Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE @ProFootballHOF 01/02/2018 #PFHOF18 CONTACTS: Pete Fierle, Chief of Staff & Vice President of Communications [email protected]; 330-588-3622 Rachel Gutting, Communications Coordinator [email protected]; 330-588-3671 CLASS OF 2018 FINALISTS 15 MODERN-ERA FINALISTS REVEALED FOR CLASS OF 2018; NEW CLASS TO BE ELECTED ON “SELECTION SATURDAY” ON FEB. 3 CANTON, OHIO – The list of 15 Modern-Era Finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018 features five players who are finalists for the first time. The group includes four first-year eligible nominees – Steve Hutchinson, Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, and Brian Urlacher. Everson Walls, in his 20th year of eligibility, is also a first-time finalist. The 15 Modern-Era Finalists will be considered for election to the Hall of Fame when the Hall’s Selection Committee meets on “Selection Saturday” in Minneapolis the day before Super Bowl LII to elect the new class. The Modern-Era Finalists were determined by a vote of the Hall’s Selection Committee from a list of 108 nominees that was earlier reduced to 27 semifinalists, during the year-long selection process. The 2018 Modern-Era Finalists with their positions, years and teams: • Tony Boselli, Tackle – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars • Isaac Bruce, Wide Receiver – 1994-2007 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 2008-09 San Francisco 49ers • Brian Dawkins, Safety – 1996-2008 Philadelphia Eagles, 2009-2011 Denver Broncos • Alan Faneca, Guard – 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets, 2010 Arizona Cardinals COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE • Steve Hutchinson, Guard – 2001-05 Seattle Seahawks, 2006-2011 Minnesota Vikings, 2012 Tennessee Titans • Joe Jacoby, Tackle – 1981-1993 Washington Redskins • Edgerrin James, Running Back – 1999-2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2006-08 Arizona Cardinals, 2009 Seattle Seahawks • Ty Law, Cornerback – 1995-2004 New England Patriots, 2005, 2008 New York Jets, 2006-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2009 Denver Broncos • Ray Lewis, Linebacker – 1996-2012 Baltimore Ravens • John Lynch, Free Safety – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos • Kevin Mawae, Center – 1994-97 Seattle Seahawks, 1998-2005 New York Jets, 2006-09 Tennessee Titans • Randy Moss, Wide Receiver – 1998-2004, 2010 Minnesota Vikings, 2005-06 Oakland Raiders, 2007-2010 New England Patriots, 2010 Tennessee Titans, 2012 San Francisco 49ers • Terrell Owens, Wide Receiver – 1996-2003 San Francisco 49ers, 2004-05 Philadelphia Eagles, 2006-08 Dallas Cowboys, 2009 Buffalo Bills, 2010 Cincinnati Bengals • Brian Urlacher, Linebacker – 2000-2012 Chicago Bears • Everson Walls, Cornerback – 1981-89 Dallas Cowboys, 1990-92 New York Giants, 1992-93 Cleveland Browns The 15 Modern-Era Finalists join three other finalists to comprise 18 finalists under consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018. Two Senior Finalists were announced in August 2017 by the Seniors Committee that reviews the qualifications of those players whose careers ended more than 25 years ago. • Robert Brazile, Linebacker – 1975-1984 Houston Oilers • Jerry Kramer, Guard – 1958-1968 Green Bay Packers One Contributor Finalist, also announced in August, was selected by the Hall of Fame’s Contributor Committee that considers persons, other than players and coaches, who made outstanding contributions to professional football. • Bobby Beathard, General Manager/Personnel Administrator – 1966-67 Kansas City Chiefs, 1968-1971 Atlanta Falcons, 1972-77 Miami Dolphins, 1978-1988 Washington Redskins, 1990-99 San Diego Chargers To be elected, a finalist must receive a minimum positive vote of 80 percent during the annual selection meeting. COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE TIMES AS FINALIST Hutchinson, Lewis, Moss, and Urlacher are first-year eligible nominees. One other Modern-Era nominee, Walls, although a nominee in previous years, is a finalist for the first time. Beathard and Brazile are also first-time finalists. Finalist (Times) – Years as Finalist Bobby Beathard^ (1) – 2018 Tony Boselli (2) – 2017-18 Robert Brazile* (1) – 2018 Isaac Bruce (2) – 2017-18 Brian Dawkins (2) – 2017-18 Alan Faneca (3) – 2016-18 Steve Hutchinson (1) – 2018 Joe Jacoby (3) – 2016-18 Edgerrin James (2) – 2016, 2018 Jerry Kramer* (11) – 1974-76, 1978-1981, 1984, 1987, 1997, 2018 Ty Law (2) – 2017-18 Ray Lewis (1) – 2018 John Lynch (5) – 2014-18 Kevin Mawae (2) – 2017-18 Randy Moss (1) – 2018 Terrell Owens (3) – 2016-18 Brian Urlacher (1) – 2018 Everson Walls (1) – 2018 ^ Contributor; * Senior YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY To be eligible for election, modern-era players and coaches must have last played or coached more than five seasons ago. Since contributors need not be retired to be eligible, there is no specific year of eligibility for Beathard. Year of Eligibility Finalist 1st Steve Hutchinson, Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, Brian Urlacher 2nd Brian Dawkins 3rd Alan Faneca, Terrell Owens 4th Isaac Bruce, Edgerrin James, Ty Law, Kevin Mawae 6th John Lynch 12th Tony Boselli 20th Joe Jacoby, Everson Walls 29th Robert Brazile 45th Jerry Kramer COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE “SELECTION SATURDAY” The Annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee Meeting will be held on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Minneapolis when the 48-person Selection Committee meets to elect the Class of 2018. The selectors will thoroughly discuss the careers of each finalist. Although there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s ground rules stipulate that between four and eight new members will be selected each year. No more than five Modern-Era Finalists can be elected in a given year and thus a class of six, seven, or eight can only be achieved if the Contributor Finalist and/or one or both Seniors Finalists are elected. Representatives of the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche will tabulate all votes during the meeting. The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018 will be announced during NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on the eve of the Super Bowl at 9 p.m. (ET and PT) on NBC. NFL Honors will be taped earlier that evening at the Cyrus Northrop Memorial Auditorium at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis from 5-7 p.m. (local) when the 2018 Hall of Fame Class will be introduced for the first time. In addition, the NFL and The Associated Press will announce their annual accolades in this awards show with the winners on hand to accept their awards. The Class of 2018 will be officially enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the spectacular Enshrinement Ceremony held inside Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton this August. The Enshrinement Ceremony is the main event of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls. CLASS OF 2018 FINALISTS BOBBY BEATHARD Contributor – Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo … 1966-67 Kansas City Chiefs, 1968-1971 Atlanta Falcons, 1972-77 Miami Dolphins, 1978-1988 Washington Redskins, 1990-99 San Diego Chargers Noted for his adept eye for talent through a career that spanned more than three decades … Served as scout for Chiefs and Falcons before being named director of player personnel for Dolphins in 1972 … Integral part of Miami’s two Super Bowl teams … Became Redskins General Manager in 1978 … Masterful management of Washington roster to build Super Bowl champions … Often dealt first-round draft picks to acquire more talent … Used team’s first round draft pick just three times in 11 seasons … The Redskins’ Super Bowl XVII roster included 27 free agents signed by Beathard … Under his guidance, Redskins made five playoff appearances in six-season span including two Super Bowl titles (XVII and XXII) … Instantly created winning culture in San Diego after Chargers named him General Manager in 1990 … Within three years, team claimed first division title in more than decade … Two years later, Chargers advanced to franchise’s first Super Bowl COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE appearance (XXIX) … In all, Beathard’s teams advanced seven Super Bowls and won four … Born January 24, 1937 in Zanesville, Ohio. TONY BOSELLI Tackle … 6-7, 324 … Southern California … 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars Seven seasons, 91 games … Selected by expansion Jaguars as second player overall in 1995 NFL Draft … quickly became face of the franchise … Sat out rookie training camp with knee injury, saw first action in Week 4 … First career start came following week in franchise’s first victory … Earned All-Rookie honors … Regarded as an elite tackle in the NFL during career … Noted for superb foot speed and agility … Persevered through numerous injuries … Leader of team that led expansion Jaguars to AFC championship game by second season … Anchored offensive line that helped team to four straight playoff appearances with records of 9-7, 11-5, 11-5 and 14-2 from 1996-99 … Picked as team’s Most Valuable Player in 1998 after helping Jaguars to team’s first division title … Voted to five straight Pro Bowls (1997-2001) … Named first-team All-Pro three consecutive seasons … Selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s despite only playing in half of decade … Suffered severe shoulder injury that ultimately ended career and placed on injured reserve after three games, 2001 … Houston Texans’ first pick of 2002 expansion draft but injury prevented him from playing again … Born April 17, 1972