot is going to be clogged with WR candidates for the next several years (as has been the case for OL in last several elections). DB are going to be another future logjam on the ballot.
Tony Romo is looking like he can play until he is 40+. If he gets 25 TD’s each of the next 4 seasons(doable since he is averaging 31 per season past 4 seasons) he will be well into the top 10. I’m not saying it’s on same level but, you reach 3,000 hits or 500 Home Runs in baseball within a given time(still tough even for a long career) you are a legend. Keep in mind, he has the 2nd best passer rating ever.
Romo doesn’t need to win a SB to get in. He can get in on counting numbers alone. Of course he needs big numbers, which I think he can get.
Yet he is also one hit to end if career, next few years if his career could easy go either way
Paul I disagree slightly on Gronk. I do not think he needs 8 more year of elite play. That would mean 13 years of elite TE play. Yes, that is what Tony Gonzalez may have, but that is not what DItka, Mackey, Newsome or Winslow had. They all had about four or five good years and a bunch of average to below average years. If Gronk had even three more years like what he has just averaged he would put himself ahead of all those players except Gonzalez. The other aspect he has going for him is that he is an unbelievable blocker and has graded as the best blocking TE in the league.
To compare him to Todd Christensen is already absurd. Christensen had a three year peek and still did not have the numbers that Gronk has surpassed.
My only point is that with just 3 outstanding seasons (not 5), and his history of injuries, it will be quite sometime, several years at least before we know whether he has a HOF career. When I stated 8 that was without 2014 counted, now the number of quality seasons needed lies around 7. To date he only has 2 seasons above 80 receptions at 308 current receptions he is going to need many more 80+ seasons yet as that is the modern standard in this passing era for TEs. Even Witten with 6/9 profile, most TE receptions in game and season, and now second all time in TE receptions is getting questions (unfair in my mind) about whether he gets in the HOF. Only time will tell and although Gronk is off to a great start there is still a long way for him to go. And you can not compare his receiving numbers with Christensen or any other pre-2000 TE as they all played before the TE was at the level of WR in terms of the passing game targets. I only mentioned Christensen as a comparison because he had similar career achievements (3/5/2 SBs) and was the best TE in the early 80s, but his career ended at only ten years and he has not come close to HOF consideration. HOF voters may some day come around to a better appreciation for TEs as historically along with Safeties the voters have been slow or dismissive of voting them in.
reminder that reveal of 2015 modern finalists is on NFL Network (and then on blogs and social media!) tomorrow, Thursday Jan 8th starting at 9pm EST.
interesting report on espn.com today that Kurt Warner would have considered rejoining the Cardinals late this season as they had all the issues with injured QBs (although the team never contacted him and either way he may have decided not to). Would have been interesting giving his current status as 2015 HOF semi-finalist, and I am guessing by this evening he makes the final 15 list.
Kurt Warner will make final 15 this evening. Wonder if he will be in final 10.
If we assume that all five remaining from the 2014 final ten again make the list this time, there would be 5 open slots and I think Warner has a very good chance of getting that far, especially considering he will the only QB (and the first QB as a finalist for several years).
My final 15 looks like this: Anderson, Bettis, Brown, Coryell, Davis, Greene, Haley, Harrison, James, Lynch, Pace, Seau, Shields, Warner, Dungy, and I feel pretty good about 12 or so of them with the last 3 somewhat of a crapshoot (and frankly whoever those last 3 are, makes no difference this year as they are not advancing further into final 10).
If pressed to come up final 10 here is what I would have: Bettis, Brown, Greene, Haley, Harrison, Pace, Seau, Shields, Warner, Dungy
and my predicted election of modern candidates: Bettis, Haley, Harrison, Seau, Shields ( I feel pretty good about Seau, Shields, Haley and Harrison, frankly could be toss up between Bettis, Pace, Dungy and Warner for the fifth and final slot)
Wow I got 14 of 15 correct! (no James, Jimmy Johnson on the list)