For Immediate Release For More Information, Contact: January 9, 2014 Joe Horrigan at (330) 588-3627 Pete Fierle at (330) 588-3622 15 Modern-Era Finalists for Hall of Fame Election Announced CANTON, OHIO – Four first-year eligible nominees – Derrick Brooks, Tony Dungy, Marvin Harrison, and Walter Jones – are among the 15 modern-era finalists who will be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the Hall’s Selection Committee meets in New York City on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014. Joining the first-year eligibles, are 10 other modern-era players and a contributor. The 15 modern-era finalists, along with the two senior nominees announced in August 2013 (former Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders punter, Ray Guy and Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Claude Humphrey) will be the only candidates considered for Hall of Fame election when the 46-member Selection Committee meets. The 15 modern-era finalists were determined by a vote of the Hall’s Selection Committee from a list of 126 nominees that earlier was reduced to a list of 25 semifinalists, during the multi-step, year-long selection process. Guy and Humphrey were selected as senior candidates by the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee. The Seniors Committee reviews the qualifications of those players whose careers ended more than 25 years ago. To be elected a finalist must receive a minimum positive vote of 80 percent. The Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee’s 17 finalists (15 modern-era and two senior nominees*) with their positions, teams, and years active follow: • Morten Andersen, Kicker – 1982-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-2000, 2006-07 Atlanta Falcons, 2001 New York Giants, 2002-03 Kansas City Chiefs, 2004 Minnesota Vikings • Jerome Bettis, Running Back – 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers • Derrick Brooks, Linebacker – 1995-2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers • Tim Brown, Wide Receiver/Kick Returner/Punt Returner – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/ Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers • Edward DeBartolo, Jr., Owner – 1977-2000 San Francisco 49ers • Tony Dungy, Coach – 1996-2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2002-08 Indianapolis Colts • Kevin Greene, Linebacker/Defensive End – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers • *Ray Guy, Punter – 1973-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders • Charles Haley, Defensive End/Linebacker – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys • Marvin Harrison, Wide Receiver – 1996-2008 Indianapolis Colts • *Claude Humphrey, Defensive End – 1968-1978 Atlanta Falcons, 1979-1981 Philadelphia Eagles • Walter Jones, Tackle – 1997-2008 Seattle Seahawks • John Lynch, Free Safety – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos • Andre Reed, Wide Receiver – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins • Will Shields, Guard – 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs • Michael Strahan, Defensive End – 1993-2007 New York Giants • Aeneas Williams, Cornerback/Safety – 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams Although they have been nominees in previous years, this is the first time that Morten Andersen and John Lynch have been finalists. YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY To be eligible for election, modern-era players and coaches must have last played or coached more than five seasons ago. Contributors need not be retired. Brooks, Dungy, Harrison, and Jones are in their first year of eligibility. Andersen, Lynch, and Strahan are in their second year of eligibility. Shields is in his third year of eligibility and Bettis is in his fourth. This is the fifth year of eligibility for Brown and Williams, the ninth for Reed. Greene and Haley have both been eligible for 10 years. Senior nominee Guy has been eligible for 23 years and Humphrey 28 years. Since contributors need not be retired to be eligible, there is no specific year of eligibility for DeBartolo. SELECTION MEETING AND ANNOUNCEMENT David Baker, the recently named president/executive director of the Hall of Fame will oversee his first meeting of the Hall of Fame Selection Committee on Saturday, February 1, 2014, in New York City when the committee meets to elect the Class of 2014. For the first time, the Hall of Fame’s newest class of enshrinees will be introduced during the “3rd Annual NFL Honors” show, a two-hour primetime awards show airing nationally that night at 8 PM ET/PT on FOX. At the 2014 selection meeting, 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 current ground rules stipulate that between four and seven new members will be selected each year. No more than five modern-era nominees can be elected in a given year and thus a class of six or seven can only be achieved if one or both senior nominees (Ray Guy and/or Claude Humphrey) are elected. Representatives of the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche will tabulate all votes during the meeting. CLASS OF 2014 17 FINALISTS MORTEN ANDERSEN Kicker … 6-2, 218 … Michigan State… 1982-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-2000, 2006-07 Atlanta Falcons, 2001 New York Giants, 2002-03 Kansas City Chiefs, 2004 Minnesota Vikings … 25 seasons, 382 games … Selected by Saints in 4th round (86th player overall) of 1982 draft … Began career in strike-shortened 1982 season … Scored more than 90 points in 22 seasons … Topped 100-point total 14 times in career … First 100-plus season, 1985, connected on 31 of 35 field goals, 27 extra point conversions, for 120 points, earning first of seven Pro Bowl selections … Also named All-Pro five times … After 13 years with Saints and ranking as team’s all-time leading scorer, joined the Falcons in 1995 … Became Falcons career scoring leader … Spectacular 1995 season, scored a career-high 122 points, including then NFL-record for most 50-yard field goals in season (8) … Dec. 10, 1995, became first kicker to convert three field goals of 50 yards or longer in single game … Set NFL records for career points (2,544), most field goals (565), games played (382) … His 40 field goals of 50-plus yards most in NFL history at retirement … Named to two NFL All-Decade Teams (1980s and 1990s) ... Converted 565 of 709 field goal attempts, 849 of 859 point-after-attempts … Led NFL in field goals, 1987 … Led NFC in scoring, 1992 and topped all conference kickers in most field goals in 1985, 1987, and 1995 …Born August 19, 1960 in Struer, Denmark. JEROME BETTIS Running Back … 5-11, 243 … Notre Dame … 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers … 13 seasons, 192 games … Selected by Rams in 1st round (10th player overall) of 1993 draft … Earned Rookie of Year honors ... Finished rookie season with seventh best rookie rushing total in league history... As rookie finished second in rushing yards and third in total yards from scrimmage ... First Rams rookie to rush for 1,000 yards since Eric Dickerson, 1983 … Rams leading rusher 1993-95 … Steelers leading rusher 1996-2001, 2003-04 … Steelers leader in total yards from scrimmage, 1996-2001 … His fifty 100-plus yard games ranks 1st in Steelers history … At time of retirement, his eight 1,000-plus yard seasons was tied for third-best in NFL history and his 13,662 ranked fifth all-time in career rushing yards … Ranked 19th all-time in combined net yards at time of retirement … Voted to Pro Bowl six times: 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2005 … Named All-Pro in 1993 (AP, PFWA), 1996 (AP); All-Pro Second Team 1997 (AP); All-NFC 1993 (UPI, PW); All-AFC 1996 (UPI, PW), 1997 (PW) … Born February 16, 1972 in Detroit, Michigan. DERRICK BROOKS Linebacker … 6-0, 232 … Florida State … 1995-2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers … 14 seasons, 224 games … Selected by Buccaneers in 1st round (28th player overall) of 1995 NFL Draft ... Never missed game during 14-season career … Started all but three games rookie season ... Never missed a start for remainder of career ... Earned All-Rookie honors after finishing second on team with 80 tackles … In 1997, led Bucs to first postseason appearance since 1981 ... Topped team with 182 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 10 passes defensed, earned first of 11 Pro Bowl selections ... With Brooks, Bucs led NFL in total defense twice (2002 and 2005) and topped NFC five times (1998, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2007) during his career … Named NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, 2002 when he again led Tampa Bay with 173 tackles, career-high five interceptions (three returned for TDs), 15 passes defensed, one fumble recovery, one sack ... Was a major contributor in the Bucs’ victory in Super Bowl XXXVII where he had three tackles, one pass defensed, one interception returned 44 yards for a TD against the Oakland Raiders … Six-time All-Pro choice, named All-NFC eight times … Selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s … Born April 18, 1973 in Pensacola, Florida. TIM BROWN Wide Receiver/Kick Returner/Punt Returner … 6-0, 195 … Notre Dame … 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers … 17 seasons, 255 games … Heisman Trophy Winner … Selected by Raiders in 1st round (6th player overall) of 1988 draft … As rookie led NFL in kickoff returns, return yards, and yards per return average … Led NFL in receptions, 1997 … Set Raiders franchise records for receptions, receiving yards, and punt return yards … At time of retirement his 14,934 receiving yards were second-highest total in NFL history; 1,094 receptions were 3rd; and 100 touchdown catches were tied for 3rd … Also gained 190 rushing yards; 3,320 punt return yards, 3 fumble return yards; 1,235 kickoff return yards … Total of 19,682 combined net yards, 5th all-time at time of retirement … Scored 105 total touchdowns (100 receiving, 1 rushing, 3 punt returns, 1 kickoff return) … Voted to Pro Bowl nine times, 1989 and 1992 as kick returner, 1994-98, 2000 and 2002 as a receiver … All-Pro choice as a kick returner, 1988 … All-Pro wide receiver, 1997 … Was named All-AFC as a kick returner, 1988, punt returner, 1991, and wide receiver, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997 … Born July 22, 1966 in Dallas, Texas.