Anquan Boldin, Fred Taylor among Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists
Two players from The Muck are among the modern-day semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023.
Former Pahokee quarterback Anquan Boldin and former Glades Central running back Fred Taylor saw their names among the 28 players announced on Tuesday, the largest such group since 2004.
Two other Palm Beach County natives are also on the list: Vince Wilfork (Santaluces) and Devin Hester (Suncoast).
Meanwhile, former Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas is a fifth-time semifinalist.
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Boldin, who starred at Florida State, played 14 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Arizona Cardinals. He caught 1,076 passes for 13,779 yards and 82 touchdowns.
He was the 2003 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, made three Pro Bowls and was with the Baltimore Ravens when they won Super Bowl XLVII. In 2015, he was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year for his community service and remains active in those endeavors in the Pahokee area.
Taylor, who starred at Florida, played 11 of his 13 seasons with the Jaguars. He holds 42 franchise records, including career rushing yards (11,271, 17th most in NFL history) and total touchdowns in a season (18 in 1998). He had 66 rushing TDs during his time in Jacksonville.
Tony Boselli thinks Taylor belongs in Hall of Fame
Former Jacksonville offensive tackle Tony Boselli, who became the team's first Hall of Famer this summer, said Taylor deserves to have his bust in Canton, Ohio, too.
"I think Fred Taylor is probably one of the most under-appreciated running backs in his era," Boselli said in February on The Rich Eisen Show. "He has over 12,000 yards and he averaged 4.6 yards a carry.
"He gets knocked because he didn’t make All-Pro and there isn’t a big number of Pro Bowls [for him], but if you go ask anyone who played with him or anyone who played against him, there is not a more dangerous back. His stats back it up."
The 28 semifinalists will be reduced to 15 finalists before the final voting process in January. The inductees will be announced on Feb. 9 during NFL Honors, the prime-time awards show when The Associated Press reveals its individual award winners for the 2022 NFL season, including Most Valuable Player and Coach of the Year.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Anquan Boldin, Fred Taylor among Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists
