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Last year, the NFL Hall of Fame announced 94 nominees for their 2017 class. After a five-month process of whittling that group down to 26 semifinalists before cutting it further to 15 finalists, former St. Louis Rams QB Kurt Warner was voted in along with five others as part of the 2017 class (former Rams WR Isaac Bruce was snubbed yet again, but let’s not get me angry).
Tonight, that process starts all over again.
The HOF has released a 108-candidate list of nominees for next year’s class, and there are seven former Rams among them:
WR Isaac Bruce (1994-2007)
Just do the damn thing, already.
WR Torry Holt (1999-2008)
Would it be the worst thing ever to put Bruce and Big Game in together?
The answer is no. Definitely no.
WR/PR Henry Ellard (1983-1993)
Unquestionably the Rams’ best receiver until the above two entered the conversation, Ellard was a force in college and then blazed the NFL.
DT La’Roi Glover (2006-2008)
The King played for the St. Louis Rams at the tail end of his very successful career after putting in some great years with the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys.
DL Leslie O’Neal (1996-97)
Leslie O’Neal had a short stint in St. Louis, following a very solid nine years in San Diego — six of which earned him Pro Bowl honors.
P Sean Landeta (1993-96, 2003-04)
Landeta’s 21-year career saw him join five different teams including two stints with the Rams.
HC Dick Vermeil (1997-1999)
Vermeil’s three-year run atop the Rams was short-lived, but damn did it ever end well.
HC Chuck Knox (1973-1977, 1992-1994)
Knox never quite reclaimed the highs he hit in his first five-year run with the Rams though he never quite got us to the peak.
Here are the first-time nominees:
- WR Donald Driver
- WR Randy Moss
- WR Steve Smith (...............but the other Steve Smith)
- C Matt Birk
- G Steve Hutchinson
- C Jeff Saturday
- DT Richard Seymour
- DE Kyle Vanden Bosch
- ILB Ray Lewis
- ILB Brian Urlacher
- CB/S Ronde Barber
The process remains the same. The voters will trim this list to 25 in November and then 15 in January before selecting the final class the day before Super Bowl LII, February 3, 2018.