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The NFL Hall of Fame announced their 94-member initial nominee list for the 2017 class tonight. Here are the former Rams among them:
QB Kurt Warner
Warner was a finalist last year though he missed out on the final cut for the second year in a row. With a bit of a shorter resume having not started his career until he was 28, Warner perhaps suffers from the same HOF drawback as many others in that he’s got top marks but a contracted career with some lulls.
I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Warner makes it in this time. Third time’s the charm...
WR Isaac Bruce
WR Torry Holt
WR Henry Ellard
Unlike Warner who faces just one new candidate in Donovan McNabb, the Rams three wideouts have Chad Ochocinco Johnson, Hines Ward and Derrick Mason (wut) added to the mix. And added that Terrell Owens is a returning finalist...
Look, I can’t understand why Bruce and Holt wouldn’t be HOFers. But let’s see how the process plays this out.
Aaaaand that’s it
We’ve gotten past the mark of the Greatest Show on Turf. RB Marshall Faulk is in. OT Orlando Pace is in. S Aeneas Williams is in. Warner, Bruce and Holt are still in the mix.
It’s going to be a while before we see another candidate join them from this franchise.
As for the list of new entrants, here are the first-time nominees:
QB Donovan McNabb
RB LaDainian Tomlinson
WR Chad Ochocinco Johnson
WR Hines Ward
WR Derrick Mason
C Olin Kreutz
DL Jason Taylor
LB Joey Porter
S Brian Dawkins
S Bob Sanders
That leaves no new nominees for tight ends, K/P or ST-only nominees (like Brian Mitchell or Steve Tasker). Oddly, it means just one tight end is in the mix in Mark Bavaro.
The list will be shortened to 25 in November and 15 in January. Those 15 will join former Seahawks S Kenny Easley, Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones and former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue as the 18-member finalist class. From there:
The Selection Committee will meet on Saturday, February 4, 2017 in Houston, Texas to elect the Class of 2017. While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the selection process by-laws provide that between four and eight new members will be selected.