Three first-time eligible gamers and a participant who has waited 25 years spotlight the listing of 15 finalists for the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame’s class of 2023.
Deal with Joe Thomas, a 10-time Professional Bowl choice in addition to a six-time first-team All Professional, cornerback Darrelle Revis and defensive finish Dwight Freeney are all finalists of their first 12 months of eligibility. Cornerback Albert Lewis, who performed his final recreation within the 1998 season, has waited by the customary five-year interval after retirement to go along with 20 years of eligibility to be named a finalist for the primary time.
The remainder of the finalists for the category of 2023, introduced Wednesday evening, are:
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Jared Allen, defensive finish
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Willie Anderson, deal with
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Ronde Barber, cornerback
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Devin Hester, vast receiver/returner
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Torry Holt, vast receiver
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Andre Johnson, vast receiver
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Zach Thomas, linebacker
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DeMarcus Ware, defensive finish/outdoors linebacker
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Reggie Wayne, vast receiver
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Patrick Willis, linebacker
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Darren Woodson, security
Of that group, solely Woodson was not a finalist final 12 months, and Holt has now been a finalist 4 instances.
The Corridor of Fame’s board of selectors will meet within the coming weeks to decide on a most of 5 modern-era finalists for enshrinement. The category of 2023 will likely be introduced Feb. 9 through the NFL Honors present, 4 days earlier than the Tremendous Bowl.
Ken Riley, Chuck Howley and Joe Klecko are the seniors committee finalists, and Don Coryell is the coach/contributor committee finalist. These 4 will likely be voted on a yes-or-no foundation.
The enshrinement ceremony will happen in August on the Corridor of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Thomas is essentially the most embellished participant amongst this 12 months’s finalists, together with his 10 Professional Bowls rating eighth most for an offensive lineman. However in Thomas’ 11 seasons with the Cleveland Browns the group didn’t make the playoffs and completed with a successful document simply as soon as — at 10-6 in 2007, his rookie 12 months after being drafted third general.
Among the many different first-year eligible gamers, Freeney was a seven-time Professional Bowl choice and three-time first-team All Professional who was a part of the Indianapolis Colts‘ Tremendous Bowl XLI-winning group to conclude the 2006 season. He additionally led the NFL in sacks in 2004.
Revis, a seven-time Professional Bowl choice and four-time first-team All Professional whose protection expertise launched the “Revis Island” moniker, performed for 4 groups in his 11-year profession. Drafted at No. 14 general by the Jets in 2007, he performed eight of his seasons in New York throughout two stints with the franchise. He additionally gained a Tremendous Bowl with the 2014 New England Patriots.
If one or each of Thomas and Revis are enshrined within the Corridor’s class of 2023, they’d be a part of vast receiver Calvin Johnson, the No. 2 decide by the Detroit Lions in 2007, as Corridor of Famers among the many first 14 alternatives in that draft.
Of all of the finalists, none has waited longer than Lewis, who’s in his closing 12 months of eligibility as a modern-era participant. Lewis, who performed 16 seasons (11 with the Kansas City Chiefs and 5 with the Raiders), completed his profession with 42 interceptions.