The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced its Modern-Era Player Finalists for the Class of 2021 on Tuesday.
The list of finalists includes four first-year eligible players—quarterback Peyton Manning, wide receiver Calvin Johnson, defensive back Charles Woodson and defensive end Jared Allen.
To be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, finalists must not have participated as an active player for five consecutive seasons. The Modern-Era Player Finalists are determined by a vote of the Hall’s Selection Committee from a list of 130 nominees named in September that was reduced to 25 semifinalists in November.
Here is the complete list of finalists:
- Jared Allen, DE — 2004-2007 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-2015 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers
- Ronde Barber, DB — 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tony Boselli, T — 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans
- LeRoy Butler, S — 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers
- Alan Faneca, G — 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets, 2010 Arizona Cardinals
- Torry Holt, WR — 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
- Calvin Johnson, WR — 2007-2015 Detroit Lions
- John Lynch, FS — 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos
- Peyton Manning, QB — 1998-2011 Indianapolis Colts, 2012-2015 Denver Broncos
- Clay Matthews, LB — 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-1996 Atlanta Falcons
- Sam Mills, LB — 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers
- Richard Seymour, DE/DT — 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders
- Zach Thomas, LB — 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys
- Reggie Wayne, WR — 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts
- Charles Woodson, DB — 1998-2005, 2013-2015 Oakland Raiders, 2006-2012 Green Bay Packers
The Class of 2021 will be revealed during NFL Honors on Saturday, Feb. 6 ahead of Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Fla. While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Bylaws for the Selection Committee provide that between four and eight new members will be selected.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021 will be enshrined Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021 in Canton as part of the 2021 Enshrinement Week.
