94 MODERN-ERA NOMINEES FOR THE HALL OF FAME’S CLASS OF 2017 ANNOUNCED

The list of Modern-Era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017 is comprised of 94 players and coaches. Among the nominees announced are several first-year eligible players including quarterback Donovan McNabb, running back LaDainian Tomlinson, wide receiver Hines Ward and defensive end Jason Taylor.

Related: NFL Fan Vote>>>

The list of nominees consists of 45 offensive players, 32 defensive players, six special teams players and 11 coaches. The Modern-Era nominees will be trimmed to 25 semifinalists in November and, from there, to 15 finalists in January.

Eighteen finalists will be presented to the full 48-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee during its annual selection meeting on the eve of Super Bowl LI. The finalists will consist of 15 Modern-Era finalists, the recently named Senior Finalist, Kenny Easley, and the 2017 Contributor Finalists, Jerry Jones and Paul Tagliabue.

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. 

The Senior Finalist and Contributor Finalists will be voted “yes” or “no” for election at the annual selection meeting and must receive at least 80 percent support from the Committee to be elected. The Modern-Era Finalists will be trimmed during the meeting from 15 to 10 and then from 10 to 5. The remaining five finalists will be voted on individually, “yes” or “no” and must receive the same 80 percent positive vote as the Senior and Contributors Finalists to earn election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Class of 2017 will be announced during the “NFL Honors” nationally broadcast award show that evening.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017 will be formally enshrined next August. The enshrinement is one of three marquee events to be held in the spectacular new Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium during the Enshrinement Week along with the Concert for Legends and the NFL/Hall of Fame Game. The festivities kick off with the nationally televised Gold Jacket Dinner on Thursday night of Hall of Fame Week.

The annual Enshrinement Ceremony is televised nationally by the Hall of Fame’s broadcast partners, NFL Network and ESPN.

MODERN-ERA NOMINEES FOR THE
PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2017

*Finalist in 2016; Underline indicates first year of eligibility (Players and coaches must have last played coached at least five full seasons to be eligible for nomination. Therefore, any individual who last played or coached in 2011 are eligible for the first time in 2017).

BY POSITION

QUARTERBACKS (7)
Drew Bledsoe, Randall Cunningham, Doug Flutie, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, Phil Simms, *Kurt Warner
 

RUNNING BACKS (13)

Shaun Alexander, Ottis Anderson, Tiki Barber, Larry Centers, Roger Craig, *Terrell Davis, Eddie George, *Edgerrin James, Daryl Johnston, Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), LaDainian Tomlinson, Herschel Walker (also KR), Ricky Watters

WIDE RECEIVERS (10)
Isaac Bruce, Henry Ellard (also PR), Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, Derrick Mason (also KR/PR), *Terrell Owens, Sterling Sharpe, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Hines Ward
 

TIGHT END (1)
Mark Bavaro
 

Shaun Alexander (RB)

Eric Allen (CB)

*Morten Andersen (K)

Ottis Anderson (RB)

Gary Anderson (K)

*Steve Atwater (S)

Carl Banks (LB)

Tiki Barber (RB)

Mark Bavaro (TE)

Cornelius Bennett (LB)

Drew Bledsoe (QB)

Tony Boselli (T)

Joey Browner (S)

Isaac Bruce (WR)

Tedy Bruschi (LB)

LeRoy Butler (S)

Larry Centers (RB)

*Don Coryell (Coach)

Bill Cowher (Coach)

Roger Craig (RB)

Randall Cunningham (QB)

*Terrell Davis (RB)

Brian Dawkins (SS)

Ray Donaldson (C)

Henry Ellard (WR/PR)

*Alan Faneca (G)

Tom Flores (Coach)

Doug Flutie (QB)

Tickets

Tickets to the 2017 Enshrinement Week will go on sale at a later date. Pre-sale opportunities will be offered to Hall of Fame membership patrons. For more information on membership benefits, please visit ProFootballHOF.com/memberships/

Fan can also learn about ticket offers and other Hall of Fame related news by signing up for the Hall’s email at ProFootballHOF.com/newsletter/ or by following the Hall on social media at @ProFootballHOF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Fan Vote

For the sixth consecutive year, fans can vote for their favorite Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees. Fans should visit nfl.com/hofvote to make their picks. The Class of 2017 fan vote is presented by Ford, the Official Automobile of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
 

#PFHOF17