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Pro Football Hall of Fame

Oh ‘fer Two at the Hall

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CANTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – “It’s not you, it’s me,” must be the saying in Foxboro. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft did not receive enough votes for selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, ESPN reported Tuesday. Last week, there were confirmed reports that former head coach Bill Belichick, who led the Patriots to nine Super Bowls and six championships over 24 seasons, also is not part of the Class of 2026 to be enshrined in this tiny Ohio town, this summer.

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The new Hall of Fame class will be revealed Thursday night at the NFL Honors ceremony in San Francisco.

Belichick and Kraft were among the five finalists competing in the same category — contributors, coaches and senior players who last played in 2000 or earlier. Kraft qualified as the contributor finalist and Belichick as the coach.

Former players Roger Craig, Ken Anderson and L.C. Greenwood filled out the list of finalists and none, one, two or all three can have their names called Thursday. To be selected, a finalist needs 40 of the 50 possible votes. If no one reaches that benchmark, the highest vote-getter becomes a Hall of Fame member.

When news spread of Belichick’s failure to reach the voting minimum, Kraft was among those in the football community who expressed disbelief that Belichick was not selected.

“As head coach of the New England Patriots for more than two decades, he set the standard for on-field excellence, preparation, and sustained success in the free agency and salary cap era of the National Football League. He is the greatest coach of all time and he unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer,” Kraft said in a statement.

Kraft, 84, purchased the team and its old stadium for $172 million on Jan. 31, 1994. His purchase kept the franchise from being sold and relocated.

Before his ownership, the team had been to the playoffs six times since its founding as the Boston Patriots of the American Football League in 1960. That includes their 46-10 drubbing by the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XX after an 11-5 regular season in 1985.

With Kraft and Belichick in charge, the Patriots won the Super Bowls following the 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016 and 2018 seasons.

Kraft’s investment in the Patriots was a wise one. In 2025, he sold 8% of the shares in the team for $720 million, giving the team a $9 billion valuation.

Kraft’s Patriots will appear in Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks this Sunday in Santa Clara.  A win would give New England a record seventh NFL title in the Super Bowl era, breaking a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Feb. 1st

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Bill Belichick as depicted on his unauthorized book cover (by Ian O’Connor)

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, hands-down the greatest coach in pro football history, was snubbed by Pro Football Hall of Fame voters and will not be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer.

Football aficionados everywhere were stunned at the news of Belichick falling short of the necessary 40 of 50 votes to become a first-ballot, no-brainer selection to the Hall. The news leaked to multiple media outlets on Tuesday, January 27th or about nine days before the NFL Honors show plans to announce the Canton Class of ‘26 on February 5 – in the lead-up to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California.

The voting outcome, apparently broken to Belichick on January 23, casts a pall on the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The only comparisons might be snubs to the likes of Red Auerbach (Celtics) and John Wooden (UCLA) in basketball, Scotty Bowman (Montreal Canadians) in ice hockey, Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United) in soccer, or, maybe to the likes of the NFL’s Vince Lombardi.

According to an early ESPN report the coach was “puzzled” and “disappointed” by his inability to secure enough support to be “on to Canton.”

“Six Super Bowls isn’t enough?” Belichick reportedly asked an associate, referring to the NFL Super Bowl championships he won as head coach of the New England Patriots. He also won two more Super Bowl rings as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. To another associate, he said, “What does a guy have to do?”

The coach is right.

This snub is an all-timer.

For the record, Belichick has:

  • 333 career victories, including playoffs, second only to Don Shula’s 347
  • 12 Super Bowl appearances and eight wins, six as a head coach of New England and two as a New York Giants assistant coach

Not having Belichick in the Hall this year is like the great actress, Katharine Hepburn, never winning an Oscar, or like Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese or Francis Ford Coppola never being recognized as great film directors by the Academy. Or, maybe like The Beatles or the Rolling Stones being snubbed at the Rock Hall of Fame in Cleveland?

Not inviting Bill Belichick to the Pro Football Hall of Fame is like not inviting Santa to Christmas. It’s like not naming Jack Nicklaus, Arnie Palmer and Tiger Woods to the foursome you’d love to play a round with at Augusta. It’s like telling Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to await a call from Springfield, or telling Larry Bird and Magic Johnson they should’ve played hopscotch instead of NBA basketball.

“Sorry,” Coach Dean Smith (Carolina) and Coach Mike Krzyzewski (Duke), you might’ve tried a different profession, “there’s no room for you at the Inn.”

To NASCAR driver and all-time great Richard Petty? “Hey, “take another lap at the Daytona 500 before you expect anything close to gaining immortality.”

To Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Bobby Orr, or Pele – go take a powder.

To John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Alan Shepard, Jim Lovell or Sally Ride, “try another profession, maybe try to stay grounded.”

To Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger III, “Go take a dip in the Hudson before you come calling in Canton.”

To Jack Nicholson? “Sorry, you can’t handle the truth.”

Yes, snubbing Bill Belichick really took balls, fully inflated balls.

If Bill Belichick was on Secretariat at The Belmont, they would’ve told him to go race another mile at Aqueduct.

If Belichick were hitting home runs in Japanese baseball, they would’ve said, “Sadaharu Oh – No.”

If Belichick was Rodney Dangerfield, in his prime? “Hey, we hope you can take a joke.”

“Eh, no more Tonight Shows for you, Rodney, and by the way, your wife – yeah, your wife was fat and ugly. “In fact, she was so fat, when she went dancing in high heels, she struck oil. And, when we took her to the MACYs Thanksgiving Day parade, she was wearing ropes.”

Bill Belichick just “Don’t get no respect.”

That lack of R-E-S-P-E-C-T prompts the question: Is there another side to this strange Super Bowl coin? Is there a reason Bill Belichick wasn’t invited to pro football’s prom? Did Indianapolis’ Bill Polian have something to do with tainting the vote, making Belichick wait – doing a year penance from alleged high NFL crimes and misdemeanors – namely SpyGate and DeflateGate?

He claims he did not.

“As a Hall of Fame member and selector, I realize the import of what we do,’’ Polian said during his Wednesday appearance on SiriusXM Radio. “I’ve always tried as a selector to make these difficult choices with the utmost objectivity.

“I’ve said on SiriusXM Radio and numerous other media outlets that I believe Coach Belichick to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. My vote confirms that.’’

Pretty strong statement, but in my first hand experience of dealing with the various NBA postseason awards, it wasn’t uncommon to have voters write one thing, say another thing, then vote a third way.

Were their co-conspirators in the January 13th psuedo-meeting of Pro Football Hall voters? It was reported that meeting attendees gave-up Polian as the one who brought up the Patriots’ scandalous ways, and maybe Polian and his Colts’ coach Tony Dungy had their say?

No one wants to go on the record, and Polian denied the accusation of tipping the vote in the meeting.

Lastly, where does Patriots’ franchise owner Robert Kraft stand in this messy mix? Kraft is up for Pro Football Hall induction this year, too. At the time of the reports, it was not known whether Kraft had enough support or if he, too, would be left in NFL limbo. Would he dare go to Canton side-by-side with Big Bill (and Jordan)?

Regardless, they’ll be saying, “Wait ‘til Next Year,” to BB.

Instead of being enshrined at Canton, Belichick will need to wait in the Red Zone – somewhere near Akron, maybe?

Yeah, next year? What do you think Bill Belichick will do next year?

He just might tell them to “Go to Hall”

red blue and green heart shaped decor

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: As long as the subject of lack of respect to Bill Belichick has come up so prominently, it might be time to look at some others who “Don’t Get No Respect.” There are a few to highlight.

  • Winter Olympics Ice Hockey: The event is right on our doorsteps, ice hockey at the Winter Olympic Games – it gets no respect. Clearly, TEAM Canada gets a load of respect from our neighbors to ‘da North, but in the USA, casual sports fans more of less say, ‘let me know when they can win a gold medal.’ And, it’s the same way for the women. Ever since Cammi Granato took the gold with TEAM USA in ‘98 at Nagano, there’s been a general lack of interest in the US, and that includes 2002 when the USA took home silver in a 3-2 loss to Canada. (See below).
  • The Preakness: Yes, “the Preakness “don’t” get no respect. Pimlico Race Course is only 6.5 miles from Inner Harbor Baltimore but the downtrodden horse racing venue gets little to no attention other than one day a year. The Preakness, held at Pimlico every May, is the second leg of a potential Triple Crown in horse racing, but as of late, some thoroughbred horse owners do some load management and don’t even enter the Preakness, thus avoiding the heat, humidity and only a two week break from the first race of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby.
  • The French Open: The Australian Open serves up the new tennis season, Wimbledon highlights the summer grand slam schedule and the U.S. Open crowns the champions of the season. Lost in the shuffle is the French Open – more often called Roland Garros – as the venue and tournament itself (not to mention the tournament logo) are named after a French aviator. It’s a great tennis tournament, the ultimate competition on clay surface, but it’s lost in the shuffle.
  • The Athletics, the Clippers, the Nets and the Raiders: The Swingin’ A’s were once World Champions, the Raiders had the NFL in the palm of their hands – both teams well established in Oakland. Nowadays, forget it. Lost franchises they are. The Nets were once high and mighty with Julius “Dr. J” Erving leading the club to ABA titles. The Clippers? Perennial also-rans toiling next to the LA Lakers. The Clippers? They Don’t Get No Respect.
  • Aqueduct Racetrack: Aqueduct Racetrack, a thoroughbred horse racing facility in South Ozone Park and Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, NY (near JFK Airport), is a dump. Built in 1894, and 11 years senior of Belmont Park (1905), Aqueduct is the ultimate hang for low life gamblers. You gotta love it, but Aqueduct Don’t Get No Respect.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Wednesday in Prince Spaghetti Day, but Monday, this Monday is Red Sox Truck Day! The departure of the Red Sox equipment truck for the club’s Spring Training home at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida, is scheduled for Monday, February 2. The truck will be loaded at 7:00am and is scheduled to leave Fenway Park for the 1,480-mile trip from Fenway to Fort Myers between 11:00am and 12:00 Noon. The famed equipment truck, which will depart from Fenway Park on the Van Ness Street side of the ballpark, will be led by a flat-bed truck carrying Wally the Green Monster, his sister Tessie, and Fenway Ambassadors who will be tossing soft Red Sox baseballs to fans. As always, the truck will carry an assortment of baseball equipment and supplies, including:

  • 20,400 baseballs
  • 1,100 baseball bats
  • 200 batting gloves
  • 200 batting helmets
  • 320 batting practice tops
  • 160 white game uniform jerseys
  • 300 pairs of uniform pants
  • 400 t-shirts
  • 400 pairs of socks
  • 20 cases of bubble gum
  • 60 cases of sunflower seeds

The celebration of Truck Day has been a Red Sox tradition since 2003, signaling the unofficial start of Spring Training.

Former EuroLeague CEO Paulius Motiejunas (file)

HEADING OUT: While EuroLeague Basketball is at the crossroads once again, the league’s Board has decided to move on from their third CEO in recent memory. Gone are Jordi Bertomeau and his interim replacement in longtime EuroLeague consultant Marshall Glickman of American descent. Now, it’s bye-bye to the CEO who guided EuroLeague over the last three years.

“After consideration by the ECA Board, my duties as CEO of Euroleague Basketball come to an end, wrote now departing CEO Paulius Motiejunas of Lithuania in a statement. “While this may sound like sad news, my overwhelming feeling today is one of pride and gratitude.

“The last three years have been incredibly intense, demanding, and deeply rewarding. I have learned immensely, and together with an outstanding management team, clubs, and partners, we have made meaningful and measurable progress.

“During my tenure, we achieved milestones that speak to both growth and sustainability – always with the long-term interests of European basketball in mind. Among them:

  • 44% growth in overall revenues
  • 50% growth in team economic distributions
  • 50% growth in sponsorship revenues over the last two years
  • 3x-5x increase in Final Four value compared to the previous most successful edition
  • 3x growth in content views, reaching more than 1.1 billion
  • 4x growth in ELTV revenues
  • Unlocked the Middle East market, expanding the league’s footprint and exporting the European game to an entirely new region
  • Launched the new FFP Competitive Balance Standards, a first in European sports
  • And perhaps most importantly, built a revamped front-office structure – fit for purpose, resilient, and ready to take the league to the next level, regardless of who sits in the CEO seat.

“None of this progress was ever about one individual. It belongs to the fans – the ones who fill the arenas, stay up late, argue, celebrate, and pass the love for this game from one generation to the next. They are the soul of European basketball. Alongside them, the Euroleague Basketball team, the clubs, and our commercial and strategic partners work relentlessly behind the scenes to strengthen the league.

“European basketball today stands at a crossroads. Its growth and increasing value naturally attract external interest. The responsibility is to ensure this growth remains rooted in our culture, traditions, and collective model, rather than becoming a tool for external control or short-term financial gains that do not revert into further investment in European basketball. Protecting European basketball is not about resisting change; it is about shaping it wisely, from within, and with unity.

“From the sidelines, I will continue to support the success of European basketball and of Euroleague Basketball, confident in the strong foundations that have been built and in the people who will carry this work forward. Thank you for the journey. The mission continues,” concluded Motiejunas.

To HELL with the HALL

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CANTON – If everyone in the NFL-loving world thought it was going to be, “It’s on to Canton,” they’re wrong. No Pro Football Hall of Fame for former New England Patriots and current University of North Carolina coach Bill Belichick. The Halls of Canton await as it was announced Tuesday that Belichick will not make the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.

The stunning news comes a week before the Class of 2026 inductees are announced during the “NFL Honors” broadcast on Feb. 5.

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Belichick’s six Super Bowl victories as a head coach are the most in NFL history. He went 266-121 (.687) in his 24 seasons leading the New England Patriots, with an undefeated regular season in 2007. He also won two Super Bowls as defensive coordinator of the New York Giants.

Per ESPN, Belichick was informed Friday that he did not reach the threshold of 40 out of 50 votes from the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.

Earlier in the process, the hall’s Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee chose Belichick as its sole coach finalist for consideration by the full selection committee. Other coaches on that list included Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Marty Schottenheimer and Mike Shanahan.

A different committee selected Patriots owner Robert Kraft as the finalist from the contributor category.

According to an ESPN report, selection committee member and former Indianapolis Colts general manager Bill Polian told some voters he believed Belichick should “wait a year” before induction as a form of reparation for the Spygate and Deflategate scandals during the Belichick-Tom Brady dynasty years.

Belichick, Polian and the Hall of Fame did not provide comment.

Belichick was a three-time NFL Coach of the Year and named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019. With 302 wins as head coach of the Cleveland Browns (1991-95) and Patriots, he ranks third in league history behind Don Shula and George Halas.

The Patriots went 29-38 in Belichick’s last four years in New England once Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he won one Super Bowl without Belichick. More recently, Belichick became a college coach for the first time at North Carolina, but his first season was a disastrous 4-8 affair.

–Field Level Media

Pro Football Hall Finalists

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Kraft and Belichick Both Up for Enshrinement in 2026

CANTON – (Wire Service Report) – Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Drew Brees and Eli Manning and one of the most clutch kickers in league history, Adam Vinatieri, are among 15 finalists up for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

The Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee meets prior to Super Bowl LX, and any players selected will be revealed February 5 during the “NFL Honors” broadcast in San Francisco.

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Brees, Manning, Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and edge rusher Terrell Suggs (Ravens, Cardinals, Chiefs) are among the candidates up for debate by the Selection Committee in February.

Four other players — Willie Anderson, Torry Holt, Luke Kuechly and Vinatieri — reached the committee’s Final 7 for election with the Class of 2025 and were automatically advanced in the 2026 class.

Holt and returning finalist Reggie Wayne (Colts) have been finalists seven times and this is the fifth year Anderson is among the group openly debated for election.

Former Cowboys safety Darren Woodson (fourth time as a finalist) is in his 18th year of eligibility. He’s joined by first-timer and former Dallas tight end Jason Witten. Brees, Fitzgerald, running back Frank Gore (five teams in 16 seasons) and former Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams are also first-time finalists. Williams has been eligible for six years.

Up to five “Modern Era” players for the Class of 2026 can be elected by the Selection Committee, which requires a minimum positive vote of 80%.

Seniors category finalists Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood, coach finalist Bill Belichick and contributor finalist Robert Kraft are candidates for the Class of 2026 with voting held separately and a maximum of three of these five finalists can be elected.

Between four and eight total enshrinees can be elected in a given year according to the Hall of Fame bylaws.

Willie Anderson, a right tackle with four All-Pro seasons for the Bengals, has been eligible for 13 years and this is the 12th year for Holt. Holt had 920 career receptions for 13,382 yards and 74 TDs and caught at least 80 passes in eight consecutive seasons with the Rams.

The 2026 Modern-Era Finalists (positions, years and teams):

Willie Anderson, Right Tackle — 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens
Drew Brees, Quarterback — 2001-05 San Diego Chargers, 2006-20 New Orleans Saints
Jahri Evans, Guard — 2006-16 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers
Larry Fitzgerald, Wide Receiver — 2004-20 Arizona Cardinals
Frank Gore, Running Back — 2005-14 San Francisco 49ers, 2015-17 Indianapolis Colts, 2018 Miami Dolphins, 2019 Buffalo Bills, 2020 New York Jets
Torry Holt, Wide Receiver — 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
Luke Kuechly, Linebacker — 2012-19 Carolina Panthers
Eli Manning, Quarterback — 2004-19 New York Giants
Terrell Suggs, Outside Linebacker/Defensive End — 2003-18 Baltimore Ravens, 2019 Arizona Cardinals, 2019 Kansas City Chiefs
Adam Vinatieri, Kicker — 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-19 Indianapolis Colts
Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver — 2001-14 Indianapolis Colts
Kevin Williams, Defensive Tackle — 2003-13 Minnesota Vikings, 2014 Seattle Seahawks, 2015 New Orleans Saints
Jason Witten, Tight End — 2003-17, 2019 Dallas Cowboys, 2020 Las Vegas Raiders
Darren Woodson, Safety — 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys
Marshal Yanda, Guard/Tackle — 2007-19 Baltimore Ravens

–Field Level Media

Shanahan, Holmgren Ready for Canton

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CANTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Super Bowl-winning head coaches Tom Coughlin, Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan and George Seifert are among the nine semifinalists from the coach category nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Only one from the group can be named a finalist to be considered by the full Hall of Fame Selection Committee for possible election in 2025.

The Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee narrowed a list of 14 candidates to these semifinalists: Bill Arnsparger, Coughlin, Holmgren, Chuck Knox, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, George Seifert, Shanahan and Clark Shaughnessy. All but Arnsparger, Knox and Seifert reached the semifinalist stage in 2023.

The same committee is scheduled for a virtual meeting on Nov. 19 to nominate one finalist to be considered for enshrinement.

Earlier this week, the Hall of Fame semifinalists from the contributor category, from which one finalist will be up for consideration with the next Hall of Fame class, were released: K.S. “Bud” Adams, Ralph Hay, Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, Robert Kraft, Art Modell, Art Rooney Jr., Seymour Siwoff of the Elias Sports Bureau, Doug Williams and John Wooten.

A grand total of 20 finalists are presented for debate at the selection committee’s annual meeting in advance of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, including 15 modern-era players, three seniors, one coach and one contributor. Between four and eight new members will be selected, according to the Hall of Fame’s selection process bylaws.

–Field Level Media

Pro Football: Hall of Fame Finalists

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CANTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Defensive end Julius Peppers and tight end Antonio Gates — among the most prolific players at their respective positions — highlight the list of 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Modern Era Class of 2024. The short list was released Wednesday.

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Peppers and Gates are the only players to make the list in their first year of eligibility. Nine players who made the final list in 2023 are back on the list in ’24, while four other players are finalists for the first time though not in their first year of eligibility.

Peppers, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time first-team All-Pro, finished his 17-year career with 159.5 sacks, fifth all time and the most by any player not yet in the Hall. Taken second overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 2002 draft, Peppers was named Defensive Rookie of the Year after compiling 12 sacks to go with one interception and five forced fumbles in 12 games.

After 10 seasons with the Panthers, Peppers played four in Chicago with the Bears and then finished his career in Green Bay, playing three seasons with the Packers.

On the other end of the draft spectrum, Gates went undrafted after not playing football in college. Instead, he starred in basketball in his final two years at Kent State.

Combining his height (6-foot-4) with his rebounding skills, Gates first made a name for himself in the NFL as a jump-ball specialist in the end zone. He really broke through in his second season, scoring 13 touchdowns — then a single-season record for tight ends. He finished his career with 116 career TDs, seventh all time and the most ever by a tight end.

Gates made eight Pro Bowls and was a three-time first-team All-Pro in his 16 seasons. He finished with 955 receptions for 11,841 yards and the 116 touchdowns, spending his entire career with the Chargers (14 in San Diego and the final two in Los Angeles).

The four other players making the list for the first time are cornerback Eric Allen (in his 18th year of eligibility), safety Rodney Harrison (11th year), running back Fred Taylor (ninth) and offensive lineman Jahri Evans (second).

Punt/kick return specialist Devin Hester, who holds the single-season record for total kick-return touchdowns (six) and the career mark for punts returned for a score (14) is among those back on the list from 2023. Hester, who also made history with the first opening kickoff returned for a touchdown in Super Bowl history (Super Bowl XLI), is a finalist for the third time.

Wide receivers Reggie Wayne (whose Indianapolis Colts beat Hester’s Chicago Bears in that Super Bowl) and Torry Holt (a member of the St. Louis Rams’ famed “Greatest Show on Turf”) are both finalists for the fifth time, the most of any of this year’s finalists.

The Hall of Fame selection committee will elect the Modern Era Class of 2024 the week leading up to Super Bowl LVIII, with the class announced on Feb. 8.

Up to five members can be elected to the modern class (a minimum of 80 percent of the votes is required for possible election). Finalists from the Seniors and Coach/Contributor categories may also be elected.

Modern Era Class of 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalists
(Name, position, years, teams)

–Eric Allen, Cornerback — 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders

–Jared Allen, Defensive End — 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers

–Willie Anderson, Offensive Tackle — 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens

–Jahri Evans, Guard — 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers

–Dwight Freeney, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker — 2002-2012 Indianapolis Colts, 2013-14 San Diego Chargers, 2015 Arizona Cardinals, 2016 Atlanta Falcons, 2017 Seattle Seahawks, 2017 Detroit Lions

–Antonio Gates, Tight End — 2003-2018 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers

–Rodney Harrison, Safety — 1994-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-08 New England Patriots

–Devin Hester, Punt Returner/Kick Returner/Wide Receiver — 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens

–Torry Holt, Wide Receiver — 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars

–Andre Johnson, Wide Receiver — 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Tennessee Titans

–Julius Peppers, Defensive End — 2002-09, 2017-18 Carolina Panthers, 2010-13 Chicago Bears, 2014-16 Green Bay Packers

–Fred Taylor, Running back — 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots

–Reggie Wayne, Wide Receiver — 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts

–Patrick Willis, Linebacker — 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers

–Darren Woodson, Safety — 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys

–Field Level Media

Nine First-Timers for Canton

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CANTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Nine first-time eligible players, including former All-Pros Antonio Gates and Julius Peppers, are among the 173 modern-era nominees announced Tuesday by the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

  • See This Week’s NFL Odds at HERE
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Other first-time nominees for the Class of 2024 are wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Jordy Nelson, running back Jamaal Charles, offensive linemen T.J. Lang, Josh Sitton and Max Unger, and defensive lineman Haloti Ngata.

Gates, a tight end, and Peppers, a defensive end, were considered among the best at their positions earlier in the 2000s. Both three-time All-Pro selections, Peppers and Gates were named to the Hall of Fame’s All-2000s team. Peppers also got the nod on the All-2010s team.

The list of modern-era nominees is made up of 94 offensive players, 62 defensive players and 17 special teams players. The 173 nominees will be pared to 25 semifinalists in November and eventually further whittled before the 50-member Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee votes on the Class of 2024 before Super Bowl LVIII.

The committee also will consider seniors finalists Randy Gradishar, Steve McMichael and Art Powell, and Buddy Parker from the coach/contributor category. Parker coached three NFL teams from 1949-63.

Finalists from the 2023 class nominated again for 2024 are Jared Allen, Willie Anderson, Dwight Freeney, Devin Hester, Torry Holt, Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Patrick Willis and Darren Woodson.

To be elected to the Hall of Fame, a nominee must be named on 80 percent of ballots.

–Field Level Media

“Air” Coryell In at Canton

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CANTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Don Coryell’s offenses routinely flew to the top of the statistical charts and remnants of his philosophies are part of modern-day NFL attacks.

But not until Saturday did the innovative former San Diego Chargers and St. Louis Cardinals coach get inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Coryell died in 2010 at age 85 and it took another 13 years for him to get inducted. This was his seventh time as a finalist. Overall, it was a 30-year battle for daughter Mindy Coryell Lewis and the rest of the family.

“Ladies and gentlemen, ‘Air Coryell’ has landed in Canton!” Lewis said to wrap up her speech.

The Air Coryell offense revolutionized the single-back formation, tight ends in motion and receiver option routes.

Coryell’s offense in San Diego was ahead of its time and earned the catchy ‘Air Coryell’ nickname. His system turned quarterback Dan Fouts into one of the biggest stars of that era. Fouts presented Coryell into the Hall on Saturday.

“The Air Coryell system is second to none,” Fouts said. “His philosophy was that the defense would have to protect the entire field. … His influence on the game is one that continues to grow not only in the NFL but in college and high school football.”

Coryell’s Chargers led the NFL in scoring offense three times, in total offense five times and in passing offense in seven seasons.

Coryell had a record of 111-83-1 in 14 NFL seasons with the Cardinals (1973-77) and Chargers (1978-86), and his teams made six playoff appearances.

Among the coaches who learned under Coryell at San Diego State were future Hall of Famers John Madden and Joe Gibbs. Coryell also is a member of the College Hall of Fame and was the first coach to win 100 games at both the college and NFL levels.

“But these things have a profound impact on every decision we make and who we become. The conditions had to be just right for me to end up here. Every moment, every opportunity perfectly aligned.”

One of the most popular players on Induction Day was Joe Thomas, the former mainstay of the Cleveland Browns offensive line from 2007-17. Thomas started all 167 games that he played and earned 10 Pro Bowl bids in 11 seasons.

“It’s the greatest honor of my career to be able to accept this lifetime award on behalf of all of Browns Nation,” Thomas said. “Cleveland, you could always count on me. Thank you so much for allowing me to count on you. Don’t forget to show up for each other.”

–Field Level Media