NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Former Titans greats Steve McNair, Eddie George, Kevin Mawae, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Lorenzo Neal, Steve Hutchinson, Randy Moss and Gary Anderson are among the 108 modern-era nominees announced for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2018 class.
The roster of nominees consists of 53 offensive players, 38 defensive players, five special teams players and 12 coaches. The Modern-Era nominees will be reduced to 25 semifinalists in November and, from there, to 15 finalists in January.
Eighteen finalists will be presented to the full 48-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee during its annual selection meeting the day before Super Bowl LII. The finalists will consist of 15 Modern-Era finalists, the recently named Senior Finalists, Robert Brazile and Jerry Kramer, and the Contributor Finalist, Bobby Beathard.
The Selection Committee will meet on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minn. to elect the Class of 2018.
McNair, George, Mawae and Anderson were all nominated a year ago.
Mawae, an offensive lineman who played 16 NFL seasons (1994-2009), including four seasons with the Titans (2006-09), made the final 10 last season.
McNair, a 1995 draft pick by Houston Oilers, quarterbacked the Titans to the Super Bowl during the 1999 season, and was named co-MVP of the NFL in 2003. He threw for over 31,304 yards in his career, which included two seasons with the Ravens after 11 seasons in Tennessee.
George was drafted a year later, and the running back rushed for 10,009 yards and 64 touchdowns with the Oilers/Titans from 1996-2003.
Vanden Bosch played 12 NFL seasons (2001-12), and registered 58 career sack. He posted 38.5 sacks from 2005-09 with the Titans.
Neal played 17 NFL seasons, including 1999-2000 with the Titans, when he cleared the way for George. He also played a key role in the Music City Miracle.
Hutchinson played in 169 games over 12 NFL seasons, from 2001-2012. He played in 2012 with the Titans, and now works in the scouting department with the team.
Moss caught 982 passes for 15,292 yards and 156 touchdowns in 14 NFL seasons (1998-2012). He spent the second half of the 2010 season with the Titans, where he played in eight games after being claimed off waivers. He caught six passes for 80 yards that season.
Anderson played 23 NFL seasons, including the 2003-04 seasons with the Titans.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2018 will be formally enshrined next August in Canton.
MODERN-ERA NOMINEES FOR THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2018
- Finalist in 2017; Underline indicates first year of eligibility (Players and coaches must have last played or coached at least five full seasons to be eligible for nomination. Therefore, any individual who last played or coached in 2012 are eligible for the first time in 2018).
QUARTERBACKS
(5) – Randall Cunningham, Rich Gannon, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, Phil Simms
RUNNING BACKS
(10) – Tiki Barber, Earnest Byner, Roger Craig, Corey Dillon, Eddie George, Edgerrin James, Lorenzo Neal, Fred Taylor, Herschel Walker (also KR), Ricky Watters
WIDE RECEIVERS
(13) – *Isaac Bruce, Donald Driver, Henry Ellard (also PR), Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, Randy Moss, *Terrell Owens, Sterling Sharpe, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Steve Smith, John Taylor, Hines Ward
TIGHT END
(4) – Mark Bavaro, Ben Coates, Ferrell Edmunds, Jay Novacek
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
(21) – Willie Anderson (T), Matt Birk (C), *Tony Boselli (T), Lomas Brown (T), Ruben Brown (G), Ray Donaldson (C), *Alan Faneca (G), Bill Fralic (G/T), Jay Hilgenberg (C), Chris Hinton (G/T), Kent Hull (C), Steve Hutchinson (G), *Joe Jacoby (T), Mike Kenn (T), *Kevin Mawae (C/G), Tom Nalen (C), Nate Newton (G), Bart Oates (C), Jeff Saturday (C), Richmond Webb (T), Steve Wisniewski (G)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
(11) – La'Roi Glover (DT/NT), Leonard Marshall (DE/DT), Keith Millard (DT/NT/DE), Leslie O'Neal (DE), Michael Dean Perry (DT/DE), Simeon Rice (DE), Richard Seymour (DT), Neil Smith (DE), Greg Townsend (DE/NT/LB), Kyle Vanden Bosch (DE), Bryant Young (DT)
LINEBACKERS
(15) – Carl Banks, Cornelius Bennett, Tedy Bruschi, Seth Joyner, Ray Lewis, Greg Lloyd, Wilber Marshall, Clay Matthews, Willie McGinest (also DE), Karl Mecklenburg, Sam Mills, Joey Porter, Darryl Talley, Zach Thomas, Brian Urlacher
DEFENSIVE BACKS
(12) – Eric Allen (CB), Steve Atwater (S), Ronde Barber (CB/S), LeRoy Butler (S), *Brian Dawkins (SS), Rodney Harrison (S), *Ty Law (CB), Albert Lewis (CB), *John Lynch (S), Dennis Smith (S), Everson Walls (CB), Darren Woodson (S)
KICKERS/PUNTER
(3) – Gary Anderson (K), Sean Landeta (P), Nick Lowery (K)
SPECIAL TEAMS
(2) – Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB), Steve Tasker (ST also WR)
COACHES
(12) – *Don Coryell, Bill Cowher, Tom Flores, Mike Holmgren, Jimmy Johnson, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Richie Petitbon, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, Clark Shaughnessy, Dick Vermeil
SENIOR FINALISTS
(2) - Robert Brazil (LB), Jerry Kramer (OG)
CONTRIBUTOR FINALIST
(1) - Bobby Beathard (GM)
