The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its list of 15 finalists Friday morning, a group which will be whittled to no more than five inductees the day before the Super Bowl.
The group includes four first-time eligible nominees: Guard Larry Allen, tackle Jonathan Ogden, defensive tackle Warren Sapp and defensive end Michael Strahan.
It also includes last year’s 10 finalists who missed the final cut: Running back Jerome Bettis, wide receivers Tim Brown, Cris Carter and Andre Reed, guard Will Shields, defensive end Charles Haley, linebacker Kevin Greene, cornerback Aeneas Williams along with Bill Parcells and Ed DeBartolo, Jr.
The 15th finalist is former Browns owner Art Modell.
That means the 12 semifinalists (it’s normally 10, but two extras advanced on ties) who did not advance included: Kicker Morten Andersen, safety John Lynch, cornerback Albert Lewis, safety Steve Atwater, coach Don Coryell, running backs Roger Craig and Terrell Davis, tackle Joe Jacoby, linebacker Karl Mecklenburg, former commissioner Paul Tagliabue, special teamer Steve Tasker and executive George Young.
Two senior nominees — former Chiefs and Oilers nose tackle Curley Culp and former Packers and Redskins linebacker Dave Robinson— are voted upon separately, for a maximum class of seven.