The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 108 modern-era nominees for the 2018 class on Tuesday.
Former Vikings receiver Randy Moss is among the players eligible for the first time. Moss, who is third all-time with 15,292 receiving yards and second with 156 touchdowns, is considered by most to be a lock for induction when the committee votes on Feb. 3.
Moss caught 982 passes, 15th all-time, during a 14-year career that also included stops with the Raiders, Patriots, Titans and 49ers.
The list of Hall of Fame nominees will be reduced to 25 semifinalists in November and then to 15 finalists in January.
Joining Moss as first-year eligible players are former Steelers receiver Hines Ward, former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.
Former receivers Isaac Bruce and Terrell Owens, both finalists in 2017, are again on the list for 2018. If more than one receiver is elected to the Hall, it'd be the first Hall of Fame class ever to include multiple receivers.
Other first-year nominees are wide receivers Steve Smith and Donald Driver, offensive linemen Matt Birk, Steve Hutchinson and Jeff Saturday, defensive linemen Richard Seymour and Kyle Vanden Bosch and former Buccaneers defensive back Ronde Barber.
Here is the complete list of nominees for the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. (* indicates 2017 Hall of Fame finalist)
QUARTERBACKS
(5) – Randall Cunningham, Rich Gannon, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, Phil Simms
RUNNING BACKS
(10) – Tiki Barber, Earnest Byner, Roger Craig, Corey Dillon, Eddie George, Edgerrin James, Lorenzo Neal, Fred Taylor, Herschel Walker (also KR), Ricky Watters
WIDE RECEIVERS
(13) – *Isaac Bruce, Donald Driver, Henry Ellard (also PR), Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, Randy Moss, *Terrell Owens, Sterling Sharpe, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith, John Taylor, Hines Ward
TIGHT END
(4) – Mark Bavaro, Ben Coates, Ferrell Edmunds, Jay Novacek
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
(21) – Willie Anderson (T), Matt Birk (C), *Tony Boselli (T), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Ray Donaldson (C), *Alan Faneca (G), Bill Fralic (G/T), Jay Hilgenberg (C), Chris Hinton (G/T), Kent Hull (C), Steve Hutchinson (G), *Joe Jacoby (T), Mike Kenn (T), *Kevin Mawae (C/G), Tom Nalen (C), Nate Newton (G), Bart Oates (C), Jeff Saturday (C), Richmond Webb (T), Steve Wisniewski (G)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
(11) – La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Leonard Marshall (DE/DT), Keith Millard (DT/NT/DE), Leslie O’Neal (DE), Michael Dean Perry (DT/DE), Simeon Rice (DE), Richard Seymour (DT), Neil Smith (DE), Greg Townsend (DE/NT/LB), Kyle Vanden Bosch (DE), Bryant Young (DT)
LINEBACKERS
(15) – Carl Banks, Cornelius Bennett, Tedy Bruschi, Seth Joyner, Ray Lewis, Greg Lloyd, Wilber Marshall, Clay Matthews, Willie McGinest (also DE), Karl Mecklenburg, Sam Mills, Joey Porter, Darryl Talley, Zach Thomas, Brian Urlacher
DEFENSIVE BACKS
(12) – Eric Allen (CB), Steve Atwater (S), Ronde Barber (CB/S), LeRoy Butler (S), *Brian Dawkins (SS), Rodney Harrison (S), *Ty Law (CB), Albert Lewis (CB), *John Lynch (S), Dennis Smith (S), Everson Walls (CB), Darren Woodson (S)
KICKERS/PUNTER
(3) – Gary Anderson (K), Sean Landeta (P), Nick Lowery (K)
MORE: Jerry Kramer, Robert Brazile named Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists
SPECIAL TEAMS
(2) – Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB), Steve Tasker (ST also WR)
COACHES
(12) – *Don Coryell, Bill Cowher, Tom Flores, Mike Holmgren, Jimmy Johnson, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Richie Petitbon, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, Clark Shaughnessy, Dick Vermeil
Former Vikings receiver Randy Moss is among the players eligible for the first time. Moss, who is third all-time with 15,292 receiving yards and second with 156 touchdowns, is considered by most to be a lock for induction when the committee votes on Feb. 3.
Moss caught 982 passes, 15th all-time, during a 14-year career that also included stops with the Raiders, Patriots, Titans and 49ers.
The list of Hall of Fame nominees will be reduced to 25 semifinalists in November and then to 15 finalists in January.
Joining Moss as first-year eligible players are former Steelers receiver Hines Ward, former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.
Former receivers Isaac Bruce and Terrell Owens, both finalists in 2017, are again on the list for 2018. If more than one receiver is elected to the Hall, it'd be the first Hall of Fame class ever to include multiple receivers.
Other first-year nominees are wide receivers Steve Smith and Donald Driver, offensive linemen Matt Birk, Steve Hutchinson and Jeff Saturday, defensive linemen Richard Seymour and Kyle Vanden Bosch and former Buccaneers defensive back Ronde Barber.
Here is the complete list of nominees for the 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. (* indicates 2017 Hall of Fame finalist)
QUARTERBACKS
(5) – Randall Cunningham, Rich Gannon, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, Phil Simms
RUNNING BACKS
(10) – Tiki Barber, Earnest Byner, Roger Craig, Corey Dillon, Eddie George, Edgerrin James, Lorenzo Neal, Fred Taylor, Herschel Walker (also KR), Ricky Watters
WIDE RECEIVERS
(13) – *Isaac Bruce, Donald Driver, Henry Ellard (also PR), Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, Randy Moss, *Terrell Owens, Sterling Sharpe, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith, John Taylor, Hines Ward
TIGHT END
(4) – Mark Bavaro, Ben Coates, Ferrell Edmunds, Jay Novacek
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
(21) – Willie Anderson (T), Matt Birk (C), *Tony Boselli (T), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Ray Donaldson (C), *Alan Faneca (G), Bill Fralic (G/T), Jay Hilgenberg (C), Chris Hinton (G/T), Kent Hull (C), Steve Hutchinson (G), *Joe Jacoby (T), Mike Kenn (T), *Kevin Mawae (C/G), Tom Nalen (C), Nate Newton (G), Bart Oates (C), Jeff Saturday (C), Richmond Webb (T), Steve Wisniewski (G)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
(11) – La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Leonard Marshall (DE/DT), Keith Millard (DT/NT/DE), Leslie O’Neal (DE), Michael Dean Perry (DT/DE), Simeon Rice (DE), Richard Seymour (DT), Neil Smith (DE), Greg Townsend (DE/NT/LB), Kyle Vanden Bosch (DE), Bryant Young (DT)
LINEBACKERS
(15) – Carl Banks, Cornelius Bennett, Tedy Bruschi, Seth Joyner, Ray Lewis, Greg Lloyd, Wilber Marshall, Clay Matthews, Willie McGinest (also DE), Karl Mecklenburg, Sam Mills, Joey Porter, Darryl Talley, Zach Thomas, Brian Urlacher
DEFENSIVE BACKS
(12) – Eric Allen (CB), Steve Atwater (S), Ronde Barber (CB/S), LeRoy Butler (S), *Brian Dawkins (SS), Rodney Harrison (S), *Ty Law (CB), Albert Lewis (CB), *John Lynch (S), Dennis Smith (S), Everson Walls (CB), Darren Woodson (S)
KICKERS/PUNTER
(3) – Gary Anderson (K), Sean Landeta (P), Nick Lowery (K)
MORE: Jerry Kramer, Robert Brazile named Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists
SPECIAL TEAMS
(2) – Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB), Steve Tasker (ST also WR)
COACHES
(12) – *Don Coryell, Bill Cowher, Tom Flores, Mike Holmgren, Jimmy Johnson, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Richie Petitbon, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, Clark Shaughnessy, Dick Vermeil
