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Home , Chuck Knox, Everson Walls, Joey Porter, Kevin Mawae, Larry Centers, Mark Bavaro

Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE @ProFootballHOF 09/14/2016 #PFHOF17

Contact: Joe Horrigan, EVP of Museums, Selection Process & Chief Communications Officer [email protected]; 330-588-3627 Pete Fierle, Chief of Staff & Vice President of Communications [email protected]; 330-588-3622

94 MODERN-ERA NOMINEES FOR THE HALL OF FAME’S CLASS OF 2017 ANNOUNCED LIST OF NOMINEES TO BE CUT DOWN TO 25 SEMIFINALISTS IN NOVEMBER

CANTON, OHIO – The list of Modern-Era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017 is comprised of 94 players and coaches. Among the nominees announced are several first-year eligible players including Donovan McNabb, LaDainian Tomlinson, and defensive end Jason Taylor.

The list of nominees consists of 45 offensive players, 32 defensive players, six special teams players and 11 coaches. The Modern-Era nominees will be trimmed to 25 semifinalists in November and, from there, to 15 finalists in January.

Eighteen finalists will be presented to the full 48-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee during its annual selection meeting on the eve of LI. The finalists will consist of 15 Modern-Era finalists, the recently named Senior Finalist, , and the 2017 Contributor Finalists, and .

The Selection Committee will meet on Saturday, February 4, 2017 in Houston, Texas to elect the Class of 2017. While there is no set for any class of enshrinees, the selection process by-laws provide that between four and eight new members will be selected.

COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE

The Senior Finalist and Contributor Finalists will be voted “yes” or “no” for election at the annual selection meeting and must receive at least 80 percent support from the Committee to be elected. The Modern-Era Finalists will be trimmed during the meeting from 15 to 10 and then from 10 to 5. The remaining five finalists will be voted on individually, “yes” or “no” and must receive the same 80 percent positive vote as the Senior and Contributors Finalists to earn election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Class of 2017 will be announced during the “NFL Honors” nationally broadcast award show that evening.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017 will be formally enshrined next August. The enshrinement is one of three marquee events to be held in the spectacular new Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium during the Enshrinement Week along with the Concert for Legends and the NFL/Hall of Fame Game. The festivities kick off with the nationally televised Gold Jacket Dinner on Thursday night of Hall of Fame Week.

The annual Enshrinement Ceremony is televised nationally by the Hall of Fame’s broadcast partners, NFL Network and ESPN.

MODERN-ERA NOMINEES FOR THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2017 *Finalist in 2016; Underline indicates first year of eligibility (Players and coaches must have last played coached at least five full seasons to be eligible for nomination. Therefore, any individual who last played or coached in 2011 are eligible for the first time in 2017).

BY POSITION

QUARTERBACKS (7) , , , Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, , *

RUNNING BACKS (13) , , , , Roger Craig, *, , *, , Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR), LaDainian Tomlinson, (also KR),

WIDE RECEIVERS (10) , (also PR), , , Derrick Mason (also KR/PR), *, , Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Hines Ward

TIGHT END (1)

COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (14) Tony Boselli (T), Ray Donaldson (C), * (G), Jay Hilgenberg (C), Chris Hinton (G/T), Kent Hull (C), *Joe Jacoby (T), (T), (C), Jim Lachey (T), (C/G), (C), (G), (G)

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (5) Leslie O’Neal (DE), Simeon Rice (DE), Fred Smerlas (NT), Jason Taylor (DE), (DT)

LINEBACKERS (11) , , , , , Clay Matthews, Willie McGinest (also DE), Karl Mecklenburg, Sam Mills, ,

DEFENSIVE BACKS (16) (CB), * (S), Joey Browner (S), LeRoy Butler (S), (SS), (S), (CB), Albert Lewis (CB), *John Lynch (S), Frank Minnifield (CB), Bob Sanders (SS), (FS), Dennis Smith (SS), (S), (CB), (S)

KICKERS/ (4) * (K), Gary Anderson (K), (P), Nick Lowery (K)

SPECIAL TEAMS (2) Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB), Steve Tasker (ST also WR)

COACHES (11) *, , , , Jimmy Johnson, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Richie Petitbon, , ,

ALPHABETICAL LIST

Shaun Alexander (RB) Tedy Bruschi (LB) Eric Allen (CB) LeRoy Butler (S) *Morten Andersen (K) Larry Centers (RB) Ottis Anderson (RB) *Don Coryell (Coach) Gary Anderson (K) Bill Cowher (Coach) *Steve Atwater (S) Roger Craig (RB) Carl Banks (LB) Randall Cunningham (QB) Tiki Barber (RB) *Terrell Davis (RB) Mark Bavaro (TE) Brian Dawkins (SS) Cornelius Bennett (LB) Ray Donaldson (C) Drew Bledsoe (QB) Henry Ellard (WR/PR) Tony Boselli (T) *Alan Faneca (G) Joey Browner (S) Tom Flores (Coach) Isaac Bruce (WR) Doug Flutie (QB) COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE

Eddie George (RB) Brian Mitchell (KR/PR/RB) Rodney Harrison (S) Tom Nalen (C) Jay Hilgenberg (C) Nate Newton (G) Chris Hinton (G/T) Leslie O’Neal (DE) Mike Holmgren (Coach) *Terrell Owens (WR) Torry Holt (WR) Buddy Parker (Coach) Kent Hull (C) Richie Petitbon (Coach) *Joe Jacoby (T) Joey Porter (LB) *Edgerrin James (RB) Dan Reeves (Coach) Chad Johnson (WR) Simeon Rice (DE) Jimmy Johnson (Coach) Bob Sanders (SS) Daryl Johnston (FB) Sterling Sharpe (WR) Seth Joyner (LB) Darren Sharper (FS) Mike Kenn (T) Clark Shaughnessy (Coach) Levon Kirkland (LB) Phil Simms (QB) Chuck Knox (Coach) Fred Smerlas (NT) Olin Kreutz (C) Jimmy Smith (WR) Jim Lachey (T) Dennis Smith (SS) Sean Landeta (P) Rod Smith (WR) Ty Law (CB) Steve Tasker (ST/WR) Albert Lewis (CB) Jason Taylor (DE) Nick Lowery (K) Zach Thomas (LB) *John Lynch (S) LaDainian Tomlinson (RB) Derrick Mason (WR/KR/PR) Dick Vermeil (Coach) Clay Matthews (LB) Troy Vincent (S) Kevin Mawae (C/G) Herschel Walker (RB/KR) Willie McGinest (LB/DE) Everson Walls (CB) Steve McNair (QB) Hines Ward (WR) Donovan McNabb (QB) *Kurt Warner (QB) Karl Mecklenburg (LB) Ricky Watters (RB) Eric Metcalf (also WR/PR/KR) Steve Wisniewski (G) Sam Mills (LB) Darren Woodson (S) Frank Minnifield (CB) Bryant Young (DT)

Tickets Tickets to the 2017 Enshrinement Week will go on sale at a later date. Pre-sale opportunities will be offered to Hall of Fame membership patrons. For more information on membership benefits, please visit ProFootballHOF.com/memberships/ Fan can also learn about ticket offers and other Hall of Fame related news by signing up for the Hall’s email at ProFootballHOF.com/newsletter/ or by following the Hall on social media at @ProFootballHOF on , Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE

Fan Vote For the sixth consecutive year, fans can vote for their favorite Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees. Fans should visit nfl.com/hofvote to make their picks. The Class of 2017 fan vote is presented by Ford, the Official Automobile of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. VIDEO: 2017 Hall of Fame Fan Vote Promo>>>

#PFHOF17

ABOUT THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

Located in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the , the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit institution with a Mission to Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve its History, Promote its Values, & Celebrate Excellence EVERYWHERE.

Hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe travel to Canton annually to experience the exciting museum that chronicles America’s most popular sport. Millions more are reached through the Hall of Fame’s 100-plus special events held annually outside Canton and through the multiple nationally broadcast programs focused on the selection of the newest Class of Enshrinees. Now in its fourth year of traveling, Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a large-scale traveling exhibition that presents a panoramic view of pro football’s story and includes hundreds of artifacts from the Hall’s expansive collection. Gridiron Glory is currently showcased at the Minnesota History Center Museum in Minneapolis/St. Paul. It will be exhibited at University Museum at Texas Southern University in Houston from January 30-March 30, 2017 and then for three-month stays at various museums and cultural institutions through 2019. Enshrinees from the Class of 2016 along with numerous other Hall of Fame members will receive the spectacular Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence by Kay® Jewelers during ceremonies held in NFL stadiums during the 2016 NFL regular season. The Hometown Hall of Famer™ program presented by Ford honors Hall of Fame heroes with a program and permanent plaque to honor the Hall of Famer’s hometown support. Now in its 4th year, the US Army-Pro Football Hall of Fame Award for Excellence honors 25 high school students nationally for excellence in community service, academics and athletics. Construction on HOF Village, a $500 million development project, is under way in Canton to transform the Hall of Fame’s campus.

For more information about the Pro Football Hall of Fame, please visit ProFootballHOF.com; @ProFootballHOF on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY • COURAGE • RESPECT • EXCELLENCE