Pro Football Hall Of Fame Names Modern-Era Semifinalists For Induction

The Pro Football Hall of Fame unveiled its list of 26 modern-era semifinalists for induction into the Hall's Class of 2022 -- a list that includes seven first-year eligible players and 17 players who were semifinalists for the Class of 2021.

The semifinalists:

Eric Allen, CB – 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001
Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2021-22).


Jared Allen, DE – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago
Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2021-22).

Willie Anderson, T – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a
Semifinalist: 2 – 2021-22).

Ronde Barber, CB-S – 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2018-
2022).

Anquan Boldin, WR – 2003-09 Arizona Cardinals, 2010-12 Baltimore Ravens, 2013-15 San
Francisco 49ers, 2016 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist:1 – 2022).

Tony Boselli, T – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve) | (Times as a Semifinalist: 7– 2016-2022).

LeRoy Butler, S – 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2018-2022).

Eddie George, RB – 1996-2003 Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, 2004 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist:1 – 2022).

Devin Hester, PR-KR-WR – 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2022).

Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars | (Times as a Semifinalist: 8 – 2015-2022).

Andre Johnson, WR – 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016, Tennessee Titans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2022).

Robert Mathis, DE-LB – 2003-2016 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1 – 2022).

Sam Mills, LB – 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a
Semifinalist: 5 – 2016, 2019-2022).

Richard Seymour, DE-DT – 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5 – 2018-2022).

Steve Smith, WR – 2001-2013 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a
Semifinalist: 1 – 2022).

Steve Tasker, ST-WR – 1985-86 Houston Oilers, 1986-1997 Buffalo Bills | (Times as a
Semifinalist: 9 – 2004, 2008-2010, 2012-13, 2020-22).

Fred Taylor, RB – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots | (Times as
a Semifinalist: 3 – 2020-22).

Zach Thomas, LB – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist:
4 – 2019-2022).

Hines Ward, WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2017-2022).

DeMarcus Ware, LB-DE – 2005-2013 Dallas Cowboys, 2014-16 Denver Broncos | (Times as a
Semifinalist: 1 – 2022).

Ricky Watters, RB – 1992-94 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-97 Philadelphia Eagles, 1998-2001
Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2 – 2020, 2022).

Reggie Wayne, WR – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2020-22).

Vince Wilfork, DT – 2004-2014 New England Patriots, 2015-16 Houston Texans | (Times as a
Semifinalist: 1 – 2022).

Patrick Willis, LB – 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2020-22).

Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6 – 2015, 2017,
2019-2022).

Bryant Young, DT – 1994-2007 San Francisco 49ers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3 – 2020-22).

The list of semifinalists was reduced from an initial group of 123 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 which are coach Dick Vermeil, Art McNally and Cliff Branch.

The Hall of Fame’s 49-person Selection Committee will select the Class of 2022 in advance of Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. The class will be announced Feb. 10.

While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Bylaws for the Selection Committee provide that between four and eight new members will be selected.

Follow on Twitter: @ArmandoSalguero

Written by

Armando Salguero is a national award-winning columnist and is OutKick's Senior NFL Writer. He has covered the NFL since 1990 and is a selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and a voter for the Associated Press All-Pro Team and Awards. Salguero, selected a top 10 columnist by the APSE, has worked for the Miami Herald, Miami News, Palm Beach Post and ESPN as a national reporter. He has also hosted morning drive radio shows in South Florida.