2017 HOF Semifinalist list

[Bryan]

Morten Andersen, K – 1982-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-2000, 2006-07 Atlanta Falcons, 2001 New York Giants, 2002-03 Kansas City Chiefs, 2004 Minnesota Vikings

Steve Atwater, S – 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets

Tony Boselli, T – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans

Isaac Bruce, WR – 1994-2007 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 2008-09 San Francisco 49ers

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

Brian Dawkins, S, 1996-2008 Philadelphia Eagles, 2009-2011 Denver Broncos

Alan Faneca, G – 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets, 2010 Arizona Cardinals

Chris Hinton, G/T – 1983-89 Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, 1990-93 Atlanta Falcons, 1994-95 Minnesota Vikings

Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars

Joe Jacoby, T – 1981-1993 Washington Redskins

Edgerrin James, RB, 1999-2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2006-08 Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Seattle Seahawks

Jimmy Johnson, Coach – 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins

Mike Kenn, T – 1978-1994 Atlanta Falcons

Ty Law, CB – 1995-2004 New England Patriots, 2005, 2008 New York Jets, 2006-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2009 Denver Broncos

John Lynch, FS – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos

Clay Matthews, LB – 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons

Kevin Mawae, C/G – 1994-97 Seattle Seahawks, 1998-2005 New York Jets, 2006-09 Tennessee Titans

Karl Mecklenburg, LB – 1983-1994 Denver Broncos

Terrell Owens, WR – 1996-2003 San Francisco 49ers, 2004-05 Philadelphia Eagles, 2006-08 Dallas Cowboys, 2009 Buffalo Bills, 2010 Cincinnati Bengals

Jason Taylor, DE – 1997-2007, 2009, 2011 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Washington Redskins

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB – 2001-09 San Diego Chargers, 2010-11 New York Jets

Hines Ward, WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers

Kurt Warner, QB – 1998-2003 St. Louis Rams, 2004 New York Giants, 2005-09 Arizona Cardinals

Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys

[Bryan]

My comments regarding HOF worthiness and likelihood:

Morten Andersen, K – Will probably get in eventually, possibly this year as the field isn't overly strong

Steve Atwater, S – too short of a peak IMO, but I think he has a shot to get into the HOF due to the lack of safety representation

Tony Boselli, T – I think he should be in, but won't make it due to short career

Isaac Bruce, WR – Just not good enough IMO, but could get in.

Don Coryell, Coach – He is a first-ballot guy IMO...this could be his year as only JJ is the other coach/owner/management entry

Roger Craig, RB – No

Terrell Davis, RB – same thoughts as Boselli

Brian Dawkins, S, I would put Dawkins in...one of the 3 best safeties of his era

Alan Faneca, G – Yes, best OG of his generation

Chris Hinton, G/T – No, surprised he made it this far

Torry Holt, WR – I would put Bruce in before Holt, but that could be wrong. Borderline IMO


Joe Jacoby, T – I would say no, but Russ Grimm got in already. Not sure if that helps or hurts Jacoby.

Edgerrin James, RB, I loved him when he played, but not a HOF RB.

Jimmy Johnson, Coach – on the fence with JJ...no longevity and bad tenure with Dolphins, but he will probably get in due to name recognition.

Mike Kenn, T – no chance to get in, but I think he is a HOF player

Ty Law, CB – Will probably get in due to lack of other CBs of his era. It was basically him, Charles Woodson (if he counts) and Champ Bailey.

John Lynch, FS – Canton voters seem to love Lynch...I don't think he was a HOF player, but he will probably get in like Sapp did.

Clay Matthews, LB – No

Kevin Mawae, C/G – I could see him getting in, but centers tend to be overlooked.

Karl Mecklenburg, LB – similar to Edge James, I loved him as a player, but not a HOFer in my book

Terrell Owens, WR – Yes

Jason Taylor, DE – I would put Taylor in. Not sure what his sack numbers are, which seems to influence the voters a ton.

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB – Yes

Hines Ward, WR – Not a HOFer in my opinion, but has name recognition

Kurt Warner, QB – Yes

Darren Woodson, S – No

[ChrisBabcock]

I agree with almost all of your comments. I think Hines Ward is Hall-worthy though.

Chris Hinton, G/T – No, surprised he made it this far

Yeah, this one was a shocker to me. I had no idea he was even on the preliminary list.

[bachslunch]

Thanks for posting this list.

Of this group, least taken with Jimmy Johnson, Roger Craig, Chris Hinton, Clay Matthews, and Hines Ward. Am strongly on the fence with Terrell Davis, but won't gripe if he gets in. Would happily vote for the rest without reservations.

Doubt that Craig, Hinton, Matthews, Mecklenburg, or Kenn get in unless there's a fluke Senior nomination. Only marginally more sure that Holt, Boselli, Johnson, or Woodson are elected. The rest probably make it in sooner or later.

[L.C. Greenwood]

Lots of worthy hall of famers on the list of semifinalists, I get the feeling LT and Kurt Warner have the inside track this time around. I enjoyed watching Roger Craig play, but wonder if his killer fumble in the 1990 NFC TG comes back to haunt him in regards to the HOF. Had the Niners held on to win that game, SF would have faced Buffalo in SB25 with a chance to three-peat.

[BD Sullivan]

Lots of worthy hall of famers on the list of semifinalists, I get the feeling LT and Kurt Warner have the inside track this time around. I enjoyed watching Roger Craig play, but wonder if his killer fumble in the 1990 NFC TG comes back to haunt him in regards to the HOF. Had the Niners held on to win that game, SF would have faced Buffalo in SB25 with a chance to three-peat.

Though without Montana.

[Jeremy Crowhurst]

I'd be shocked if LT didn't make it. To me he's everything you want for a first-ballot player. Great right from the start. Lots of black ink, records, All Pro nods. You knew three or four years in that he was going to the Hall at some point.

I guess the one knock (I don't care about rings) is that it ended maybe a little soon. One might argue that first-ballot backs should still be dominant at age 30, and LT fizzled out a bit at 29.

I'm pulling for TD also.

Not sure about the receivers, but I expect that they'll make His Petulancy wait a year, just 'cuz.

[Rupert Patrick]

I'd be shocked if LT didn't make it. To me he's everything you want for a first-ballot player. Great right from the start. Lots of black ink, records, All Pro nods. You knew three or four years in that he was going to the Hall at some point.

I guess the one knock (I don't care about rings) is that it ended maybe a little soon. One might argue that first-ballot backs should still be dominant at age 30, and LT fizzled out a bit at 29.

I'm pulling for TD also.

Not sure about the receivers, but I expect that they'll make His Petulancy wait a year, just 'cuz.

I think Owens should have to wait at least a year, for one thing to see if he has a Cris Carter meltdown. While he was great, he is not a first ballot guy. I say that because despite all his stats, there is the undeniable fact that he was at the same time working against many of his teams as a clubhouse cancer. He undermined his 49ers and Eagles teams and one has to think it manifest itself in the wins and loss column. They were very good teams when he was there, but one has to wonder if they shouldn't have been great teams, and whether he was the thing holding them back from that. I'm sure this is an argument the HOF voters will make, I imagine he will have one of the longest discussions of any candidate ever. He will have those will want to ignore that and just look at his stats, but I think they will look at the whole picture, as virtually all of these voters knew him personally and knew people who played with him and knew people who were burned by him and knew things about him that never were revealed in the media. I think Owens will get in eventually, but there is a real argument to be made against him, and how the things he did behind the scenes in the clubhouse have to be balanced against the statistics he compiled before a net profit or loss on his career can be determined. I think his career needs to cool off a little more before it is time to decide his candidacy.

[JuggernautJ]

Well said, Rupert.
Having played with "teammates" like that it would take a lot for me to vote for him (like no other eligible/worthy candidates)... not that my opinion counts for anything.

Maybe after he's dead is the time to recognize the accomplishments of someone like that.

[Jeremy Crowhurst]

Yeah, I get it, and I agree that that's what the committee will likely do.

But really, is there anything more to this than his last season in San Fran and his post-Super Bowl time in Philly? I tend to think that the whole the whole CarcinOwens (just made that up... thank you... thank you...) thing is a little bit overblown.