Modern-Era nominees for the Class of 2010
09/19/2009
The National Football League’s all-time leading receiver Jerry Rice and all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith are among the list of 131 players, coaches and contributors who make up the preliminary list of modern-era nominees for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2010. Rice and Smith are two of the seven first-year eligible candidates on this year’s list of nominees.
From this preliminary list of modern-era nominees, Hall of Fame selectors will choose 25 candidates who will advance as semifinalist nominees. The list of 25 modern-era semifinalists will be announced on November 27.
The 25 modern-era semifinalists list will be reduced by a mail ballot to 15 modern-era finalists that will be announced on January 7.
The final list of nominees that will be considered for election will consist of the 15 modern-era finalists and the two previously announced senior nominees, former Detroit Lions cornerback Dick LeBeau and former Denver Broncos running back Floyd Little. LeBeau and Little were selected this past August by the Hall of Fame’s Senior Selection Committee.
The Class of 2010 will be selected from the list of 17 finalists (15 modern-era and two senior nominees). The actual voting will be conducted at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee’s annual meeting, which will be held on Saturday, February 6, 2010 in South Florida the day before Super Bowl XLIV. The election results will be announced immediately afterwards. 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 preliminary list includes 103 players, 10 coaches and 18 contributors, including former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and longtime team owners Bud Adams, and Art Modell. The other first-year eligible nominees are kicker Gary Anderson, wide receiver Tim Brown, quarterback Rich Gannon, running back Eddie George, and cornerback/safety Aeneas Williams.
To be considered for Hall of Fame election, a nominated player or coach must have been retired at least five years. 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.
2010 Preliminary Nominees - by Position
Quarterbacks
Ken Anderson
Randall Cunningham
Boomer Esiason
Rich Gannon
Jim Plunkett
Phil Simms
Joe Theismann
Danny White (also P)
Doug Williams
Running Backs
Ottis Anderson
Larry Centers
Roger Craig
Terrell Davis
Eddie George
Leroy Hoard
Eric Metcalf (also WR)
Brian Mitchell (also KR/PR)
Mike Pruitt
Gerald Riggs
George Rogers
Emmitt Smith
Herschel Walker
Ricky Watters
Wide Receivers
Cliff Branch
Tim Brown
Cris Carter
Gary Clark
Henry Ellard
Irving Fryar
Roy Green
Herman Moore
Stanley Morgan
Andre Reed
Jerry Rice
Sterling Sharpe
Tight Ends
Mark Bavaro
Todd Christensen
Ben Coates
Russ Francis
Shannon Sharpe
Frank Wycheck
Offensive Linemen
Tony Boselli, T
Lomas Brown, T
Jim Covert, T
Dermontti Dawson, C
Russ Grimm, G
Jay Hilgenberg, C
Chris Hinton, G/T
Kent Hull, C
Joe Jacoby, T
Mike Kenn, T
Jim Lachey, T
Max Montoya, G
Korey Stringer, T
Steve Wisniewski, G
Defensive Linemen
Al "Bubba" Baker, DE
Ray Childress, DT/DE
Richard Dent, DE
Chris Doleman, DE/LB
Charles Haley, DE/LB
Ed “Too Tall” Jones, DE
Cortez Kennedy, DT
Joe Klecko, DE/DT/NT
Dexter Manley, DE
Charles Mann, DE
Steve McMichael, DT/NT
Leslie O’Neal, DE
Michael Dean Perry, DT/DE
John Randle, DE/DT
Clyde Simmons, DE
Fred Smerlas, NT
Linebackers
Cornelius Bennett
Matt Blair
Kevin Greene (also DE)
Ken Harvey
Rickey Jackson
Rod Martin
Clay Matthews
Karl Mecklenburg
Sam Mills
Hardy Nickerson
Chris Spielman
Pat Swilling
Darryl Talley
Defensive Backs
Eric Allen, CB
Steve Atwater, S
Joey Browner, S
LeRoy Butler, S
Raymond Clayborn, CB
Kenny Easley, S
Lester Hayes, CB
Carnell Lake, S/CB
Albert Lewis, CB
Frank Minnifield, CB
Donnie Shell, S
Aeneas Williams, CB/S
Darren Woodson, S
Louis Wright, CB
Kickers, Punters & Special Teams
Gary Anderson, K
Ray Guy, P
Nick Lowery, K
Reggie Roby, P
Steve Tasker, ST/WR
Coaches
Bill Arnsparger
Don Coryell
Tom Flores
Jimmy Johnson
Chuck Knox
Buddy Parker
O.A. "Bum" Phillips
Dan Reeves
Buddy Ryan
Clark Shaughnessy
Contributors
K.S. "Bud" Adams, Jr., Owner
Bobby Beathard, Administrator
Gil Brandt, Administrator
Leo Carlin, Administrator
Jack Kent Cooke, Owner
Otho Davis, Trainer
Ed DeBartolo, Jr., Owner
Ole Haugsrud, Owner
Frank "Bucko" Kilroy, Administrator
Art Modell, Owner
Art Rooney, Jr. Administrator
Caroll Rosenbloom, Owner
Ed Sabol, NFL Films
Steve Sabol, NFL Films
Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner
Jim Tunney, Official
Ron Wolf, Administrator
George Young, Administrator
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