Let The Nightmare Begin Again...
Gretz: D.T. Makes Hall Cut To 25
D.T. Makes Hall Cut To 25
November 25, 2008 - Bob Gretz |
The potential class for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2009 has been sliced to 25 players and part of that group is Chiefs LB Derrick Thomas.
The Hall of Fame in Canton announced the results of balloting by the board of selectors that was conducted earlier this month from an initial group of 133 names. Voters were asked to select 25 players, coaches or contributors.
The 25 modern-era semi-finalists list will be reduced by a mail ballot to 15 finalists. Along with two senior nominees, the Class of 2009 will be selected from that list of 17 men on Saturday, January 31, 2009, in Tampa, Florida the day before Super Bowl XLIII. Rules provide that between four and seven new members will be selected.
WR Bob Hayes and DE Claude Humphrey are the senior nominees for this class.
Thomas is part of the 25 semi-finalists for the fifth consecutive year.
Joining him are first-year nominees DE Bruce Smith, CB Rod Woodson, TE Shannon Sharpe and DT John Randle.
There are three non-players on the list: former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, former Browns-Ravens owner Art Modell and Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson.
Other players among the 25: WR Cris Carter, RB Roger Craig, RB Terrell Davis, C Dermontti Dawson, DE Richard Dent, DE/LB Chris Doleman, DE/LB Kevin Greene, G Russ Grimm, P Ray Guy, DE/LB Charles Haley, CB Lester Hayes, DT Cortez Kennedy, G Bob Kuchenberg, G Randall McDaniel, WR Andre Reed, QB Ken Stabler and WR/Special Teamer Steve Tasker.
Four other members of the Chiefs did not make the cut to 25 players: DE Art Still, CB Albert Lewis, S Deron Cherry and K Nick Lowery.
The list of 15 finalists will be announced in early January.
