3 Steelers on 2012 Semifinalist NFL HOF List

[pittpete]

Steve Atwater, S – 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets
Jerome Bettis, RB – 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh SteelersTim Brown, WR/KR – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cris Carter, WR – 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins
Don Coryell, Coach – 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers
Roger Craig, RB – 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings
Terrell Davis, RB – 1995-2001 Denver Broncos
Dermontti Dawson, C – 1988-2000 Pittsburgh SteelersEdward DeBartolo, Jr., Owner – 1979-2000 San Francisco 49ers
Chris Doleman, DE/LB – 1985-1993, 1999 Minnesota Vikings, 1994-95 Atlanta Falcons, 1996-98 San Francisco 49ers
Kevin Greene, LB/DE – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers
Charles Haley, DE/LB – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys
Cortez Kennedy, DT – 1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks
Curtis Martin, RB – 1995-97 New England Patriots, 1998-2005 New York Jets
Clay Matthews, LB – 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons
Karl Mecklenburg, LB – 1983-1994 Denver Broncos
Bill Parcells, Coach – 1983-1990 New York Giants, 1993-96 New England Patriots, 1997-99 New York Jets, 2003-06 Dallas Cowboys
Andre Reed, WR – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins
Willie Roaf, T – 1993-2001 New Orleans Saints, 2002-05 Kansas City Chiefs
Donnie Shell, S – 1974-1987 Pittsburgh SteelersWill Shields, G – 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs
Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner – 1989-2006 National Football League
Steve Tasker, ST/WR – 1985-86 Houston Oilers, 1986-1997 Buffalo Bills
Aeneas Williams, CB/S – 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams
Ron Wolf, Contributor – 1963-1974, 1978-1990 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1975-77 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1990 New York Jets, 1991 -2001 Green Bay Packers
George Young, Contributor – 1968-1974 Baltimore Colts, 1975-78 Miami Dolphins, 1979-1997 New York Giants, 1998-2001 National Football LeagueThe list of 26 semifinalists will be reduced by mail ballot to 15 modern-era finalists. The results of the modern-era reduction vote to 15 finalists will be announced in early January, 2012.

[Dee Dub]

Re: 3 Steelers on 2012 Semifinalist NFL HOF List

Most of you from back in the Trib days know how I feel about Donnie Shell. He is the biggest omission from the Hall of Fame there is. When you rank in the top 3 all time at your position statistically and you have played on 4 Super Championships and 5 Pro Bowl teams you should be a lock for the Hall.

51 career INT's
19 career fumble recoveries

These two numbers alone should get him in the Hall.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: 3 Steelers on 2012 Semifinalist NFL HOF List

Although he did not spend the majority of his career in Black and Gold, you could also highlight Kevin Greene's name.

I'm not sure how Donnie Shell's name got on the list (not saying he's not worthy...he should already be in). Donnie retired in 1987. He was first eligible for HoF induction 5 years after retirement, in 1992. I thought that a player could be on the ballot for 15 years (in his case, that would make 2007 his last eligible year, no?). I guess I'm wrong about that, if Shell is indeed still eligible now. I thought that the Senior's Committee started giving consideration to guys that have been retired for at least 25 years (Donnie reaches that stage next year). Donnie is not a Senior nominee, because those guys were announced a while back (former Steeler CB Jack Butler was one, along with Lions/Redskins OG Dick Stanfel).

Shell and Dawson should be locks, but I have been wrong before. With no clear-cut first year eligible guys like Emmett Smith or Jerry Rice this year, I think this is the year that Dirt certainly gets hit, and I'm hopeful for Donnie as well

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: 3 Steelers on 2012 Semifinalist NFL HOF List

For what it's worth, here was the final 17 names last year:

» Jerome Bettis, RB (1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers)

» Tim Brown, WR/KR (1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

» Cris Carter, WR (1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins)

» Dermontti Dawson, C (1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers)

» Richard Dent, DE (1983-1993, 1995 Chicago Bears, 1994 San Francisco 49ers, 1996 Indianapolis Colts, 1997 Philadelphia Eagles)

» Chris Doleman, DE/LB (1985-1993, 1999 Minnesota Vikings, 1994-95 Atlanta Falcons, 1996-98 San Francisco 49ers)

» Marshall Faulk, RB (1994-98 Indianapolis Colts, 1999-2005 St. Louis Rams)

» Charles Haley, DE/LB (1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys)

» *Chris Hanburger, LB (1965-78 Washington Redskins)

» Cortez Kennedy, DT (1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks)

» Curtis Martin, RB (1995-97 New England Patriots, 1998-2005 New York Jets)

» Andre Reed, WR (1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins)

» *Les Richter, LB (1954-62 Los Angeles Rams)

» Willie Roaf, OT (1993-2001 New Orleans Saints, 2002-05 Kansas City Chiefs)

» Ed Sabol, Contributor (1964-1995 NFL Films)

» Deion Sanders, CB/KR/PR (1989-1993 Atlanta Falcons, 1994 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-99 Dallas Cowboys, 2000 Washington Redskins, 2004-05 Baltimore Ravens)

» Shannon Sharpe, TE (1990-99, 2002-03 Denver Broncos, 2000-01 Baltimore Ravens)

The Senior Nominees Hanberger and Richter were voted on separately from the Modern Era candidates. Both got in.

Among the 15 Modern Era candidates, the first job was whittling those 15 names down to 10. The first 5 guys eliminated from contention were: Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown, Cris Carter, Chris Doleman and Charles Haley.

When they whittled the list down from 10 to 5 names, the following guys were eliminated: Dermontti Dawson, Cortez Kennedy, Curtis Martin, Andre Reed and Willie Roaf.

Then the final 5 guys (plus the 2 senior guys) were voted on individually, needing 80% of the vote to get elected. Richard Dent, Marshall Faulk, Chris Hanburger, Les Richter, Ed Sabol, Deion Sanders and Shannon Sharpe all got the necessary votes for enshrinement.

Based on last year's voting results, the Modern-Era candidates who seem to have the best shot are Dawson, Kennedy, Martin, Reed and Roaf.