Hall Of Fame Finalists Named

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 15 finalists that will be considered for induction into the Hall with the Class of 2010.

The 15 players and coach are:

WR Tim Brown, WR Cris Carter, Coach Don Coryell, RB Roger Craig, C Dermonti Dawson, DE Richard Det, G Russ Grimm, DE Charles Haley, LB Rickey Jackson, DT Coretz Kennedy, DT John Randle, WR Andre Reed, WR Jerry Rice, TE Shannon Sharpe and RB Emmitt Smith.

Joining the group are senior nominees RB Floyd Little and DB Dick LeBeau.

Carter, Dawson, Dent, Grimm, Kennedy, Randle, Reed, and Sharpe have all been finalists in previous years.  Although they were eligible in previous years, this is the first time Coryell, Craig, Haley, Jackson, Little, and LeBeau have been finalists.
 
LeBeau and Little were selected by the Hall’s Seniors Committee at an August 2009 meeting.  The Committee reviews players whose careers took place more than 25 years ago.  The 15 modern-era finalists were determined by a vote of the Hall’s 44-member Selection Committee from a list of 131 preliminary nominees that earlier was reduced to a list of 25 semifinalists.  To be eligible for election, modern-era players and coaches must be retired at least five years.
 
LeBeau has been eligible for Hall induction the longest, now 33 years. It has been 30 years for Little. Coryell has been eligible the longest among the modern-era nominees at 23 years.  Grimm has been eligible 14 years, while Craig has been eligible 12 years,  Jackson 10 years, Dent eight years, Haley six years, Reed, Dawson and Kennedy five years, Carter three years, Randle and Sharpe two years.

Brown, Rice and Smith are in their first year of eligibility.
 
The Hall of Fame Selection Committee will meet in Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday, February 6th.