Road to Canton (via South Florida)

On the day before Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida next February, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Board of Selectors will meet to hold its annual selection meeting to elect between four and seven individuals who will comprise the Class of 2010. The 44-person committee will debate the merits of 17 final candidates. Two of those finalists are this year’s senior nominees, former Detroit Lions defensive back Dick LeBeau and Denver Broncos running back Floyd Little.

Voice Your Choice

For the first time ever, fans now have a forum to share opinions on the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Thanks to our friends at JCPenney and Van Heusen, you can join the debate at jpc.com/fans>>>

The other 15 finalists will be selected from the initial list of 131 preliminary modern-era nominees that was announced on September 19. The selection process calls for a reduction to 25 semifinalists in November before the finalists are determined in January.

Between now and Thanksgiving Weekend, Profootballhof.com will profile the groups of players who comprise this list of nominees for the 2010 class.

THIS WEEK:

Linebackers

NEXT WEEK: Defensive backs

PREVIOUS WEEKS: 
First-Year Eligibles | QBs | Special teams, Coaches & Contributors | Defensive Linemen | Running Backs | Offensive Linemen

Enshrinement Tickets now on sale>>>

Five of the 18 linebackers who are enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame have been elected in the past 10 years. That includes former Kansas City Chiefs’ Derrick Thomas, posthumously last year, and Andre Tippett of the New England Patriots in 2008.

The list of modern-era nominees for the Class of 2010 includes 13 linebackers. It may be a long road for the group if they expect to join Thomas, Tippett, and the others in Canton. Not one of the linebackers under consideration for 2010 has ever become a finalist for the Hall of Fame.

However, two of the names on the list have made the cut-down to 25 semifinalists since that reduction vote was added to the process in 2004. The reduction to semifinalists in 2010 is set for Saturday, November 28.

Greene led the NFL in sacks twice, once as a Steeler and one time while with the Panthers.

Kevin Greene has been a semifinalist in each of the past three years. A five-time Pro Bowler, Greene also played defensive end during his 15-year NFL career with the Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers. The other linebacker who has moved beyond the list of preliminary nominees is former Saints’ star Rickey Jackson. He was a semifinalist for the Class of 2008.

Here’s a closer look at the 13 linebackers receiving consideration for 2010 and how they stack up against each other.

Cornelius Bennett – 1987-1995 Buffalo Bills, 1996-98 Atlanta Falcons, 1999-2000 Indianapolis Colts

Matt Blair – 1974-1985 Minnesota Vikings

Kevin Greene – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers

Ken Harvey – 1988-1993 Phoenix Cardinals, 1994-98 Washington Redskins

Rickey Jackson – 1981-1993 New Orleans Saints, 1994-95 San Francisco 49ers

Rod Martin – 1977-1988 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders

Clay Matthews – 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons

Karl Mecklenburg – 1983-1994 Denver Broncos

Sam Mills – 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers

Hardy Nickerson – 1987-1992 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1993-99 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2000-01 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Green Bay Packers

Chris Spielman – 1988-1995 Detroit Lions, 1996-97 Buffalo Bills

Pat Swilling – 1986-1992 New Orleans Saints, 1993-94 Detroit Lions, 1995-96, 1998 Oakland Raiders

Darryl Talley – 1983-1994 Buffalo Bills, 1995 Atlanta Falcons, 1996 Minnesota Vikings

Linebacker Nominees for 2010 Election
			Honors			Championship Teams
Player	Years	Int	All-Pro	All-Conf.	Pro Bowls	Div.	Conf.	League
Cornelius Bennett	14	7	3	3	5	8	5	0
Matt Blair	12	16	1	5	6	6	2	0
Kevin Greene	15	5	2	2	5	5	1	0
Ken Harvey	11	1	0	2	4	0	0	0
Rickey Jackson	15	8	4	4	6	3	1	1
Rod Martin	12	14	3	2	2	3	2	2
Clay Matthews	19	16	1	1	4	5	0	0
Karl Mecklenburg	12	5	4	5	6	5	3	0
Sam Mills	12	11	3	3	5	2	0	0
Hardy Nickerson	16	12	2	3	5	3	0	0
Chris Spielman	10	6	2	1	4	2	0	0
Pat Swilling	12	6	2	2	5	2	0	0
Darryl Talley	14	12	2	2	2	5	4	0