The Pro Football Hall of Fame on Wednesday evening announced 15 finalists who will be considered for enshrinement this coming summer.
Some big names are on the list, including record-breaking special teams player Devin Hester. Here is a look at all 15 modern-era finalists for Canton.
- Eric Allen, cornerback
- Jared Allen, defensive end
- Willie Anderson, offensive tackle
- Jahri Evans, guard
- Dwight Freeney, EDGE
- Antonio Gates, tight end
- Rodney Harrison, safety
- Devin Hester, returner
- Torry Holt, wide receiver
- Andre Johnson, wide receiver
- Julius Peppers, defensive end
- Fred Taylor, running back
- Reggie Wayne, wide receiver
- Patrick Willis, linebacker
- Darren Woodson, safety
This is a strong potential Hall of Fame Class. This includes three wide receivers in that of Torry Holt, Andrew Johnson and Reggie Wayne who most believe should already be in Canton. We’re also talking about a strong class on the defensive side of the ball.
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Projecting the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class
Jared Allen: A fourth-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs back in 2004, Allen earned five Pro Bowl appearances throughout his career. He racked up at least 14.5 sacks four times, including a league-leading 22 with the Minnesota Vikings back in 2011. He’s currently 12th on the official NFL list with 136 career sacks.
Antonio Gates: An undrafted free agent of the then-San Diego Chargers back in 2003, Gates morphed into one of the best tight ends of all-time during his career in Southern California. He racked up 955 receptions for 11,841 yards with 116 touchdowns. He’s third on the all-time list for tight ends in receiving yards. He’s also 14th among all players in touchdowns.
Devin Hester: This former Miami (F) star finished his career third all-time in punt return yards and No. 1 in punt returns for touchdowns with 14 throughout his brilliant career. Rarely do pure special teams players make it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But we’re banking on Hester getting the nod when the announcement is made on Feb. 8.
Torry Holt: Part of the “Greatest Show on Turf” during his time with the then-St. Louis Rams, Holt led the NFL in receiving yards twice. From 2000-05, the former first-round pick averaged 1,450 yards. He ranks 17th among receivers in career receiving yards, just ahead of current Pro Football Hall of Famer Andre Reed.
Reggie Wayne: How good was Wayne during his time with the Indianapolis Colts? He finished his career ranked 10th on the all-time receiving yards list with 14,345. That included a nine-year span in which Wayne averaged north of 1,200 receiving yards.
Julius Peppers: Longevity and domination. Peppers suited up in the NFL from 2002-2018. He earned nine Pro Bowl trips, recorded double-digit sacks a whopping 10 times and was still doing his thing late in his career. It led to Peppers retiring fourth on the all-time NFL sack list.
Patrick Willis: Willis’ decision to retire after just eight seasons back in 2015 caught a lot of people by surprise. He was still playing at an elite level when opting to hang it up. During his eight-year run with the San Francisco 49ers, Willis earned seven Pro Bowl appearances and was named All-Pro six times. Just utter domination.