Dungy, WR Harrison among Hall nominees
Wide receiver Marvin Harrison, linebacker Derrick Brooks, offensive lineman Walter Jones and coach Tony Dungy are among the 16 first-year-eligible modern-era candidates nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2014.
Harrison, the former Indianapolis Colts star, accumulated 1,102 receptions, 14,580 receiving yards and 128 touchdowns during his career. He had eight consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons and was a Pro Bowl pick eight times.
Jones was a first-round choice of the Seattle Seahawks in 1997 and is considered by some to be the best left tackle to play the position. He was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection.
Brooks played his entire career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being a first-round pick in 1995. He was an 11-time Pro Bowl selection and the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the year in 2002. That same year, he helped lead the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory.
Dungy was head coach of the Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Colts from 2002 to 2008. He became the first black head coach to win a Super Bowl when the Colts beat the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
Dungy, who retired with a 139-69 coaching record, also set an NFL record with 10 straight seasons of making the postseason as a head coach.
The other first-year nominees are quarterback Trent Green, running backs Shaun Alexander and Warrick Dunn, offensive tackle Willie Anderson, linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Zach Thomas, linebacker/defensive end Willie McGinest, safety Rodney Harrison, cornerbacks Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain and coaches Jon Gruden and Mike Holmgren.
Also on the ballot are 10 men who were finalists last year: running back Jerome Bettis, wide receivers Tim Brown and Andre Reed, guard Will Shields, defensive end/linebackers Charles Haley and Kevin Greene, defensive end Michael Strahan, defensive back Aeneas Williams and former team owners Edward DeBartolo Jr. and Art Modell.
The complete list of modern-era candidates for the Class of 2014 consists of 126 nominees. From that list, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee will choose 25 candidates who will advance as semifinalist nominees.
The list of 25 semifinalist nominees will be announced in late November and be reduced even more until the Class of 2014 will be revealed before Super Bowl XLVIII.
