Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson top 15 finalists for Class of 2021 Hall of Fame

by

Four players in their first year of eligibility are among the 15 finalists for the Class of 2021 Hall of Fame.

Quarterback Peyton Manning, defensive security Charles Woodson, receiver Calvin Johnson, and defensive end Jared Allen top the list.

At the end of January, a maximum of five finalists will be selected for the introduction at the location.

The finalists were announced on Tuesday. It is the second time in recent years that four players in their first year of eligibility are finalists in the same year.

The Class 2021 launch ceremony is currently scheduled for the week of August 5-9. The Class of 2020 will have a separate ceremony that same week, as the event was canceled last August due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Those four players, with 33 combined Pro Bowl appearances, join Cornerback Ronde Barber, tackle Tony Boselli, security LeRoy Butler, security guard Alan Faneca, receivers Torry Holt and Reggie Wayne, security John Lynch, linebackers. Clay Matthews Jr., Sam Mills and Zach Thomas and defensive end Richard Seymour,

It could be the eighth year in a row that a player is selected in their first year of eligibility and if three players are among the five winners in their first year, it would be the third time in the last four years that three players in their first year chosen in the same class.

Champ Bailey, Tony Gonzalez and Ed Reed were inducted in 2019 and in 2019 Ray Lewis, Randy Moss and Brian Urlacher were in the 2018 Class.

This year is the eighth time that Lynch is a finalist, the sixth for Faneca and the fifth for Boselli.

Former coach Tom Flores is already a finalist after being appointed by the coaching committee. Bill Nunn is a finalist as a contributor and Drew Pearson is a finalist for the Veterans Committee. If all three are elected, Class 2021 can have up to eight members.

Manning, who won five Most Valuable Player awards, was selected from 14 Pro Bowls and seven All-Pro starting teams, won Comeback of the Year and Man of the Year awards, and is one of the most awarded players in history of the NFL. He was quarterback for the Denver Broncos when they won Super Bowl 50, ending their last season in the league.

After 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, Manning signed with the Broncos in 2012, becoming one of the most prestigious players to switch teams in the era of the free agencies. The Colts had 11 seasons with at least 10 wins with Manning as passer and won the Super Bowl XLI, of which Manning was named Most Valuable Player.

The quarterback retired with several season and career records, including his 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdowns in 2013.

Woodson, who went to the Pro Bowl nine times and tied his 18-year career (with Ken Riley) finishing for fifth place in interceptions in NFL history with 65, led the NFL in that category with nine with the Greens. Bay Packers in 2009 and won a Super Bowl ring with the Packers the following season.

The cornerback turned to safety and also forced 33 fumbles in his career, had 20 sacks and three seasons of 90 tackles, including 113 with the Oakland Las Vegas Raiders at the age of 38.

Johnson played for the Detroit Lions for nine seasons before abruptly retiring after the 2015 season in which he had 88 receptions for 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns. He had five seasons with at least 1,200 receiving yards and is ranked 31st in that category in the history of the league.

Due to the Lions’ woes, something he later acknowledged had to do with his decision to retire, Johnson only played in two postseason appearances and finished in his first appearance with 211 receiving yards and two touchdowns in what was a 45-28 loss against the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card Round of the 2011 season.

Allen, who is ranked 12th on the all-time sack list, has played for four teams in his 13-year career and led the NFL in that category in 2007 with 15.5 and in 2011 with 22.

.Source