The Pro Football Hall of Fame revealed the 25 modern-era semifinalists for the Class of 2021 on Tuesday. The list is headlined by four players in their first-year of eligibility. The sculpting of the busts and fitting of the spiffy gold jackets has probably commenced on two of them. Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson. They were Heisman Trophy finalists together. They were top four picks in the 1998 NFL Draft. It's only right that they enter Canton together. The other two players in their first-year of eligibility will require some voter debate. Jared Allen and Calvin Johnson. Some voters might see one or the other as a shoo-in but most will meed some convincing. It would've helped Allen's cause if he'd received the Defensive Player of the Year award that he deserved in 2011.
The list also includes four players who are Semifinalists for the first time although previously eligible for the Hall of Fame. Eric Allen, Willie Anderson, Cornelius Bennett and Rodney Harrison. All other players on the 2021 list have been a Semifinalist at least one other time.
Modern-era Semifinalists Breakdown
Defense - 15
-3 defensive linemen
-5 linebackers
-7 defensive backs
Offense - 9
-1 quarterback
-1 running back
-4 wide receivers
-3 offensive linemen
Special Teams - 1
Class of 2021 Modern-era Player Semifinalists
The following is the list of 2021 Modern-Era Semifinalists, including their positions, years and teams. Also listed are the number of times and years the candidate has been named a semifinalist since this reduction vote was added to the Bylaws for the Selection Committee in 2004.
Eric Allen, CB – 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2021)
Jared Allen, DE – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2021)
Willie Anderson, T – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2021)
Ronde Barber, CB/S – 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2018-2021)
Cornelius Bennett, LB – 1987-1995 Buffalo Bills, 1996-98 Atlanta Falcons, 1999-2000 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2021)
Tony Boselli, T – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve) | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2016-2021)
LeRoy Butler, S – 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2018-2021)
Alan Faneca, G – 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets, 2010 Arizona Cardinals | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2016-2021)
Rodney Harrison, S – 1994-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-08 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2021)
Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars | (Times as a Semifinalist: 7 – 2015-2021)
Calvin Johnson, WR – 2007-2015 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2021)
John Lynch, FS – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 9 – 2013-2021)
Peyton Manning, QB – 1998-2011 Indianapolis Colts (injured reserved 2011), 2012-15 Denver Broncos | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2021)
Clay Matthews, LB – 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2012, 2017, 2019-2021)
Sam Mills, LB – 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2016, 2019-2021)
Richard Seymour, DE/DT – 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4 – 2018-2021)
Steve Tasker, ST/WR – 1985-86 Houston Oilers, 1986-1997 Buffalo Bills | (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 – 2004, 2008-2010, 2012-13, 2020-21)
Fred Taylor, RB – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2020-21)
Zach Thomas, LB – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2019-2021)
Hines Ward, WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2017-2021)
Reggie Wayne, WR – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2020-21)
Patrick Willis, LB – 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2020-21)
Charles Woodson, CB/S – 1998-2005, 2013-15 Oakland Raiders, 2006-2012 Green Bay Packers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2021)
Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2015, 2017, 2019-2021)
Bryant Young, DT – 1994-2007 San Francisco 49ers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2020-21)
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It's a fine list. The semifinalist list is always a fine list as there are a lot of players that deserve to have their Hall of Fame cases debated by the people that do the selecting.
The list of Semifinalists was reduced from an initial group of 130 nominees announced in September. The next step in the Selection Process comes when the Semifinalists are trimmed to 15 Modern-Era Finalists. That list increases to 18 Finalists with the inclusion of the recommended nominees of the Hall of Fame’s Coach, Contributor and Senior Committees: Tom Flores, Bill Nunn and Drew Pearson, respectively. The Class of 2021 will be determined and announced during the week leading up to Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Fla.
If I had a vote, and I should have a vote, my vote might look a little something like this.
Peyton Manning
Charles Woodson
Tony Boselli
Alan Faneca
Patrick Willis
I'd like to fit in one of the receivers. I'd like to fit in LeRoy Butler. As a Minnesota Vikings fan, I'd really like to fit in Jared Allen. This is a tough deal. Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson are automatics. Tony Boselli has been waiting for too long. Alan Faneca has been waiting too long. Patrick Willis shouldn't have waited the single year that he waited. Tom Flores, Bill Nunn, and Drew Pearson will join my modern-era picks to form the following 8-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021.
Peyton Manning
Charles Woodson
Tony Boselli
Alan Faneca
Patrick Willis
Tom Flores
Bill Nunn
Drew Pearson
Congratulations to all 25 of the Modern-era Semifinalists.
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