The preliminary list of 105 candidates has been winnowed down to 26 semi-finalists by the Hall of Fame (article on SI.com)They are:
Offense:
Jerome Bettis (RB)
Curtis Martin (RB)
Roger Craig (RB)
Terrell Davis (RB)
Dermontti Dawson (C)
Will Shields (G)
Willie Roaf (T)
Tim Brown (WR)
Cris Carter (WR)
Andre Reed (WR)
Defense:
Steve Atwater (DB)
Aeneas Williams (DB)
Donnie Shell (DB)
Clay Matthews (LB)
Karl Mecklenburg (LB)
Kevin Greene (LB)
Charles Haley (LB)
Chris Doleman (DL)
Cortez Kennedy (DL)
Special Teams:
Steve Tasker
Coaches:
Bill Parcells
Don Coryell
Contributors:
Eddie DeBartolo (former 49ers owner)
Paul Tagliabue (former NFL commissioner)
Ron Wolf (former exec with Raiders, Buccaneers, Jets, Packers)
George Young (former exec with Giants, Colts, Dolphins)
In addition, there are two senior candidates, who are considered separately:
Jack Butler (DB)
Dick Stanfel (G)
Yikes. That’s a thin list of contenders. I think Parcells will get in, maybe Debartolo and Tagliabue. For actual players, maybe Roaf, Craig, Carter, and Haley. None of the players leap out at me as guys that should be in Canton.
Interesting to compare the 3 wideouts: I’m biased towards Tim Brown’s candidacy-if Fred Biletnikoff is in as a possession receiver then Brown has to be too. He beats Carter on yards/catch, and beats Reed on overall catches, peak seasons & TDs. Carter wouldn’t be a bad choice either, with 2 122 catch seasons and some high TD years as his main selling points.
You’ve got the #4 and #5 all-time leading rushers, the #2 guy in receptions, and without even looking up anyone else, that’s a “thin list of contenders?”
In addition to the WR and RB candidates, Will Shields was a 12 time Pro Bowler and 9 time All-Pro. Roaf was an 11 time Pro Bowler and 6 time All-Pro and was an all- decade player for the 90’s and 2000’s. Dawson was a 6 time All-Pro.
I think Roaf and Shields should go in, along with Tim Brown, Carter, Parcells, and maybe Doleman. That’s 5 or 6 if you include Doleman. I think Carter, Dawson, Bettis, Shell and even a couple others are strong candidates too.
Curtis Martin is a tough case. I mean, as the 4th leading rusher of all time, he almost seems like he should be a lock. But really, how many of those years was he the best RB in the league? He only won one rushing title in his career. He was phenomenally consistent and durable though, which should count for something.
It’s really a golden age of football now and for the past 20 years or so. There have been more good players than ever, and there’s going to be a logjam for the HOF for years to come. The bar is going to have to be raised for the HOF. The 10,000 yard rushing club isn’t an automatic anymore (Warrick Dunn, Eddie George, or Tiki Barber anyone?), and the passing explosion means that WR stats are going to have to be reconsidered as well.
I would love to hear the discussions that the committee has during selection.