Bill Parcells, Will Shields, Jerome Bettis and Cris Carter are among the seventeen finalists for the 50th class to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, announced Sunday.Feb 4, 2012 – 15 finalists will be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the Hall’s Selection Committee meets in Indianapolis on Saturday, Feb. 4.
Leading the pack is first-year nominee Bill Parcells, who led both the New York and Giants and New England Patriots to Super Bowls, winning two with the Giants and losing one with the Pats. Parcells has technically been a finalist twice before following his retirement as head coach of the New York Jets in 1999. Parcells returned to coach the Dallas Cowboys in 2003, after a five-year waiting period had been put into effect.
Parcells finished his NFL coaching career with a record of 172-130-1, two Super Bowl rings, three Conference championships and two AP Coach of the Year awards.
Kansas City Chiefs guard Will Shields is the other first-year nominee. In 1999, Shields was selected as an offensive guard to the Walter Camp Football Foundation College Football All-Century Team. In his 14 seasons in the NFL, Shields never missed a game and is considered one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history.
NFL Hall Of Fame 2012: Curtis Martin, 5 Others To Be Inducted
Jack Butler, Dermontii Dawson, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy, Curtis Martin and Willie Roaf were voted in. Notable finalists who didn’t make the cut include Bill Parcells, Cris Carter and Tim Brown.
2012 NFL Hall Of Fame Voting : An Explanation For Some Of The Perplexing Snubs
Sports Illustrated’s Jim Trotter was in the room for this year’s Hall of Fame voting and has his thoughts on how and why some notable names were left out. Many were perplexed when Bill Parcells, Cris Carter, Andre Reed and others did not make the final cut, and Trotter tries to explain why this happened.
The problem is the numbers, with only five modern-era candidates inducted each year. Further compounding the problem, Trotter hypothesizes, is the candidates that will become eligible in the near future. Which led him to this.
Some thoughts on today’s voting: It sure had the feel of a good old-fashion housecleaning. That may sound terrible, but in no way is it meant to demean the players who were selected. Each of them is most deserving. But voters were aware of what’s coming down the pike, and if certain positions weren’t addressed this year it would create major logjams going forward.
He continued by pointing out the battles that would’ve taken place over the coming year, had some of the candidates who gained the necessary votes for induction not been approved this year. For the wide receivers, the problem seemed to be a split vote: Trotter said it was impossible for voters to agree which of the corps was “better,” causing a split.
Go read the whole piece for an inside look at the process and a deeper explanation of the voting. It’s the system we’re stuck with, and there will always be snubs, but it’s tough to take when so many deserving candidates are left out, like they were on Saturday.
Bill Parcells, Will Shields, Jerome Bettis and Cris Carter are among the seventeen finalists for the 50th class to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, announced Sunday.
Feb 4, 2012 – 15 finalists will be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the Hall’s Selection Committee meets in Indianapolis on Saturday, Feb. 4.
Leading the pack is first-year nominee Bill Parcells, who led both the New York and Giants and New England Patriots to Super Bowls, winning two with the Giants and losing one with the Pats. Parcells has technically been a finalist twice before following his retirement as head coach of the New York Jets in 1999. Parcells returned to coach the Dallas Cowboys in 2003, after a five-year waiting period had been put into effect.
Parcells finished his NFL coaching career with a record of 172-130-1, two Super Bowl rings, three Conference championships and two AP Coach of the Year awards.
Kansas City Chiefs guard Will Shields is the other first-year nominee. In 1999, Shields was selected as an offensive guard to the Walter Camp Football Foundation College Football All-Century Team. In his 14 seasons in the NFL, Shields never missed a game and is considered one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history.
Other finalists for the Hall include Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jerome Bettis, Oakland Raiders receiver Tim Brown, Minnesota Vikings receiver Cris Carter, defensive end Chris Doleman, linebacker Kevin Greene, 49ers/Cowboys linebacker Charles Haley, Seahawks defenstive tackle Cortez Kennedy, Patriots/Jets running back Curtis Martin, Buffalo Bills WR Andre Reed, Saints/Chiefs tackle Willie Roaf, Cardinals/Rams DB Aeneas Williams, 49ers owner Ed DeBartolo, Jr., Steelers corner Jack Butler and Lions/Redskins guard Dick Stanfel.
Although there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s current ground rules stipulate that between four and seven new members will be selected each year. No more than five modern-era nominees can be elected in a given year.
At the announcement, Pro Football Hall of Fame President/Executive Director Steve Perry will be presented with an envelope containing the names of the nominees elected. Each newly elected member will be contacted immediately by the Hall of Fame. The election results will be announced at 5:30 p.m. ET during a one-hour NFL Network special, live from the Super Bowl Media Center. The Class of 2012 will be the 50th class to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.