For Immediate Release                                                  For More Information, Contact
October 30, 2000                                                          Joe Horrigan (330) 456-8207

CANTON, OHIO – Sixty-one players, seven coaches, and ten contributors make up the modern-era nomination list for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2001. First-year eligible nominees include former Washington Redskins wide receiver Art Monk and Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Jackie Slater. Coaches nominated in their first year of eligibility include Jimmy Johnson, Bill Parcells, and Dick Vermeil.

To be considered for Hall of Fame election, a nominated player must have been retired at least five years. For a non-player, there is no mandatory retirement period, but a coach must be retired before he may be considered. A contributor, who is a nominee who has made outstanding contributions to pro football in capacities other than playing or coaching, may still be active in his pro football career.

In addition to Monk and Slater, other nominated players who are eligible for the first time include wide receiver Gary Clark, offensive linemen Chris Hinton and Bart Oates, and linebackers Carl Banks and Wilber Marshall.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Board of Selectors, by a straight plurality vote will reduce this extensive preliminary list to a much smaller final ballot for election. The final ballot will consist of 14 modern-era finalists and one recommended candidate of the Hall’s Seniors Committee. The Seniors Committee reviews the qualifications of those players, coaches, and contributors whose careers primarily took place more than 25 years ago. Their nominee, who was announced earlier this summer, is former Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins linebacker Nick Buoniconti.

Two modern-era nominees, former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann and former Los Angeles Rams defensive end Jack Youngblood are automatic modern-era finalists in 2001 because they finished in the top six in the voting for the Hall’s 2000 class, but were not elected.

The list of 15 finalists will be announced approximately 15 days prior to the Selection Committee’s annual meeting, which will be held on January 27, 2001, in Tampa, FL, the day before Super Bowl XXXV. The Class of 2001 will be determined at the annual meeting with the results being announced at a formal press conference immediately following.

Although there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the current ground rules do stipulate that between four and seven new members will be selected each year.

NOMINEES IN FIRST YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY

WIDE RECEIVERS

Gary Clark, Art Monk

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

Chris Hinton (G/T), Bart Oates (C), Jackie Slater (T)

LINEBACKERS

Carl Banks, Wilber Marshall

COACHES

Jimmy Johnson, Bill Parcells, Dick Vermeil

QUARTERBACKS

Ken Anderson, Archie Manning, Jim Plunkett, Phil Simms, Ken Stabler

RUNNING BACKS

William Andrews, Roger Craig, Delvin Williams

WIDE RECEIVERS

Cliff Branch, James Lofton, Drew Pearson, Ahmad Rashad, John Stallworth, Lynn Swann

TIGHT ENDS

Dave Casper, Raymond Chester, Todd Christensen

Dave Dalby (C), Joe DeLamielleure (G), Russ Grimm (G), Bob Kuechenberg (G), Joe Jacoby (T), Mike Kenn (T), Jon Kolb (T), Mike Munchak (G), Rich Saul (C), Ron Yary (T)

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Elvin Bethea (DE), Dave Butz (DT), Doug English (DT), L.C. Greenwood (DE), Dan Hampton (DE/DT), Ed "Too Tall" Jones (DE), Harvey Martin (DE), Jerry Sherk (DT), Dwight White (DE), Jack Youngblood (DE)

LINEBACKERS

Harry Carson, Randy Gradishar, Tom Jackson, Karl Mecklenburg, Matt Millen, Jerry Robinson

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Gary Fencik (S), Jerry Gray (CB/S), Cliff Harris (S), Lester Hayes (CB), Jake Scott (S), Donnie Shell (S), Jack Tatum (S), Charlie Waters (CB/S), Roger Wehrli (CB)

KICKER/PUNTER

Ray Guy, Garo Yepremian

COACHES

Bill Arnsparger, Jerry Burns, Tom Flores, Marv Levy

CONTRIBUTORS

Bobby Beathard, Tommy Bell, Jack Kent Cooke, Edward DeBartolo, Jr., Jerry Jones, Jerry Markbreit, Art Modell, Art Rooney, Jr., Jim Tunney, Ralph Wilson, Jr.