Michael Strahan, Warren Sapp, Jonathan Ogden and John Lynch are among 27 eligible players for the 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame.
It was announced Friday kicker Morten Anderson and quarterback Steve Mcnair would join Strahan, Sapp, Ogden and Lynch, as first time nominees.
Strahan played 15 seasons in the NFL, from 1993 to 2007, all with the New York Giants. He owns the NFL’s single-season sack record, with 22.5 in 2001. And he is fifth on the NFL career sack list, with 141.5.
Warren Sapp, now an analyst for the NFL network, was one of the most feared defensive linemen to play the game. The seven-time Pro Bowl selection totaled 96.5 sacks in route to winning defensive player of the year in 1999.
Jonathan Ogden is a member of the NFL’s 2000 All-Decade Team and started 176 games in his career at left tackle for the Baltimore from 1996-2007.
John Lynch played safety for the Tampa Buccaneers and the Denver Broncos. The four-time all-pro recorded 1,058 tackles and 26 interceptions in his career, and was considered one of the hardest hitting safeties to play the game.
Kicker Morten Andersen, who made the field goal to send the Falcons to their only Super Bowl, holds the record for most games played in the NFL with 382. He’s also attempted a record 709 field goals.
The late great Steve Mcnair won the AP NFL MVP award in 2003 and accumulated 31,304 passing yards in his career. He was drafted by the Houston/Tennessee Oilers and finished his career with the Baltimore Ravens.
This year’s class includes 13 first-year modern era canidates and consists of 127 total nominees comprised of 89 players, 14 coaches and 24 contributors.
The list of the 15 finalists will be announced in January. The Class of 2013 will be revealed on Saturday, Feb. 2, the day before Super Bowl XLVII.
First-year eligible nominees are as such:
Defensive Linemen – Warren Sapp, Michael Strahan
Offensive Linemen- Larry Allen, Jonathan Ogden
Placekickers – Morten Andersen
Safeties – John Lynch
Additional nominees include:
Cornerbacks – Albert Lewis, Aeneas Williams (also safety)
Defensive Linemen – Curley Culp
Linebackers – Kevin Greene (also DE), Charles Haley (also DE), Karl Mecklenburg, Dave Robinson
Running Backs – Jerome Bettis, Roger Craig, Terrell Davis
Safeties – Steve Atwater
Wide Receivers – Tim Brown, Cris Carter, Andre Reed, Steve Tasker
Coaches – Don Coryell, Bill Parcells
Commissioners – Paul Tagliabue
Contributors – George Young
Owners – Edward DeBartolo Jr., Art Modell
