Two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Peyton Manning was one of four first-time nominees among 15 modern-era NFL players named Tuesday as American Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists.
The list, determined by a vote of the Hall selection committee, also included first-time eligible players Calvin Johnson at wide receiver, defensive end Jared Allen and defensive back Charles Woodson.
The selection committee will determine the 2021 Hall of Fame inductees and announce choices on February 6 with an enshrinement ceremony on August 8 in Canton, Ohio.
Manning, 44, guided the Indianapolis Colts to the 2007 Super Bowl crown and led the Denver Broncos to the 2016 Super Bowl title in the final game of his 18-year NFL career.
The five-time NFL Most Valuable Player threw for 71,940 career yards and 539 touchdowns, rewriting the league record books with such efforts as 55 touchdown passes in a season and 5,477 passing yards in a season.
Woodson helped Green Bay win the 2011 Super Bowl but spent most of his 18-year career with the Oakland Raiders. He made 65 career interceptions and matched an NFL record with 13 defensive touchdowns.
Johnson made 731 catches for 11,619 and 83 touchdowns for Detroit from 2007 through 2015 and Allen made 136 quarterback sacks from 2004-2015 with Kansas City, Minnesota, Chicago and Carolina.
Advancing to the finalist list for the first time were Ronde Barber, a Tampa Bay defensive back from 1997-2012, and Clay Matthews, a linebacker with Cleveland and Atlanta from 1978-1996.
Other offensive finalists included Jacksonville tackle Tony Boselli, Pittsburgh guard Alan Faneca, former St. Louis Rams and Jacksonville receiver Torry Holt and one of Manning’s favorite Colts targets, receiver Reggie Wayne. Other defensive finalists included safeties LeRoy Butler of Green Bay and John Lynch of Tampa Bay and Denver, New Orleans and Carolina linebacker Sam Mills and Miami and dallas linebacker Zach Thomas plus defensive lineman Richard Seymour of the Raiders and New England Patriots.*AFP
