Bussie goes in this year!

[Starlifter]

I gotta believe bussie makes the HOF this year. He's waited a few, been humble about it, said and done all the right things. Only one other RB in the class and I think Jerome was far more impactful for far longer than Terrell Davis.

Here's hoping!!!

[K Train]

0% chance...maybe one day, but i confidently don't think he makes it within the next decade

[RuthlessBurgher]

Junior Seau tops list of HOF finalists


Updated: January 9, 2015, 2:39 AM ET
ESPN.com news services

First-year candidates Junior Seau, Kurt Warner and Orlando Pace are among 18 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The list of nominees was reduced Thursday to 15 from the modern era, one senior and two contributors. A finalist must receive at least 80 percent of the votes from the 46-person selection committee to be elected.

The class of 2015 will be announced Jan. 31 in Phoenix during "NFL Honors," the TV show in which The Associated Press hands out its eight individual NFL awards. Inductions will be in August in Canton, Ohio.

The other modern-day finalists are kicker Morten Andersen, running back Jerome Bettis, wide receiver Tim Brown, coach Don Coryell, running back Terrell Davis, coach Tony Dungy, linebacker/defensive end Kevin Greene, linebacker/defensive end Charles Haley, wide receiver Marvin Harrison, coach Jimmy Johnson, safety John Lynch and guard Will Shields.

The senior nominee is former Vikings center Mick Tingelhoff.

Special contributors are Bill Polian and Ron Wolf, the architects of Super Bowl teams as executives.

Polian and Bettis both currently work for ESPN.

Of the three coaches on the ballot, Dungy is in his second year of eligibility, Johnson in his 16th and Coryell in his 28th. Hall of Fame rules for coaches changed in 2007, requiring the coach to be retired for five seasons.

Dungy tweeted Thursday night that his "dream" would be to enter the Hall with Harrison and Lynch.

Thanks so much to everyone for the congrats on being a Pro FB HOF finalist. Dream would be to enter with my former players Lynch & Harrison!
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) January 9, 2015

Seau, who committed suicide in 2012, played two decades with three teams and made 12 Pro Bowls. He was the defensive player of the year in 1992.

Warner guided St. Louis to its only Super Bowl victory after the 1999 season and led the Rams to the title game two years later. He helped Arizona get to its only Super Bowl after the 2008 season. He won league MVP honors in 1999 and 2001.

"What a tremendous honor to make this list and be considered," Warner said in an NFL Network interview. "As I keep saying, this is all gravy for me. I wasn't supposed to be here. When you get honored like this and make this kind of a list, you're very very humbled.

"I believe the only reasons that I would ever make it to the Hall of Fame is because of how I was able to do it and the bumps in the road and what I was able to accomplish through that time period. And that's the thing that I'm most proud of in my entire career."

Pace was the first overall draft pick in 1997 by the Rams and played 13 seasons, with five Pro Bowl selections.

Like Dungy, one of his star players, Harrison, is in his second year of eligibility. The Colts star retired ranking second to Jerry Rice in receptions with 1,102.

Lynch and Andersen, seeking to become the only kicker other than Jan Stenerud in the Hall, are in their third years on the ballot. Lynch spent 11 seasons with Tampa Bay and four with Denver, and made nine Pro Bowls. Andersen played 25 pro seasons with five franchises, and set the NFL records for points (2,544), field goals (565) and games (382).

Shields, a Pro Bowl guard 12 straight years with Kansas City, is in his fourth year of eligibility. Bettis, nicknamed "The Bus," carried the Steelers to the 2005 NFL championship in his final season and has been on the ballot for five years.

Bettis tweeted his appreciation for being named a finalist.

I am humbled to be considered a finalist for the Hall of Fame. I appreciate all of the support!! #SteelerNation #HOFhopeful #TheBus
— Jerome Bettis (@JeromeBettis36) January 9, 2015

Brown, a standout kick returner as well as pass catcher, is in his sixth year of eligibility. He made nine Pro Bowls, twice as a return man.

Davis gave Denver an efficient running game to go with John Elway's passing, and they took the Broncos to championships in 1997 and 1998. This is his ninth year on the ballot.

He tweeted his appreciation as well.

Honored & humbled 2 have been selected as a HOF Finalist. Thanks 2 everyone for their support & well wishes. #onestepcloser #ProFootballHOF
— Terrell Davis (@Terrell_Davis) January 9, 2015

Pass-rushing stars Haley and Greene are in their 11th year of eligibility. Greene played for four teams and made the Pro Bowl five times. Haley won five Super Bowls -- two with San Francisco and three with Dallas -- the only player to do so.

Tingelhoff retired in 1978 after 17 seasons as one of the most durable and dependable centers in the league. He never missed a game, starting 240, and made it to four Super Bowls.

Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Edgerrin James, Ty Law and Kevin Mawae were among the players not named finalists in their first year of eligibility.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

[URL]http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12139849/junior-seau-kurt-warner-orlando-pace-pro-football-hall-fame-finalists[/URL]

[RuthlessBurgher]

My take for the 5 modern-era candidates to get in would be Junior Seau, Orlando Pace, Tim Brown, Charles Haley, and Jerome Bettis.

[Oviedo]

Bettis is not getting into the Hall of Fame this year primarily because he has the "mark of Cain" on him.....he is a Pittsburgh Steeler. The bias against the Steelers is real because of the false perception we have too many in. Also, the RB position has been so devalued in the league that voters probably don't care about getting a RB in.

Bettis won't get in until veterans put him in long past when he should have gotten in. Same with Hines Ward and probably Ben.

[K Train]

Ben will get in, but i wouldnt be surprised if Ward and Bettis never sniff the hall....they are great steelers but neither was really ever considered to be among the best of the position in the league....bettis has tomlinson coming up to deal with, ward has to deal with an already log jam of WRs waiting and then TO and Moss

[phillyesq]

My take for the 5 modern-era candidates to get in would be Junior Seau, Orlando Pace, Tim Brown, Charles Haley, and Jerome Bettis.

Hard to argue with that list. I think I might take Harrison over Tim Brown, but that's where it starts to get tough comparing across eras.

[K Train]

they just gotta clear up the log jam at WR, Tim Brown makes sense and is deserving

[flippy]

Ben will get in, but i wouldnt be surprised if Ward and Bettis never sniff the hall....they are great steelers but neither was really ever considered to be among the best of the position in the league....bettis has tomlinson coming up to deal with, ward has to deal with an already log jam of WRs waiting and then TO and Moss

Hines won dancing with the stars. He'll slide right in. He might even pass the Bus.

Hines also has the SB MVP and many more highlight reel plays. Plus he had the rules changed because of the way he played. I think he's more memorable.

Although Bettis has a pretty good nickname going for him.

[Starlifter]

like i said, there is timing with the HOF as well as politics. Bussie has played the politics well and with only one other RB to 'compete' with this year - i like his chances. TD has been sitting longer - but his credentials are somewhat speculative because of his shortened career. many writers don't want to put a guy in the HOF based on what he 'would' have done if he had played longer. straight up RB comparison, it's bettis hands down. now, does a RB make the 5? hope so!!