For Immediate Release                                                         
October 30, 2002       
For More Information, Contact Joe Horrigan (330) 456-8207                                                            

 

 Seventy-Four Nominees on Hall of Fame Preliminary Ballot

CANTON, OHIO – Seventy-four former players, coaches, and contributors, make up the preliminary list of nominees vying for a spot on the 15 finalists list for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2003.  Two carryover modern-era nominees from last year have already earned the right to be included on the elite list of finalists.  Modern-era nominees Bob Kuechenberg and Bill Parcells will automatically be included on the list of 15 finalists because they finished in the top six in the voting last year.  

 Also automatically included on the 15 finalists list is the recommended candidate of the Hall of Fame’s Senior Committee.  This year’s nominee, who was announced earlier this year, is former Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints coach Hank Stram.  The Seniors Committee reviews the qualifications of those players, coaches, and contributors whose careers primarily took place more than 25 years ago. 

 The 12 yet-to-be selected finalists will be determined by a straight plurality vote from the preliminary nominee list.  Included on the impressive preliminary list are eight first-year eligible players, five former head coaches, and eight contributors, including NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

 Nominees eligible for election for the first time include quarterback Boomer Esiason, running backs Marcus Allen and Herschel Walker, special teams player/wide receiver Steve Tasker, tight end Brent Jones, offensive lineman Gary Zimmerman, defensive lineman Richard Dent, and linebacker Sam Mills.

 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.

 The Class of 2003 will be determined at the Selection Committee’s annual meeting, which will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2003, in San Diego, CA, the day before Super Bowl XXXVII.  The election results will be announced immediately after the meeting at a press conference in the media headquarters.  While 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.

  

PRELIMINARY LIST OF NOMINEES FOR THE CLASS OF 2003

 

Nominees in First Year of Eligibility

 Quarterback:  Boomer Esiason

 Running Backs:  Marcus Allen and Herschel Walker

 Tight End:  Brent Jones

 Tackle:  Gary Zimmerman

 Defensive End:  Richard Dent

 Linebacker: Sam Mills

 Special Teams/Wide Receiver:  Steve Tasker

 Additional Nominees For the Class of 2003

 Quarterbacks:  Ken Anderson, Jim Hart, Jim McMahon, Jim Plunkett, Phil Simms, and Ken Stabler

 Running Backs:  Ottis Anderson, Roger Craig, and Chuck Foreman

 Wide Receivers:  Cliff Branch, Isaac Curtis, *James Lofton, *Art Monk, Drew Pearson, Sterling
                             Sharpe, and Wesley Walker

 Tight Ends:  Raymond Chester and Todd Christensen

 Offensive Linemen: 

            Centers:  Ray Donaldson, Jay Hilgenberg, Rich Saul, and Jeff Van Note
            Guards:  Joe DeLamielleure, Russ Grimm, and **Bob Kuechenberg
            Tackles:  Jim Covert, Joe Jacoby, Mike Kenn, and Jim Lachey

Defensive Linemen:  Elvin Bethea, Dave Butz, Ray Childress, Fred Dean, *L.C. Greenwood, Claude
                                   Humphrey, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, Sean Jones, Joe Klecko, and Harvey Martin 

Linebackers:  *Harry Carson, Randy Gradishar, Wilber Marshall, Clay Matthews, Karl Mecklenburg,
                        Matt Millen, Jerry Robinson, and Al Smith

Defensive Backs:  *Lester Hayes, Ken Riley, *Donnie Shell, Jack Tatum, and Roger Wehrli

Punter:  *Ray Guy

 Coaches:  Don Coryell, Tom Flores, Jimmy Johnson, Chuck Knox, and **Bill Parcells

 Contributors:  Ed DeBartolo, Jr., Ben Dreith, *Art Modell, Art Rooney, Jr., Paul Tagliabue, Ralph
                         Wilson, Jr., Ron Wolf, and George Young

 *    On last year’s 15 Finalists List

** Automatically on the 15 Finalists List for 2003