CANTON, OHIO – Offensive linemen Larry Allen and Jonathan Ogden, defensive linemen Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan, defensive back John Lynch and kicker Morten Andersen, are among the 13 first-year eligible modern-era candidates nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013.
The complete list of candidates for the Class of 2013 consists of 127 nominees. From that list the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee will choose 25 candidates who will advance as semifinalist nominees. The list of 25 semifinalist nominees will be announced in late November. That semifinalist list will be further reduced by a mail ballot to 15 modern-era finalists and announced in early January.
The Class of 2013 will be selected from the list of the 15 modern-era finalists plus the two senior nominees (former Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Oilers nose tackle Curley Culp and former Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins linebacker Dave Robinson) who were selected last month by the Hall of Fame's Senior Selection Committee.
The actual voting for the Class of 2013 will be conducted at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee's annual meeting, which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013 the day before Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. The election results will be announced at a live announcement show immediately following the meeting.
While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the selection process by-laws provide that between four and seven new members will be selected.
The 2013 list of modern-era nominees includes 89 players, 14 coaches and 24 contributors, including former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and longtime team owners Bud Adams, Jr., Jack Kent Cooke, Ed DeBartolo, Jr., Robert Kraft, and Art Modell.
While a nominated player or coach must have been retired at least five consecutive seasons, a contributor, who is an individual who has made outstanding career contributions to pro football in capacities other than playing or coaching, may still be active in his pro football career. More information on the modern-era nominees can be found on the Hall of Fame's official website at Profootballhof.com.
List of Nominees for the Class of 2013First-year Eligible NomineesQuarterback – Steve McNair
Running Back – Priest Holmes
Wide Receiver – Keenan McCardell
Offensive Linemen – Larry Allen (G), Tom Nalen (C), Jonathan Ogden (T)
Defensive Linemen – Sam Adams (DT), Warren Sapp (DT), Michael Strahan (DE), Ted Washington (DT/NT), Bryant Young (DE)
Defensive Back – John Lynch (S)
Kicker – Morten Andersen
**Additional Nominees
QUARTERBACKS– **Drew Bledsoe, Randall Cunningham, Ron Jaworski, Neil Lomax, Phil Simms, Danny White (also P)
RUNNING BACKS – Jamal Anderson, Ottis Anderson, Tiki Barber, *Jerome Bettis, Larry Centers, Roger Craig, Stephen Davis, Terrell Davis, Eddie George, Brian Mitchell (also PR/KR), Gerald Riggs, Herschel Walker, Ricky Watters
WIDE RECEIVERS –*Tim Brown (also KR), *Cris Carter, Gary Clark, Mark Clayton, Henry Ellard (also PR), Keyshawn Johnson, Stanley Morgan, *Andre Reed, Sterling Sharpe, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith
TIGHT ENDS – Todd Christensen, Ben CoatesOFFENSIVE LINEMEN – Tony Boselli (T), Lomas Brown (T), Jim Covert (T), Joe Fields (C), Bill Fralic (G/T), Jeff Hartings (G/C), Jay Hilgenberg (C), Chris Hinton (G/T), Kent Hull (C), Joe Jacoby (T), Mike Kenn (T), Jim Lachey (T), *Will Shields (G), Erik Williams (T), Steve Wisniewski (G)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN – Carl Hairston (DE/DT), *Charles Haley (DE/LB), Ed "Too Tall" Jones (DE), Joe Klecko (DE/DT/NT), Dexter Manley (DE), Charles Mann (DE), Fred Smerlas (NT)
LINEBACKERS – Cornelius Bennett, *Kevin Greene (also DE), Ken Harvey, Clay Matthews, Karl Mecklenburg, Sam Mills, Darryl Talley
DEFENSIVE BACKS – Eric Allen (CB), Steve Atwater (S), Joey Browner (S), LeRoy Butler (S), Nolan Cromwell (S), Albert Lewis (CB), Dennis Smith (S), Troy Vincent (CB), Everson Walls (CB), *Aeneas Williams (CB/S), Darren Woodson (S)
PUNTERS/KICKERS – Gary Anderson (K), Sean Landeta (P), Nick Lowery (K)
SPECIAL TEAMS/POSITION PLAYER – Steve Tasker (also WR)
COACHES – Bill Arnsparger, Doug Blevins, Bud Carson, Don Coryell, Bill Cowher, Tom Flores, Jimmy Johnson, Chuck Knox, *Bill Parcells, Buddy Parker, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, Clark Shaughnessy, Dick Vermeil
CONTRIBUTORS – K. S. (Bud) Adams, Jr., George Anderson, Bobby Beathard, Gil Brandt, C. O. Brocato, Leo Carlin, Jack Kent Cooke, Otho Davis, *Ed DeBartolo, Jr., Ron Gibbs, Ralph Kohl, Eddie Kotal, Robert Kraft, Art McNally, Art Modell, Bill Polian, Art Rooney, Jr., Steve Sabol, Carl Storck, Paul Tagliabue, Burl Toler, Sr., Jim Tunney, Ron Wolf, George Young
*On 2012 finalists list
